I was supposed to write this MUCH earlier, after seeing Jennifer’s post about it on Conversion Diary, but when I thought I finally had the time to do so, the kids got sick.

Screenshot of Jen’s post

So I missed the “deadline” and the links collection for bloggers has already been closed. (BOO!) Well, I thought I’d still try to answer Jen’s questions anyway. So… here goes:

1. WHERE DO YOU LIVE?

Manila, Philippines.

2. WHAT IS CHURCH ATTENDANCE LIKE? ARE THERE MANY CHURCHES?

We have many churches here in the Philippines, some are even hundreds of years old (sadly, many of these churches were damaged by the recent earthquake in the Western Visayas.) Usually, a lot of people attend Mass, especially on Sundays. BUT sometimes one wonders if all of the church attendees really participate wholeheartedly in the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass (I guess this is something common everywhere, not just in the Philippines, right?). Thankfully, there are also many devoted Catholics, especially those who are openly pro-life.

Screenshot from this link: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/rel_chu_att-religion-church-attendance. Shows the Philippines as the 3rd country with the most Church-attending population.

3. HOW APPROPRIATE WOULD IT BE FOR A PERSON TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE OR SHE IS A BELIEVING CHRISTIAN IN CASUAL CONVERSATION?

I guess it would depend on whom that person is conversing with — I don’t think they would acknowledge it if he or she were talking to someone they barely knew. Years ago, during a summer training program for Youth for Christ, our youth ministry, we were tasked to speak to strangers and share our faith with them. (We had to pray really hard before doing so, as to which person to approach — this was done in a mall and other public places.) The usual reaction of the people we spoke to was surprise, though most willingly listened and even agreed to being prayed for.

4. WHAT KIND OF FAITH DO THE POLITICIANS CLAIM TO PRACTICE?

We have a mixture of politicians who claim to be practicing Catholics and Christians; others are Muslims, or have no religion. In other words, we have politicians of different faiths and beliefs. Sadly, many of the supposed practicing Catholic politicians are not pro-life. Thankfully, there are a brave few politicians who openly defend life.

5. HOW COMMON WOULD IT BE TO SEE A FAMILY WITH MORE THAN THREE KIDS? WHAT ARE THE ATTITUDES TOWARD FAMILY SIZE?

It would be VERY common to see families with more than three kids. However, this has become a reason for many people to say that the Philippines is overpopulated (and this is the reason for the poverty in our country), thus there is a need for population control through programs that promote contraception, etc. So, generally, I’d say there are mixed attitudes towards family size but there is an increasing trend towards favoring smaller family sizes.

6. WHAT WAS THE DOMINANT BELIEF SYSTEM IN YOUR AREA 50 YEARS AGO? WHAT IS IT NOW?

I believe it was Christianity, and the same still stands now.

7. DO THE PEOPLE WHERE YOU LIVE SEEM HAPPY WITH THEIR LIVES?

Generally, I think so. Filipinos are known worldwide for their optimism, faith, and yes, humor, even during times of disaster and calamity.

Image from http://waterproofph.tumblr.com/

Well-known Catholic convert and author Stephen Ray (of Upon This Rock and Crossing the Tiber fame) even wrote an open letter to Filipino Catholics a few years ago, encouraging us to keep the fire of faith burning. Indeed, there are many things that we can be proud of, and happy for.

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So, there. This is what I perceive to be the religious climate in the Philippines. It may not be that accurate, of course, since this is based on my views and insights. 😉 In any case, I’m glad Jen wrote her post — it’s always interesting to see how other people around the world are living out their faith (or not, in some cases).

Do you have anything to add about the religious climate here in the Philippines? Or do you live somewhere else? I’d love to hear read your thoughts! Feel free to leave a comment! 😉