University of Hawai'i at Manoa

SEMINAR-LECTURE

Krishnamurti: Its Impact on Major Philippine Religions

by Dr. Arturo M. Perez

The Philippines is the only Christian country in Asia. About 92% of Filipinos embrace Christianity (87% Roman Catholics; 7% Protestants). Christian Missionaries remain very active to this day—be they Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mennonites, Baptists, or Presbyterians. Two independent Filipino churches have attracted substantial numbers of adherents, totaling about 6% of the population: Iglesia Filipina Independiente (founded in 1902) and the Iglesia ni Kristo (in 1914). The country has many other sects, cults, and revivalist movements (there are an estimated 350 of such religious organizations registered at The National Council of Churches in the Philippines). Other major religions in the Philippines include Islam, Buddhism & Taoism, and indigenous beliefs (animism). About 5% of the country’s population are Moslems. Manila and Cebu have significant numbers of devotees to Buddhism and Taoism. Buddhism in the Philippines has blended to some extent with Catholicism. Beneath the veneer of dominant Christianity, however, strong animist beliefs and customs continue to lurk—a phenomenon known as folk Catholicism. Enter J. Krishnamurti. His masterly descriptions of the inner workings of the mind appeal to Filipinos who turn to faith in times of trouble. The Krishnamurti Center of the Philippines, The Krishnamurti Committee of the Phlippines, and The Krishnamurti Publishing Company maintain a regular cable TV and radio program airing Krishnamurti’s talks and dialogues. Since 1970 we have an estimated 100,00 Filipinos who have been inquiring about K’s approach to life.

Dr. Arturo Perez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of the Philippines. For the last 17 years, he has probably lectured in all mainstream disciplines of Philosophy. He has a number of journal publications, both local and international, along the lines of Phenomenology and Existentialism. At the turn of the millennium, somewhat like following the drift of the so-called “spiritual turn” in Philosophy led his interest to Jiddu Krishnamurti’s approach to Life.

Date and venue:June 3, 2005, 2:00-4:00 pm Tokioka Room (Moore Hall 319)

Please feel free to give us a call at the Center for more information.

The lecture is free and open to the public. For information, please call the Center for Philippine Studies at 956-6086, fax 956-2682 or email cps@hawaii.edu. For inquiries, please contact Miss Clemen Montero at 956-6086 or email montero@hawaii.edu.

[ Close window to return to previous page ]