"Ramblings after seeing them struggling for their faith"
(or how this person sees the events in Quiapo
an almost "national holiday" for those yearning
for good luck if not a pardon)
At first, this person would say that there are various expression coming from people who just came home early, if not after watching scenes from TV and social media, about the biggest moshpit in Manila, if not the biggest EDM fest where the most solemn religious music in the main streets coexist with "twerk it like Miley" or any other videoke music of the narrowest roads of Quiapo. Sorry to say this, but through the years, that event has been a fiesta as everyone enjoys its festivity: from selling towels bearing the face of Jesus Christ, of Families joining together in devotion, carrying little replicas, to those of food, liquor, and videoke.
But seriously? That solemn event has almost been a national holiday due to the devotee's religiosity particularly its devotion to the Black Nazarene. Maybe because of various physical reasons such as how they yearn for good luck or a cure from their various illnesses, yet for sure there are those who yearning that is more than physical such as they really want to beseech the "lord of pardon" who can help one absolve their sins while in time being on earth more than they paid their plenary indulgences for years with the same reasons and be grant eternal life.
After all, for more than 333 years or even earlier (if to include the First Mass of Friar Odoric), the Philippines has been consecrated to god, but its up to the people on how to be righteous as what the scripture told to, for remember, some, if not most of them are sinners to the core, sorry to say it but when will they be really righteous since they afforded to seek the lord of pardon in the form of a darkened wooden statue of the suffering Messiah called Jesus the Nazarene?
Anyways, seeing such events somehow showed what Marx hath said in his works such as a sigh of an oppressed creature, while on the other hand seeing those who can't able to "emancipate people" despite affording to babble themselves as "freethinkers" or whatsoever yet still detatched from the reality that made the masses yearning for spiritual help, quite critisisable though, that according to Gerardo Lanuza, he said:
"Until now, they cannot appreciate and acknowledge Marx's correct understanding of religion! People in poor contries tend to be more religious. This is not based on Pews survey alone. This is established already in sociolgy of religion. Hence, atheists and humanist free thinkers are the ones alienated from the masses. These poor and exploited masses do not need a sermon on evolution and rebellion against the Absurd. They need real material emancipation. They have to deal with heavy traffic, not with debating divine attributes. Poor atheists."
However, he also said:
"John Dewey has the best caption, thet Men have never fully used the powers they possess to advance the good in life, because they have waited upon some power external to themselves and to nature to do the work they are responsible for doing. Dependence upon an external power is the counterpart of surrender of human endeavor.""
Anyways, may God bless them, and have themselves be prepared for their afterlife.