Is Atchie Glow a ‘Person of God’?

By Al S. Mendoza

WHAT is a “Person of God”?

I ask that because three so-called “Men of God” are planning to run for president in 2010.

I refer to Mike Velarde, Eddie Villanueva and Ed Panlilio.

Mike is chief of El Shaddai, Eddie the Jesus is Lord Movement, and Ed the priest-governor of Pampanga.

Mike and Eddie call themselves “Brother” and Ed “Among Ed.”

Archbishop Oscar Cruz of Lingayen-Dagupan calls them “three religious men.”

Said Cruz: “These are very interesting times because since I was born, this is the first occasion when no less than three religious men are aspiring for the presidency.”

This is not to pick a debate with Cruz, who is my idol from way back, but aren’t we all “Men of God”?

I guess any God-fearing and God-loving person is a “Man of God.”

I do not only fear God, I do not only love God with all my heart and all my strength.  I also heed His commandment at all times: Forgive, and love your neighbor as you love thyself.

Is Manang Glue a.k.a. Atchie Glow a “Person of God”?

Cruz, an ardent critic of Atchie Glow, says:

“To my mind, the outbreak of these religious wannabe Presidents is an argument against the present ruling administration, meaning to say, the present ruling administration must be really so bad that it made these three religious men seek the presidency.”

Is being bad disqualifies one from being called a “Person of God”?

Unlike Eddie, I don’t know Mike and Among Ed personally.

I’ve known Eddie since college. He wasn’t “a religious man” then. He was a campus politician with a fiery tongue.  I was a campus journalist with an (ahem!) acid pen.

When Eddie shot to fame as a “religious man,” many of our colleagues were stunned.

Not me. I only said, “He saw the light.”

Some said, “Hey, Al, you have also become famous, one way or the other, but have you also become as rich as Eddie?”

All I could say was, shrugging my shoulders, “Well, I went for the wrong business?”

But, honestly, even if I put up my own “Jesus is Love Movement” to rival that of Eddie’s “Jesus is Lord Movement,” I guess I might not have made it to the top, the way Eddie did.

Eddie mastered the art of memorizing the Bible page by page. He next employed that gift, through his firebrand style of public speaking, to attract a flock that now number to millions.

I hate memorizing. I only love chewing the substance of psalms, gospels or the Word of God.

That ain’t no way to gain riches, but I’m not complaining.

My wealth is in friends who do not ask me to explain if I fail to greet-text them on their birthdays. They will still buy me beer.

To Cruz, 74, being a religious person is not a guarantee to political success.

“Politics is the art of governance,” he said. “And governance is not just a question of being holy, pious, kind and humble.  You may just as well get a mother superior if that is the only qualification.”

Father, forgive me, and with due respect, but you seem way out of line.

In 2004, we got one disguised as mother superior.

Look what happened.

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