Here are my own reflections:
As a fratman myself, ever since the issue about frat violence came into the picture even as I was still a student, I have deeply reflected on it in my moments of solitude. My two sons and daughter are still very young. Every time I and my wife lull them to sleep after our family prayer time each and every night I look at their sleeping faces one by one. Truly, I fear for their future especially that the culture of violence, in many forms not only among fraternities but in all sectors of society, are like demons ready to devour another victim.
But are parents in control of events? Are they the author of life? Do they have the power to take away the Breath of Life?
As parents I and my wife are the ones personally giving spiritual guidance to our children. We started with the Ten Commandments given by God the Father Almighty to Moses, the Two Great Commandments given by Lord Jesus Christ to His disciples and the New Commandment He taught them before He was crucified. The connection between all these thirteen commandments makes a very strong spiritual foundation for children to equip them in their life to face this world.
God the Father Almighty will make a way when there seems to be no way...if one will strongly have faith in and obedience to Him.
In the course of these debates whether to abolish hazing in particular or even fraternities in general just to eradicate the culture of violence, what comes to mind is the general mentality of Filipinos in supporting this evil culture all these years.
If you are in a room full of people watching the fights of Pacquiao and all those boxers you will begin to question these viewers' spirituality or the lack of it once they start cheering for their "idol" who are in pain and deep pressure in this modern day gladiatorial combat. Subliminally, there is still this culture of blood lust in people disguised behind the shallow cosmetics called sports. But if you listen to their cheers they will shout unspeakable abhorrent and unChristian battle cries like "hit him! hit him, f__k!, t___na!", etc.
What comes to mind here is the teaching of Lord Jesus Christ regarding adultery...
The same could be true with violence. The fact that hatred for an enemy boxer by a group of people or fratmen against their rivals could start a web of violence is already an act of murder in one's heart. And when I went to the US last year I heard stories from our countrymen how the rivalry between the Filipinos and Mexicans because of boxing sparked violent conflicts between these two Christian races.
This means that there is a need to overhaul the whole system of the Filipino mentality and focus on one's spirituality because being religious is a lot different from having a deep sense of spiritual enlightenment.
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Watch the video of a father in grief here
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Children are not supposed to die...Parents expect to see their children grow and mature. Ultimately, parents expect to die and leave their children behind...This is the natural course of life events, the life cycle continuing as it should. The loss of a child is the loss of innocence, the death of the most vulnerable and dependent. The death of a child signifies the loss of the future, of hopes and dreams, of new strength, and of perfection. - Arnold and Gemma 1994, iv, 9, 39
When a parent dies, you lose your past; when a child dies, you lose your future. - Anonymous
This space is with me all the time it seems. Sometimes the empty space is so real I can almost touch it. I can almost see it. It gets so big sometimes that I can't see anything else. - Arnold and Gemma 1983, 56
A wife who loses a husband is called a widow. A husband who loses a wife is called a widower. A child who loses his parents is called an orphan. But...there is no word for a parent who loses a child, that's how awful the loss is! - Neugeboren 1976, 154
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