Return To Twilight
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• According to Karl Ullmer, Rizal argued from the standpoint of a practicing Catholic. – It’s said that Rizal never failed to attend Mass regularly throughout his stay in Europe, even when traveling in unknown cities.
• It is, however, unknown if he confessed. • His attitude towards religion was similar to the numerous advanced Catholic thinkers in Europe at that time: a compound of faith, scientific awareness and ingrained habits of thought.
Rizal’s Faith • It was the age of Darwin and Frazer’s Golden Bough. – The age when Christians either resisted the new discoveries or taking the necessary steps in a rational acceptance of them.
• Rizal was in the thick of intellectual contradictions posed by faith and science.
Maximo Viola wrote: • In his judgement, the religion of Christ is the most perfect among all known religions, not only for the moral spirit enshrined in its doctrines, but because also it is the one which has had the most influence on the discipline and moralization of humanity; but due to the modifications introduced by malice or religious fanaticism, it has come to be at the present time like a building, which, as a result of inserting many wedges, has been greatly disfigured and is in threat of collapse. And as an example he cited Purgatory, which is simply one of so many mystical inventions designed principally for the exploitation… • … for Dr. Rizal, Christ was a religious genius…
Rizal’s Faith • Despite his insistence that nothing should be taken as true unless scientifically proved, he accepted that all religion has an element of faith, and he had complete faith in God • He regarded that speculating the nature of God would only lead to pointless argument. • He recognized the importance of the Church’s place in the maintenance of morality.
Above all, he considered himself a Catholic.
Rizal’s Political Thoughts • He saw Spain and the Philippines as a single nation divided into two equal parts • He didn’t envision the Philippines as being independent – This was an alternative to him incase Spain continued to ignore the need for reform. – Yet, this was to him not a good alternative, nor was it practical.
Rizal’s Political Thoughts cont’d. • Legislatively he envisioned the legal relationship between a state of the American Union and the Federal Government at Washington for Spain and the Philippines. – The Cortes at Madrid being empowered to legislate in matters concerning both territories, while local legislation would be dealt with by a separate parliament in Manila enjoying a wide measure of autonomy.
Rizal’s Political Thoughts cont’d. • “whom Quos vult Jupiter perdere Wishes Jupiter, to destroy, prius he first dementat! makes mad” – the key to Rizal’s political thinking.
• He was afraid that a revolution in the Islands would cast before Japan the temptation to intervene.
Rizal’s Political Thoughts cont’d. • History of Latin American wars of independence however showed that if an immature country was not careful, it found that in reality the acquisition of independence amounted to little more than exchanging the influence of Spain for that of the United States. • To preserve National Integrity- we should aim for an improved modus vivendi with Spain.
Return to the Twilight • Rizal again took the same liner, Djemnah, bound for Saigon. • By this time he could speak fluent Spanish, French and German. – He also knew a certain amount of Dutch.
• July 30, the ship arrived at Saigon.
Return to the Twilight cont’d • 3 days later, he took Haiphong, an Easternrun steamer. They landed in Manila on August 5. • Since Leonor had moved to Dagupan with her parents, he instead spent his time with friends and finding out how Noli Me Tangere was faring. • The copies evading censor by customs had been sold by a Manila bookshope La Gran Bretaña.
• Noli Me Tangere was in such demand, a copy could be sold in the black market for 5 or 6 times its price.
Return to the Twilight cont’d. • It had immediately acquired the valuable sales angle of a clandestine circulation. • Most copies in circulation in Filipino society had fake covers marked “Gems of Spanish Verse, Vol. II” or something equally innocuous.
Return to the Twilight cont’d. • After 2 days in Manila he traveled down by inland riverboat to Calamba and home. • Rizal had gained the status of a filibustero – a man others considered foredoomed to die if he stayed in the country
• He directed a stigma on anyone who received him socially, more gravely than his own family.
Return to the Twilight cont’d. • Nevertheless, Jose’s parents and siblings received him in their home with great joy, similar to that of the prodigal child and his father. • Paciano, however, had a different reaction and was cold at their reunion. • As dangerous as Jose’s situation was, days later he set up an eye surgery, where he performed a number of successful cataract operations.
Return to the Twilight cont’d. • To most people in the Philippines the very existence of ophthalmic surgery was unknown. • Restoration of sight to the blind was considered a miracle. • News spread like wild fire throughout the country of a man called Rizal, a Filipino coming from Germany, who could work miracles.
• It is, however, unknown if he confessed. • His attitude towards religion was similar to the numerous advanced Catholic thinkers in Europe at that time: a compound of faith, scientific awareness and ingrained habits of thought.
Rizal’s Faith • It was the age of Darwin and Frazer’s Golden Bough. – The age when Christians either resisted the new discoveries or taking the necessary steps in a rational acceptance of them.
• Rizal was in the thick of intellectual contradictions posed by faith and science.
Maximo Viola wrote: • In his judgement, the religion of Christ is the most perfect among all known religions, not only for the moral spirit enshrined in its doctrines, but because also it is the one which has had the most influence on the discipline and moralization of humanity; but due to the modifications introduced by malice or religious fanaticism, it has come to be at the present time like a building, which, as a result of inserting many wedges, has been greatly disfigured and is in threat of collapse. And as an example he cited Purgatory, which is simply one of so many mystical inventions designed principally for the exploitation… • … for Dr. Rizal, Christ was a religious genius…
Rizal’s Faith • Despite his insistence that nothing should be taken as true unless scientifically proved, he accepted that all religion has an element of faith, and he had complete faith in God • He regarded that speculating the nature of God would only lead to pointless argument. • He recognized the importance of the Church’s place in the maintenance of morality.
Above all, he considered himself a Catholic.
Rizal’s Political Thoughts • He saw Spain and the Philippines as a single nation divided into two equal parts • He didn’t envision the Philippines as being independent – This was an alternative to him incase Spain continued to ignore the need for reform. – Yet, this was to him not a good alternative, nor was it practical.
Rizal’s Political Thoughts cont’d. • Legislatively he envisioned the legal relationship between a state of the American Union and the Federal Government at Washington for Spain and the Philippines. – The Cortes at Madrid being empowered to legislate in matters concerning both territories, while local legislation would be dealt with by a separate parliament in Manila enjoying a wide measure of autonomy.
Rizal’s Political Thoughts cont’d. • “whom Quos vult Jupiter perdere Wishes Jupiter, to destroy, prius he first dementat! makes mad” – the key to Rizal’s political thinking.
• He was afraid that a revolution in the Islands would cast before Japan the temptation to intervene.
Rizal’s Political Thoughts cont’d. • History of Latin American wars of independence however showed that if an immature country was not careful, it found that in reality the acquisition of independence amounted to little more than exchanging the influence of Spain for that of the United States. • To preserve National Integrity- we should aim for an improved modus vivendi with Spain.
Return to the Twilight • Rizal again took the same liner, Djemnah, bound for Saigon. • By this time he could speak fluent Spanish, French and German. – He also knew a certain amount of Dutch.
• July 30, the ship arrived at Saigon.
Return to the Twilight cont’d • 3 days later, he took Haiphong, an Easternrun steamer. They landed in Manila on August 5. • Since Leonor had moved to Dagupan with her parents, he instead spent his time with friends and finding out how Noli Me Tangere was faring. • The copies evading censor by customs had been sold by a Manila bookshope La Gran Bretaña.
• Noli Me Tangere was in such demand, a copy could be sold in the black market for 5 or 6 times its price.
Return to the Twilight cont’d. • It had immediately acquired the valuable sales angle of a clandestine circulation. • Most copies in circulation in Filipino society had fake covers marked “Gems of Spanish Verse, Vol. II” or something equally innocuous.
Return to the Twilight cont’d. • After 2 days in Manila he traveled down by inland riverboat to Calamba and home. • Rizal had gained the status of a filibustero – a man others considered foredoomed to die if he stayed in the country
• He directed a stigma on anyone who received him socially, more gravely than his own family.
Return to the Twilight cont’d. • Nevertheless, Jose’s parents and siblings received him in their home with great joy, similar to that of the prodigal child and his father. • Paciano, however, had a different reaction and was cold at their reunion. • As dangerous as Jose’s situation was, days later he set up an eye surgery, where he performed a number of successful cataract operations.
Return to the Twilight cont’d. • To most people in the Philippines the very existence of ophthalmic surgery was unknown. • Restoration of sight to the blind was considered a miracle. • News spread like wild fire throughout the country of a man called Rizal, a Filipino coming from Germany, who could work miracles.
