Bathan, Angelie

Laja, Rancee Hanna

Legaspi, Allysa
Olfato, Krizzel

Below are the Jose Rizal's letters the Catholic church hid from Filipinos for 100 years

Dapitan, September 1, 1892 1st letter

The act of looking at ones business through the prism of ones reason and self-esteem does
not seem to me censurable. For some purpose God must have given such qualities to man.
Were we to see our personal affairs through the prism of others, we would find that it is not
very practical, as there are many prisms as there are individuals. In my opinion, such an
attitude would be offensive to God because it would mean that we were scorning His most
precious gift to

Dapitan, November 11,1892 2nd letter

In the Middle Ages, everything bad was the work of the devil; everything good, the work of God
or His saints.
Our judgment is subject to deception; our reason, to error. But reason alone can correct its
errors, reason alone can rise after each fall, such falls being unavoidable in its long pilgrimage
on earth. In its worst madness, humanity has not been able to extinguish this lamp which God
has given to man. Time and again, its light has flickered, man has lost his way; but such
condition vanishes or is overcome. After that the light of reason shines more brightly and
steadily. but its rays the mistakes of the past are recognized and the pitfalls of the future are
marked. Super-natural or divine light is much more perfect than human reason. But who on
earth can justly claim that he is the reflector of that Light? All the religions pretend to possess
the truth. Nay, not only religions but every man, even the most ignorant, the most stupid, thinks
he is in the right.
Dapitan, January 9, 1893 (December 9, 1893) 3rd letter
More than by faith, I firmly believe by reasoning and by necessity that a Creator exists.
Nevertheless, I believe God to be infinitely wise, perfect, and good.

Dapitan, April 4, 1893 4th letter

My Most Reverend Father: In time I received your gift, Monsignor Bougauds work [a writer on
religion whose book Pastells sent to Rizal as a gift].Let us see if by reading it, I shall change my
faith or the faith that you miss in me will be restored; if not, we shall have to content ourselves
with what God has given to each of us. God exists. How can I doubt His existence when I am
convinced on my own? To recognize the effect is to admit the cause. To doubt the existence of
God is to doubt ones conscience; and to doubt ones conscience is to doubt everything. In such
a case, what would be the purpose of life? I believe in [the Revelation]. Not, however, in the
revelations which each and every religion claims to possess. If we examine, compare, and
scrutinize such revelations impartially, we shall detect in all of them human claws and the stamp
of the age in which they were written. Man makes his God in his own image and then ascribes
to Him his own. I believe in that living revelation of Nature which surrounds us everywhere; in
that powerful, eternal, incessant, incorruptible, clear, distinct, and universal voice like the one
from whom it emanates; that revelation which speaks to us and pervades our being from birth to
death. What books can reveal to us better Gods goodness, love, providence, eternity, glory, and
wisdom? Coeli enarrant gloriam Domini, et opera manum ejus enunciat firmamentum (The
heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork). What more Bible,
what more gospel, does humanity wish? Ah, does not Your Reverence believe that men did
wrong in seeking the divine will in palimpsests or parchments and temples, instead of searching
for it in the works of Nature and under the august dome of the heavens? Instead of interpreting
obscure passages or phrases designed to provoked hatred, wars, and dissensions, would it not
have been better to interpret the works of Nature to enable us to adapt our lives more readily to
its inviolable laws and utilize its forces for our perfection?

A fuller text of Rizal's letters is at this webpage

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