There is a lot of difference, of course. Destination is simply a stop, an end of a journey totally resting and counting on human and personal designs, instrumentations and objectives. Destiny would refer essentially to a divine act or design as described in the olden times “the will of the gods” which is foretold by augurs and the fulfillment of which is being “monitored” closely and guided by the “gods,” but prevented from being fulfilled by the dark forces through all means including violent.
The wicked king, Herod, had his bloodied hands on the holy innocents when he attempted to thwart the assumption of Jesus Christ’s destiny as “King of all Kings” — in short, the “destiny syndrome.”
But if the other presidential aspirants are kowtowing to the “gods” of the arrogant and elitist manipulators or the “idols” of media, President Estrada relies solely on the God he came to know much better in his almost six years of incarceration because of political persecution.
He proclaims his destiny not from the point of the ignorant arrogance, but from the view of a simple but humble faith in God who in due time would finally dismantle the injustice that chained the former president when he fulfills his destiny as the next president of the Republic. As other presidential wannabes ride high through the waves of multi-media and sponsored surveys Estrada puts his faith in vox populi vox dei as evidenced by the overwhelming outcome of his provincial sorties, Lakbay Pasasalamat.
Now, Erap’s presidential accountability is solely to God without sidetracking the poor masses who still uphold him in a sort of vicarious representation, which means that they see themselves and their aspirations in the Ama ng Masang Pilipino. As the other presidentiables are still squeezing their “identification” with the poor masses, as many of their radio-TV ads would reveal, Erap’s “identity” with the poor masses have already been deeply entrenched in the collective consciousness of the poor people. Again, this is destiny.
Being of divine design, destiny always spells mystery. In many overseas ministry trips I have been to, questions about how come and why the Filipinos voted for President Estrada in 1998, on record the biggest voting chunk for a president in Philippine history, seem unanswered and continue to be wrapped in mystery, namely, how an actor, a college drop-out, and that litany of tirades that the late Cardinal Sin would love to recite, made it to the highest post and would possibly reassume it in the upcoming elections!
Unfortunately, the manner by which the elitists and intellectuals in our society understood the “mystery” was to dislodge it totally by a self-righteous justification in ousting Erap through a power grab. Imbued with mindless pragmatism, the elitists believed it was the most convenient way to dispel the mysterious in Erap’s destiny, something similar to 15th century St. Joan of Arc’s condemnation by the Catholic bishops in order to demolish her claims of heavenly visionary messages.
Of course, true blue elitists and intellectuals in any culture and society such as ours would shun mysteries as pure “chance” or “coincidence” or transitory madness of a mystified populace such as those 10 million who stamped their future in Erap’s hands in 1998. For the elitist intellectuals, the only possibility in politics is that which is rationally comprehensible. Expect some humorous uproar or grin over Erap’s statement last Tuesday of his “destiny” as the next president of the country! Destiny, therefore comprehensible only from the view of a divine design and mystery would be crap to the elitist intellectual who may have confined mysteries to matters of faith and doctrine of their church which conveniently protect their sub-culture of feigned intellectualism and self-righteousness.
At this point where commissioned surveys and media with the usual flair for mudslinging and black propaganda seem to force their way into the voting consciousness of the population, President Estrada’s camp remains focused on the fulfillment of his destiny, which knows no surveys or media — but solely on vox dei, vox populi... Larry Faraon, OP
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