The Ilocos Times

"BEWARE of Dogs" has long been the neighborhood's most honest security system. The sign warns visitors to tread carefully because the animal behind the gate may not bother distinguishing friend from foe. Loyalty is admirable, but instinct is not always discerning. Artificial intelligence deserves its own version of that warning. AI is brilliant, fast, and astonishingly useful. But like any powerful servant, it can become a dangerous master when driven by vanity, ambition, or the illusion that technology alone can answer every human question. The newest fascination is no longer just smarter machines. It is the dream of smarter humans—or even something beyond human. Transhumanism promises to upgrade humanity, while posthumanism quietly suggests that humanity itself may already be obsolete. That should give us pause. Every age has had its Tower of Babel , its confidence that human ingenuity could climb high enough to replace dependence on God. Today's tower is b...

WHEN Christ sent his apostles to proclaim the Gospel , he did not simply give them a mission. He gave them a way of life. "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received; freely give." Then came the startling instruction: "Take no gold or silver or copper in your belts; no bag for the journey, no extra tunic, no sandals or staff." ( Mt. 10:8-10 ) Those words were radical then, and they remain radical today. Jesus was teaching his followers to let go of self-sufficiency and place their confidence entirely in God. Their mission was not to be driven by comfort, possessions, or financial security, but by faith , generosity, and an unwavering commitment to bringing God's kingdom to others. That challenge was not meant only for the Twelve Apostles. It extends to every Christian who sincerely wants to follow Christ. While not everyone is called to abandon material possessions literally, all are called to cultivate the same...

By Carlos V. Cornejo A good book on making big decisions, reveal blind spots and come up with creative methods in solving problems is that of Shane Parrish entitled “The Great Mental Models”.   It makes use of the acronym I.F.S to recall the mental models of Inversion , First Principle Thinking , and Second-Order Thinking . Inversion means if you are having a hard time solving a problem, try to look at that problem in another perspective by solving the opposite problem.   Instead of asking, “How can I make a really good presentation video?” ask, “How can I make a really bad presentation video?”   If you come up with a list of how to make a bad video it might be using a PowerPoint with no images and just pure texts, use a monotone voice that makes the presentation boring and put your audience to sleep, and make it longer than it needs to be.   Since you’ve imagined what a bad presentation looks like you can now come up with the criteria of a good one if you inv...

MUSIC has always been more than entertainment. It is woven into the fabric of human life and, more importantly, into our spiritual journey . The Bible alone testifies to this truth, containing hundreds of references to singing, musical instruments, and songs. From the Psalms to the heavenly choirs in Revelation , music has long been a powerful expression of faith and worship . In everyday life, music speaks a language that words often cannot. It comforts us in moments of sorrow, lifts our spirits when we are weary, energizes us during physical activity, and calms us after stressful days. It has an extraordinary ability to reach the heart, making it one of humanity's most universal forms of expression. Music also brings people together. Whether in worship, celebration, or shared moments of grief, singing creates a common rhythm that unites individuals into a community. It strengthens relationships and even rekindles memories. A familiar melody can instantly transport us to a ...

By Carlos V. Cornejo Any pursuit on worldly things such as money, fame, power and pleasure will always end up making the pursuer wanting for more but never getting satisfied.  On the other hand, pursuit for knowledge, skills and loving others makes us full and would happily still want more.  With the former it makes the pursuer unhappy.  The latter makes the pursuer thankful.  What’s more the latter gets to multiply his joy because what he additionally acquires feels like a bonus.  In contrast the former may get more but feels he still has less.  This reminds me of Bill Gates , Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk .   They are all very famous people and have altered the world with their inventions.   They too are all very rich.    They’re worth billions and yet they have not retired.   They could have just stopped working, went on a world tour, savored everything that money could buy and still have much money left.   But they are ...

NOWADAYS, mental health clinics are becoming more common. More people, especially the young, seek help for anxiety , depression, stress, trauma, and other emotional struggles. This growing need should concern us all. These clinics perform an important service. Professional counseling, therapy, medication, and other psychological interventions have helped many recover balance and hope. They deserve our appreciation and support. But there is one truth we should never overlook. Mental health and spiritual health are deeply connected. One affects the other. A troubled mind can make prayer difficult, weaken hope, and drain one's desire to do good. At the same time, a neglected spiritual life can leave the mind more vulnerable to fear, loneliness, despair, and confusion. They constantly interact because the human person is both body and soul . Yet we should also keep our priorities clear. Our spiritual life has primacy. It is the soul that gives ultimate meaning to everything...

By Carlos V. Cornejo Karma is a justice belief held mostly by Eastern religions that for every moral action we do there is a corresponding reaction.   If we show goodness, we reap goodness.   If we do evil, we reap evil.   Karma usually is not instant but nevertheless it will come.    It is supposed to teach us life’s lessons and to help us be better people.   Grace on the other hand is love and mercy given to us by God, something that we don’t deserve but God out of His goodness freely gives it.   Grace can also mean a divine influence to inspire us to do good or to practice the virtues and a kind of aid or strength to endure trial and resist temptations to commit sin.   Divine grace enlightens the mind and strengthens the will (our power to make choices) to do the right thing.   Grace can be availed from the sacraments such as Confession and Holy Eucharist .   Karma is attractive to our beliefs because it appeals to our sen...

WHEN the disciples asked Christ why he spoke in parables , his answer was simple and direct: "Because they look but do not see, and they hear but do not listen or understand." (Mt. 13:13) Later, he explained the deeper reason. They did not want to be converted. That answer should make us examine ourselves. Christ's parables are much more than memorable stories. They reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom of God to those who approach him with faith and humility. At the same time, they test the disposition of every listener. Those who sincerely seek God receive light. Those who close themselves to him remain confused. The problem is not with the message but with the heart that refuses to receive it. The same principle applies to all the truths of our faith. Faith has to come first. Reason is indispensable, but it has to be enlightened by faith. Human intelligence, no matter how brilliant, has its limits. Left on its own, it can only grasp what is visible and measura...

MODERN society often associates addiction with alcohol or illegal drugs. Yet an increasing number of psychologists, pastoral counselors, and spiritual writers recognize another destructive addiction that has spread quietly through the internet and digital media: pornography. Available at the touch of a screen and often consumed in secrecy, pornography has become what many describe as the "new drug." Its effects reach far beyond the individual, damaging marriages, families, friendships, and one's relationship with God. From a Catholic perspective, pornography is not merely a moral failing but a distortion of God's beautiful plan for human love. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that pornography "does grave injury to the dignity of its participants" because it reduces persons to objects of pleasure instead of recognizing them as children of God created in His image (CCC 2354). Rather than fostering authentic love , pornography trains the mind ...

THAT part of the Gospel about the ruler whose daughter had died and the woman suffering from a long illness (Mt. 9:18–26) offers us a powerful lesson on faith, hope, and complete trust in Christ. Though their situations were different, both individuals shared one thing in common: they turned to Christ when all human solutions had failed. Their confidence in Him transformed their desperation into deliverance, something that we should learn to do also. The ruler publicly pleaded with Jesus to restore his daughter to life, despite the seemingly impossible situation. The woman, on the other hand, quietly approached Him through the crowd, convinced that simply touching His garment would bring healing. Both acted with unwavering faith, and both received the miracle they sought. Their example reminds us that whenever we encounter trials beyond our strength, our first response should be to seek Christ. Rather than allowing ourselves to be consumed by sadness, self-pity, or discouragemen...

By Carlos V. Cornejo Growth in the intellect is achieved through reading books, studying for a course, attending seminars, etc.   Emotional growth follows our intellectual growth.   Emotion is an internal bodily reaction we would have as a consequence with whatever we perceive in our minds.   If I perceive you as a friend, I will feel comfortable being with you.   Emotionally I am glad to see you.    However, if I perceive you as an enemy, my physical reaction will be one of fight or flight.   My muscles will grow tense and my heartbeat will accelerate.   Perhaps, I feel afraid of you and don’t want to be in your presence.   In short, whatever dominates our thoughts would likewise be the prevailing emotions.   If we think of good thoughts, good feelings will follow.   If we think of bad thoughts, like imagining ourselves having failed, bad feelings would follow.   That’s why many self-help books would recommend to control ...

THAT’S what we can learn from that gospel episode about Christ’s disciples caught in a storm while in the middle of the sea. (cfr. Mt 8,23-27) They, at first, were gripped with fear, a very understandable reaction. And when they noticed Christ simply sleeping in the boat, they woke him up, expressing their fear. That’s when Christ simply stood up and calmed the turbulent sea, leaving them greatly astonished. But Christ faulted them for their lack of faith. Yes, we too can easily be frozen in fear when we encounter the different forms of life’s storms. But like Our Lord’s disciples, we should just go immediately to him and ask for his help. And to be sure, he will always be there to help, but maybe in ways that may escape our understanding. In this, we should not be surprised and start to loosen our faith in God’s powerful and wise ways. There’s really no reason to be too worried and anxious when we encounter some difficulty in our life. In fact, we have every reason to be conf...