REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – They claim they’ve been shunned, harassed, maligned, threatened and forcibly separated from the church they love.
Since speaking up against the current leadership of the influential Philippine religious group, Iglesia ni Cristo, life has been tough for U.S.-based expelled pastors Louie Cayabyab and Rolando Dizon.
For us, it’s like skinning us alive. We’re part of the church. What happens to the church affects us directly. Because we love the church so much. We have identified ourselves with the church.”
Cayabyab and Dison are among so-called “defenders”, who have openly condemned alleged corruption within the INC. And as a result, they said they’ve been attacked — mainly through social media.
The “defenders” said there have been memes and online postings sent to them by the INC.
One shows the “defenders” in clown faces with Cayabyayb and Dizon surrounding Angel Manalo, brother of INC executive minister Eduardo Manalo, who was also expelled.
Another one shows Cayabyab as a monster — a movie character. Another online post brands Dizon as a fallen angel, a certified anti-Christ.
But more than the mockery and insults, these defenders said their lives and the lives of their loved-ones have been threatened. They said the INC has formed a new department called “Mandirigma”, meaning “warriors”, whose sole purpose is to use social media to destroy the lives of expelled members of the church.
“We’re very emotional. Of course, we’re angry. We’re also sad because we were born in the church. We love the Church of Christ. We gave up our lives for the Iglesia ni Cristo,” expressed Dizon.
What they’re worried about are those who are still supposedly trapped in the church. Cayabyab revealed, “We call them silent defenders because they are still inside the church and they are gripped with fear. But I believe they are the silent majority.”
These “defenders” said they’re drawing strength from each other. The last few years have been hell, since the INC began making headlines because of clashes between leaders and its members.
When asked how they feel when they hear stories that put the church is such a bad light, Dizon replied, “What we’re doing is really not what we want to do. What we want and prefer and pray to God every single day of our lives is for the church to be restored.”
BA has reached out to the INC here in North America to comment on this social media war. No response, so far.