No wonder people leave church: Bonifacio

MANILA -- Actress, singer and TV host Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio on Wednesday defended her family from criticisms after she shared a photo of them going trick-or-treating for Halloween.

Peralejo, who is married to Pastor Joseph Bonifacio, posted a photo on Instagram Wednesday, showing her and her family wearing different costumes.

"Last minute Halloween. We were not supposed to for so many reasons but wow thanks to our friends who made it happen now our kids have the funnest costume party and trick or treat experience. Pati nanay at tatay sobrang saya kasi may TAHO sa neighborhood as TREAT — LEVEL UP GRABE. Nagka-idea ako. Next year ang ipapamigay ko ay beer.... Too much kwento about this Halloween. Tsaka na. For now, claps na lang for our costumes na unrelated pero color blocking," she posted.

Her post, however, came under fire from people who said their family should not be celebrating Halloween.

One netizen wrote: "Bakit nga po ba nag-celebrate ng Halloween ang Christians? Gusto ko po malaman saan po nababasa sa bible ba pati si Christ nag-celebrate ng Halloween."

Another wrote that as a pastor, Bonifacio should be "the first in line in discouraging these kinds of things."

Some, however, rose to defend Peralejo and her family.

One netizen commented: "This day is also a day the Lord has made. There is no such thing as an 'evil' day. It is a theological impossibility."

Another wrote that Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding in Cana "para tuloy tuloy ang saya."

"Wag naman tayo Pariseo dito. Kung demonic 'yan, eh 'di demonic rin ang Pasko, Valentine's Day, etc."

Still another cautioned Peralejo that many people are looking to their family as examples.

"'Yong heart niyo po ay para mag-enjoy ang mga anak niyo po sa cosplay at candies pero 'yon nga lang po natapat po siya sa Halloween kaya po madaming nakapag-comment. Ginagawa po kayong mga huwaran ng mga taong nakakapanood po sa inyo," the netizen wrote.

In response, Peralejo thanked the netizen for her civil tone and loving response. However, she said she does not agree that pastors and their families should set a standard.

"Siguro it will help you to know na hindi ako sang-ayon na gawin standard ang mga pastor at ang pamilya nila. Diyos dapat ang basehan because what if mali na ang mga sinusundan? Also, malinis naman ang kunsensya ko. Walang masama sa ginawa ko at dapat matanggap lang talaga ng mga taong ayaw sa ginawa ko na magkaiba kami," she said.

The actress also made a series of posts on her IG stories, saying "so many good things came up because of my Halloween post."

"Halloween has become wholesome in some ways, especially so for the kiddie parties and village trick or treating. So many kids now adults have had the best memories and family time every Halloween because the spirit has become so childlike and I tear up at the redemption of God," she said.

She added: "Even evil centered things have not enough power against my mighty God. What used to be about death is now full of life!"

Peralejo said fear-mongering among Christian circles "is so bothersome," adding that some Christian parents have warned that kids will suffer demonic things if they go trick-or-treating.

"All I can say is that if this is true, then satan should have won by today cause every year we celebrate Halloween and people dress up all sorts of things and I still see no sign that the devil has overcome. So many people who also trick or treated as kids are fine today, many of them strong believers," she explained.

She rejected accusations that their trick-or-treating is a "stumbling block," noting that their costumes are tame compared to other, scarier costumes during Halloween.

"Kami Mario na baliktad ba 'yung bigote. Saitama, Geometry Dash at Ninjago. Mastu-stumble talaga tayo dito?" she asked.

"It's only a stumbling block if it makes them believe Jesus less and honestly I think more people are reached when Christians are loving and able to recognize the redeemable practices in the world. On the other hands, the condescension and self-righteousness IS THE STUMBLING BLOCK. People have turned away from the faith because of these people who do nothing but tell you where you are wrong, what you need to give up and most of all: HOW THEY ARE BETTER THAN YOU AND YOU ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE IF YOU DON'T DO LIFE LIKE THEM."

She also addressed questions on scary Halloween decorations "and how it's still participating if it's all there."

"All I can say is that one knows and can feel when something is spiritually loaded and one isn't. In most cases these decorations are just cute decors and traditional costumes but have no energy or charge to them anymore as these people just dress their houses or selves without any deeper meaning except that spooky is fun/ny," she said.

"Honestly, I have gone to more places that have no decoration at all or no scary costume but has spooked me a lot more because I know evil and sin are practiced by the people [in] that place. The image is one thin, the heart is another."

Peralejo said that while she is not saying everyone should celebrate Halloween, "it is wrong to say everyone shouldn't join the wholesome and redeemed versions of Halloween traditions."

"You have no monopoly of revelation. No monopoly of conviction. And the real scary thing here is your playing God actually. Ito pala ang tunay na horror story," she said.

She added that she was horrified "how Christians have become the gatekeepers of heaven."

"No wonder people leave church. Because so many think they've lost God just because they didn't follow the rules established by the community but not God himself," she said.

She added: "We had an amazing Halloween. It has been totally healing for me who never had much of a childhood. Let that be a testimony of God's redeeming love, which knows no bounds."