Group of former INC members ignored as they held rallies outside INC houses of worship in California

By Liezel Tiongson

Eagle News Service, US Bureau

(San Jose, California – Eagle News)  — A group of expelled Iglesia Ni Cristo members once again rallied in front of INC churches in California last Sunday, Nov. 22.  But instead of gaining sympathy, the same group of protestors was largely ignored by INC members who attended worship service that day.

Some 40 masked protestors, mostly former INC members, gathered just a few steps outside the gates of two INC houses of worship in California (in Los Angeles and San Jose) last Sunday.  They stood there with huge signs just wanting desperately to be looked at and to be noticed as members got out of the worship service.

As the INC brethren walked out of the worship service, they barely looked at the protestors and quietly walked around them to get to their cars.




“It is very saddening,” said Tony Darling, who worshipped in Los Angeles together with his family Sunday morning.  “They’re only trying to gain sympathy from the brethren…  It’s a losing battle.  How can you go against God?”

“We’re all taught to be one with God and the Church Administration,” stated another INC member from the San Jose congregation, Genevieve Embalsado.  “And for them to do this, it’s really frustrating.  It says in the Bible, Satan takes away God’s words from (their) heart.  And they let it happen.  I don’t know why they let it happen.”

Protestors held the same picket signs with the same repetitious complaints.   Once again, they invited the same Filipino news outlet (TFC of ABS CBN) that comes along during their protests.  And once the cameras left, so did they.

A few weeks ago, they also rallied in front of the INC houses of worship in Long Beach and Anaheim, California.

“They’re just wasting their time,” said Ronald Mendoza as he observed the actions of the protestors after worship service.  “Some people here are my friends, but it’s their souls not mine.  You betrayed the Church – that’s the same thing as betraying God.  So how can I call you a friend if you betrayed the God that I’m serving?”

Since they are losing supporters online, they are now going to houses of worship to be more visible but that also means afflicting fear to the young and innocent children in the Church.

INC North California District Minister Arturo Bairan said that the protestors are disturbing children who go to worship services

“What they did really brought fear to some children – as children are seeing those who are using masks.  They mention that they don’t want to be confrontational. But what they did here is the opposite.   We are holding our peaceful service to the Almighty God and they disturb the brethren…  That’s confrontational,”  Bairan said.

“Our worship services are sacred and solemn – something they (the expelled INC members) once respected too as former members of the Church,” he added.

However for Jesse Coronel from Los Angeles,  he was grateful  for the protest as a reaffirmation that he and his fellow worshippers remain solid in their calling as members of the INC.

“Because this was a test.  Nobody was able to be drawn by them, the more that our faith became firm.”

(with contributions from Mariel Gutierrez and Lois Paula Riturba,  Eagle News US Bureau)