Dr. Jose Rizal Controversies
83Dr. Jose Rizal, the well-loved Philippine national hero, and the brave known genius was famous and will remain famous worldwide. I don’t know if you’ve heard bout him, but of course if you’re a Filipino, you surely know him well because he’s a big part of the Philippine history. Jose Rizal is a star and like I’ve said genius and every star and genius is famous. And every famous is controversial.
Before I go direct to Jose Rizal’s controversies, have a brief information about who he was…
Bits of facts about the genius Jose Rizal
Dr. Jose Rizal was a philosopher, painter, poet, architect, artists, businessman, cartoonist, educator, economist, ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist, linguist, musician, mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, opthalmic surgeon, propagandist, psychologist, scientist, sculptor, sociologist, swordsman, , theologian hmm seems never-ending. In short Rizal was a versatile genius.
Amazing Facts about Jose Rizal
Jose Rizal has mastered 22 languages. These include Arabic,
Catalan, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese,
Latin, Malayan, Portuguese, Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Tagalog, and other
native dialects. Whoa, how many do you speak?
To have a complete read on how genius Jose Rizal visit his complete biography at joserizal.ph
Secrets of Dr. Jose Rizal
Who hasn’t had secrets? Even ordinary people had, what more the geniuses…Da Vinci had codes…Einstein, Newton and Galileo had theories…Shakespeare's real birthday remains unknown…Did Rizal have secrets? What are the mysteries surrounding the genius Dr. Jose Rizal? Read on and maybe you’ll solve the puzzle.
Jose Rizal Controversies
His real name
His complete name was Dr. José Rizal Protasio Mercado y Alonso Realonda. Many wonder why he used “Rizal” while his father was Francisco Mercado. He should have been Jose Mercado right? So why did Rizal’s surname become Rizal instead of Mercado?
Some of the explanations with this are:
Jose’s real last name, Mercado, during those times was a hot name, targeted by the Spaniards. He changed his surname to protect his identity. So he just used his middle name, Rizal, instead, which was considered as illustrado during the Spanish time and entails the benefits a Spaniard can get.
Second, there was Spanish law to change the last name of Filipinos those times. Mercado
sounded a common name and there were lots of people having that surname already who were not really relatives of Rizal.
And so, why why? A big why.
Another note that he had written before his death was found in his shoe but because the text could not be read it remains a mystery. What was the text really all about? Couldn’t they decode it till now?
Mi Ultimo Adios
Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell) – this was one of the last notes written by Jose Rizal before the day of his execution. Read again… “one of his last notes.” On the eve of his execution, on December 30, 1896, he wrote this 14 five-line stanzas poem. This poem was unsigned, untitled and undated. Perhaps unfinished? Perhaps, it really was unfinished. I mean, it was a farewell letter, one who would be executed wouldn’t have enough time writing everything he needs to say especially someone like Rizal.
Here is a copy of news story taken from The Inquirer dated December 30, 2002:
On the afternoon of Dec. 29, 1896, a day before his execution, Dr. Jose Rizal was visited by his mother, Teodora Alonzo, sisters Lucia, Josefa, Trinidad, Maria and Narcisa, and two nephews. When they took their leave, Rizal told Trinidad in English that there was something in the small alcohol stove (cocinilla), not alcohol lamp (lamparilla). The stove was given to Narcisa by the guard when the party was about to board their carriage in the courtyard. At home, the Rizal ladies recovered from the stove a folded paper. On it was written an unsigned, untitled and undated poem of 14 five-line stanzas. The Rizals reproduced copies of the poem and sent them to Rizal's friends in the country and abroad. In 1897, Mariano Ponce in Hong Kong had the poem printed with the title "Mi Ultimo Pensamiento." Fr. Mariano Dacanay, who received a copy of the poem while a prisoner in Bilibid(jail), published it in the first issue of La Independencia on Sept. 25, 1898 with the title "Ultimo Adios." N.B. The stove was not delivered until after the execution. Rizal needed it to light the room and to be able to write the poem and his other parting words. VGPas 10/21/08.
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Noli me Tangere
Jose Rizal’s first novel, Noli me Tangere, means “don't touch me” or “touch me not” is the Latin version of words spoken, according to John 20:17, by Jesus to Mary Magdalene when she recognizes him after his resurrection. The book was first published in 1887 in Berlin, Germany, originally written in Spanish but later been translated to different languages and made copies distributed around the world.
The title was controversial, and the novel itself created so much controversy that only a few days after his arrival in the Philippines, Jose Rizal was summoned the greatest enemy of the state in the 19th century. They even called him, a freemason, a sorcerer, a damned soul and evil. The novel depicted the Spanish abuse government to the Philippines.
Many characters in the Noli personify Rizal. Like Ibarra, Pilosopong Tasyo and Elias. But the last part portrays Rizal execution as if he already knew he’d be executed…
Elias helped Basilio bury his mother and while he lay dying, he instructed Basilio to continue dreaming about freedom for his motherland with the words: "I shall die without seeing the dawn break upon my homeland. You, who shall see it, salute it! Do not forget those who have fallen during the night." He died thereafter.
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El Filibusterismo
The second novel of Rizal, the continuation of Noli me Tangere, It was first published in 1891 in Ghent, Belgium, also written in Spanish, and soon been translated. El Filibusterismo has an English alternate title, The Reign of Greed, is a deeper depiction of what the first novel has symbolized and is about revenge and revolution. This novel was dedicated to the three-martyr-priest, GOMBURZA. Rizal however has written his dedication in memory of the three priests with their age and the date of their execution all wrongly.
Retraction
This has been the greatest controversy and most talked about and most debated about Rizal. Below is Rizal’s retraction letter originally written in Spanish translated into English. However the said retraction has some sorts of copy issues…quote issues and formula issues. Whether Jose Rizal has retracted or not, that’s still not proven.
I declare myself a catholic and in this Religion in which I was born and
educated I wish to live and die.
I retract with all my heart whatever in my words, writings, publications and
conduct has been contrary to my character as son of the Catholic Church. I
believe and I confess whatever she teaches and I submit to whatever she
demands. I abominate Masonry, as the enemy which is of the Church, and as a
Society prohibited by the Church. The Diocesan Prelate may, as the Superior
Ecclesiastical Authority, make public this spontaneous manifestation of mine in
order to repair the scandal which my acts may have caused and so that God and
people may pardon me.
Manila 29 of December of 1896
Jose Rizal
Josephine Bracken
Did Jose Rizal really marry Josephine Bracken? Scholars say that there were no written accounts of the marriage between Rizal and Josephine, but Josephine claims that Rizal actually married him a day before his execution.
Some even says Josephine was a spy of the Spanish government.
One thing is for sure, Jose Rizal loved Josephine. He wrote some poems about her and his love for her. I think these controversies about Josephine Bracken are unreasonable. Every hero deserves a lover that is without a question.
Jose Rizal's Girlfriends
Do you believe Jose Rizal had a real child?
See results without votingDo you see a resemblance? lol
Jose Rizal’s Son
Did Jose Rizal have a son? Did the genius hero have an heir? Dr. Jose Rizal was a freaking genius; he must have an heir so that his special genes and thousand of talents will continue from generation to generation.
“Unfortunately, Rizal and Josephine were not destined to
have a child. One day in early March 1896, Rizal played a practical joke on
Josephine, which frightened her terribly. As a result of her great fright, she
gave birth prematurely to an eight-month baby boy.
The baby was very weak and was gasping for breath. Seeing the baby’s condition,
Rizal immediately baptized him Francisco in honor of his father. He did
everything he could to save the life of his infant son, but in vain. All his
knowledge and skill as a physician could not save little Francisco.
Sorrowfully, Rizal saw his child die three hours after birth.
With a heavy heart, he drew a sketch of his dead son. Then he buried him under
a shady tree near his home. He prayed": "Oh, God, I give you another
tiny angel. Please bless his soul." –from Jose RizalUniversity
Was Adolf Hitler the Son of Jose Rizal?
When Jose Rizal was in Europe, it was noted out that he found a pretty European girlfriend somewhere in the border of Germany and Austria. So rumored has spread that Adolf Hitler was the son of Jose Rizal. LOLOL This controversy is NOT true. I can’t see any characteristic of Hitler associated with Rizal. Ok, that was really funny.
Rizal a Prophet?
During his execution, a doctor tried to read Rizal’s heartbeat and blood pressure, the result was normal! Did he not feel afraid or frightened?! Or has he really been preparing for that a long time.
Following Rizal’s life and writings, it seems Jose Rizal really knew where his fate would end. He was really an architect, he has drawn where he was going, He was really an eye-doctor, he kinda saw what was happening.
Rizal, ever since a little child had already dreamed being a martyr for his country.
His anecdote about the time when his mother narrated him a story about a firefly who go nearer to a flame and killed, Rizal quoted “The firefly must be a martyr for dying for his passions.”
Another one was when he was teased by his older sister, Rizal said, “one day I will die for this country and you would see my monument.”
Rizalista, a religion who believes Rizal will return…
Due to the interesting and moving life of Jose Rizal, there came a sect of people who have a strong belief in Jose Rizal.
Rizalists - any of numerous ethnic religious groups in the Philippines that believe in the divinity of José Rizal, the national hero martyred by the Spanish in 1896. Among many peasant cults it is commonly believed that he is still alive and will return to deliver his followers from poverty and oppression. Rizal has been identified as God, as the second, or Filipino, Christ, and as the god of the pre-Spanish Malay religion. Rizalist cults, such as the Iglesia Sagrada ni Lahi (HolyChurch of the Race) and the Banner of the Race Church (the largest group), synthesize Roman Catholic rituals – Britannica.com
Related article: Jose Rizal's House in Calamba
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CommentsLoading...
cheers!!! :)
makakatulong to sa mga estudyanteng katulad ko!!!
salamat!!
It's a pleasure to talk about Rizal :)
hmp nd ko makita ung assingment namin,, anO ung nilagay ni Rizal sa sapAtOs nya bAgo sya pAtayin???
wow ang ganda makakatulog kahit saan hehehe
love it !
xoo nice ..
=)
ang daming informations dito na hindi ko nabasa or nalaman...thanks! you save my assignments!!!
yeehey ! I have a part for my article in our Rizal ..hehe
big thanks to those who post this one :))
hindi ko nkita hinahanap ko?>?>?
wala vang nka lagay kong bakit si rizal nag lakbay?/
i did not find what i want to see
From what I ve Dr. Rizal has a heir, it can't be a boy anyway hope someday the truth will be revealed.
Oh that's interesting :)
A great hub, Fehl. Thanks for sharing this. And he had the hots for a sweet Irish gal too! He was awfully busy in the romance department! LOL! I don't believe the Hitler thing, that was just silly. I mean what are the chances?? Hehehe! Hitler was a nasty little brat! LOL! Rizal was a saint by comparison. He is part of the collective identity of the Philippine people and perhaps there is a bit of Rizal in all of us. The heroic part, I mean.
Gosh, I have missed your hubs too long, Fehl. This is wonderful! XO
Irish girls are beautiful :) Well, Rizal was a poet. Know any poet who isn't busy in romance department? LMAO I even know a poet who's busy in every department LOLOL I don't believe the Hitler thing, too. It's so ironic!
Of course, we are all heroes in every simple ways..
Gosh, I've missed your hubs moi friend. But I do love the book first before I see a new hub from you :) XO
Talagang napakasayang 'yung magiging baby boy sana nina ni Dr. Jose Rizal...meron sana tayo ngayong bagong bayani..sobrang nakapanghihinayang!!!!..at least makita ko man lang c rizal ng personal...kasi for sure magiging magkahawig sila..
..curious lang po ako...anong klasing joke 'yung sinabi ni Dr. Jose rizal...??????
..ay naku..hindi bagay ni jose rizal na mag joke...hehehehe,,
haha yeah right! Oo nga sayang.. :)
Joke? Anong joke yon? hehehe
VERY NICE ITS REALLY HELPS A LOT.
NICE
..love reading & watching it...tnx :)
Thanks for the post!! it really helps me a lot in doing my project as well as widening my knowledge about those things which cannot seen in our books! i dont know that there are still lots of interesting issue about our hero til' i read this,, which really made questions in my mind by this moment..is it really true that rizal had a child?? if its so.. den,, how i wish i could see his child even in picture,,. this issue brought me into a big curiousity! im puzzled!
Likewise..haha I'm always interested bout the lives of genius people and thought I'd make this and compile the controversies and secrets surrounding Jose Rizal. Regarding the child-of-Rizal-contro, nobody really knows if he had an heir alive..I think he will always be a big name and a huge puzzle :) Thanks for dropping by and commenting Donzxx! :)
Great, i wonder what practical joke did RIZAL say to Josephine, his wife? and why he do that?, hmm that was sad a practical joke made a tragedy. i hope someday another Rizal was born.
What was that joke? hmm never heard of that. Rizal really loved Josephine. As seen from the books and movies, they really were good together. Thanks for dropping by. :)
a very genius hero.. we should posses like rizal because as a youth we our the "pag asa ng bayan!"
Agree :)
great and very helpful information..i was cleared!!!! thank you very much...
Rizal is a HERO!!!
i love you my dear jose.. i miss you
long live dr. rizal! may all filipinos be like u in deeds
;>
WELL UMMM......... useful but funny ok ok more useful
actually i'm not impressed on rizal..... i'm an avid Andres Bonifacio for our National Hero.... chickboy kc si Rizal.
Andres Bonifacio should be our national heroooooo!
take you..i had found the answer to my homework
i'll visit here again to learn more
i noticed that Dr. Jose Rizal's life was super interesting.......................i love it,,,,i idolized him so much...
nice one... please gives us more information about Rizal .. most especially to his travels..and the real religion of Rizal
salamat po nakatulong sakin
sana mayroong nakatagong katotohanan sa likod ng mga controversies
wow, you sound like a Documentary reporter :) Thanks Kristine
Rizal denied the very fact that he authored 2 books when he was chased by the Spaniards, he denied involvement in the katipunan movement, he wanted Philippines to be a province of Spain, not total freedom, he's a certified womanizer, he's not even a licensed opthalmologist as everyone believed.
Ask your Grandparents.. cuz' then you'll know how Rizal ain't really a hero.
He won by vote, suggested by the Americans. He was not the one you read about in the comic books of your youth. He lived out of the country most of his life. He lived in Europe a good deal of the time. He did not come from the working class of people in the Philippines. He came from a privileged class called the "illustrados".
In his time he was perhaps the most highly educated Filipino. Was he a leader? No! He knew nothing of organizing the Filipinos into a nationalistic movement. He was a great writer but did not write in the language of the people of his country. And not once has he or any other Filipino patriot ever suggested changing the name of the country. The beautiful people of this archipelago are still clinging to that odious name given to them by the invaders who have raped, killed, and enslaved tens of thousands of a peace loving people the likes of which this world has never seen.
ANOTHER THING, Rizal did little to other parts of our country who fiercely drove the Spaniards in their territory(THE MUSLIMS of Mindanao) and the inhabitants of Mountain Province because the Spaniards are lazy to climb mountains.
Those are interesting. They add more controversies to Jose Rizal. Thanks so much for leaving intriguing comments. You're awesome, Kay! God bless. :)
this has nothing to do with getting rich
ESTORYAHEEEE????
WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT RIZAL LIFE?
hello, i am a Filipino overseas and find this article fascinating. again i am remembering the bits and pieces of my Rizal Subjects in college. He indeed is a true hero, very nice writing, thanks.
Very interesting! It help me t0 find out the secrets of our National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal.
Thank you s0o much! God bless.
e binuwis nya ang kanyamg buhay para lang sa pilipino at sa bansang pilipinas
thank you!!it help me a lot..
rizal life..
Thank you all guys for the wonderful comments. Mabuhay!
nice...
great page.. but i agree, he shouldn't be our ntional hero for he did nothng 4 d freedom of our country.. long live Andres Bonifacio! LOL
He did lots of things..gave up a lot. I think he deserves to be our national hero. Andres Bonifacio was great too.
A very interesting read. Jose Rizal, controversial? Sure is. I will have to re-read this and study more about our national hero. That retraction of Rizal is I believe still being debated, or am I just not that updated? Voted this up.
mahal nmin si rizal pero grabe nato..mukhang d niya kmi mahal sa kanyang subject.. :) huhuhu...d namin xia mahanap.san kana rizal para we can answer our portfolio..
despite all of these controversies, he still is a role model,our national hero...
yeah Rizal rocks no matter what.. :)
I am impressed for rizal. and very proud to be our national hero. BRAVO....!!!!!!!!!!!!!
interesting...,
I am a filipino married to a spanish woman. We moved to spain a few years ago, since then I am having problems with my surname. In the Philippines we wrote our name as NAME - MOTHER´s NAME - FATHER´s NAME (for example Juan Bilog Taman, in which Bilog will be the mother´s surname). In Spain it will be in reverse, NAME - FATHER´s NAME -MOTHER´s NAME; taking the same example the name will be Juan Taman Bilog.
In all documents I have from the Philippines it is written in Philippines' way, And spanish doesn´t want to recognise this and everybody calls and writes to me by my mother´s name. Funny, isn´t it? My son will even have the danger of carrying my mother´s name(which doesn´t bother me much, Although I prefer my father´s).So what I believe is that the whole thing about "Rizal taking his mother´s name to escape prosecution" could be all just bullshit, It could just be that here in Spain, due to spanish stubborness, everybody was calling him Jose Rizal and not Jose Mercado, and he probably got fed up correcting them and so decided to just live with it
And by the way, contrary to what we/I knew back then (That rizal is known here in spain for his work), If you ask any spanish they will tell you that they have not even heard of his name. My wife even thinks he is a playboy, after reading his life story (Which I regretfully introduced her to), and ever since I told my wife about Rizal being our national hero and so we were thought to be like him, she has been watching me closely with paranoia..."no te miras los chicas o te parto los juevos"..ouch :(
Ang kabataan ang pag asa ng bayan...How would you relate that to the filipinos today?
hay..salamat din..at nbsa ko ang mag isinulat ni Dr. Jose Rizal...ndi kc kmi mkpasok bukas pag walang assignment bout sa mga isinulat ni rizal..tnx po ..god bless
Dr.Jose Rizal is the great....@_@
ano ang mga secrete's ni rizal ??
Ang nakakaalam lang ng misteryong buhay ni rizal ay mism0ng sya lamang...at ang diyos,kahit ang ako,ikaw,kau,kayo lng mismo nakakaalam anumang secreto tnatago u.....at bilib lang ako ky rizal dahil walang sawa ngaaral,matyaga sya,kya bagay sya maging role model s mga kabataan?kaso ngaun eh mukhang kabataan ang salot ng lipunan na...
i am so curious about the note rizal had written before his death do you have any copy of it?
Are you referring to the Mi Ultimo Adios or the other poem Rizal wrote that was found on his shoe?
Rizal was not perfect, he was not always right, but i trust that those who read the story of his life will perceive that his humanity is precisely the secret of his greatness. Buti nga xa may ginawa. E sa ngayon? Tinumbasan nyo ba? lil respect dre tinuruan kba nun? Bato bato sa lingit matamaan walang shield :p
what is the reason behind why Dr. Jose p. Rizal wrote his literary work "to the Virgin Mary"?. its one of our assignment Pls. help me! thanks! and God Bless!
help!!!!!!in Rizal's poem, to the filipino youth..hm..in each stanza, what are the traits a Filipino youth must possess..
The information depicted on your blog were seemingly quite controversial yet very inspiring. Rizal was indeed a Filipino person to be remembered and her numerous contributions ought to be passed on from generation to generation. However I would like to personally add vital information in relation to him.
1. As far as the history is concerned, it was the Taft Commission (William Howard Taft was the first civil governor and he also initiated that Philippines is for Filipinos) who chose Rizal to be our national hero, because during the civil government prior to the preparatory allegiance to commonwealth, there was an urgent motion or decision to seek for a national hero and since according to Americans, Rizal by nature was a radical man with so much innate accomplishments and a lot admired him, so they have chosen him as our national hero. (Others who were candidates for that recognition were Bonifacio, but according to them he was unregenerate, Aguinaldo but he didn't have international support or recognition, because he kept fighting the US military forces until he was caught in Palanan, Isabela when Macabebe scouts led Frederick Funston and arrested him.
There is no Philippine law that recognizes Rizal to be called as our national hero, but there is RA 1425, that stipulates the compulsory teaching of Rizal's life and her most cherished famous novels. Noli and El Fili.
There was also a theory upon the pregnancy of Josephine Bracken that the baby she was carrying in the womb was not Rizal's son it was the son of Bracken's stepfather. There was an instance that Josephine was raped by his ruthless stepfather. (This is still a theory and has not yet been proven) (No intention to offend Rizalians!!!)
And there were also three found species in the Philippines that have paid tribute in him because it was after him.
Rizal last words before he was executed were (Consummatum est) meaning It is done!!!
There were also 2000 copies of Noli Me Tangere that were circulated in the Philippines but confiscated by Spanish friars upon knowing that it targeted their brutality and rampant injustices. That time when somebody was seen reading it it may lead to death or imprisonment.
Rizal had also a chinese blood because it was proven by Manuel Chua that he had a chinese descendant who's name was Domingo Lamco, a rich native chinese entrepeneur.
Rizal was also the last man of renaissance for his exemplary contribution on many fields.
Wow that info are amazing and fascinating. Thank you so much for sharing them here. Means a lot :) Bless ya!
try nyu bilhin ung librong Rizal without the overcoat by ambeth ocampo. im sure magugustuhan nyu ito.
wow, thanks for sharing that. Sounds like a very interesting book.
edmondpogi 20 months ago
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!!!