BY ALEX P. VIDAL
WHEN two intellectual behemoths from Copenhagen, Denmark and Guimbal, Iloilo met and unleashed their philosophical ideas last week at the Atrium Mall in Iloilo City, jealous gods of Mount Olympus shed copious tears.
The meeting between Don Henning Blegvad, the "Friedrich Nietzsche" of Denmark and Atty. Ernesto Justiniani Dayot, the "Socrates of Iloilo," was witnessed by several students from the St. Paul University, who thought they were attending philosophy, political science and religious classes when they heard the two discuss heavy philosophical, social and religious topics at noontime!
The gods punished Prometheus for giving us fire (wisdom). Will they lower the boom too for Messrs. Blegvad and Dayot for giving us enlightenment? Whom they wish to destroy the gods will make mad first?
DEATH
Incidentally, both Blegvad, 83, and Dayot, 80, can't be destroyed. Even death can't obliterate them as they are ready to take off anytime and both have expressed desires "to be burned" --not at stake like those in the Dark Ages-- but in the crematorium once their bells make a final toll.
"I'm ready to go and I stand by my philosophical thoughts until the end," declared Dayot, who recently spent half a million pesos to beautify their family mausoleum in Dingle, Iloilo "where I will take my final journey."
Like Nietzsche, Blegvad doesn't believe in the personal god. "God is when you do the right things and serve your fellowmen with all sincerity and candor," he said. "God is not a business."
Blegvad openly wages war against dishonest government officials and hypocritical religious leaders and does not hesitate to use strong words when castigating them face to face both in private and in public.
BURN
"When I die, I want to be burned and my wish is for my ashes to be scattered around the schools and structures that I helped build," Blegvad stressed.
"I believe in the philosophy of reason. It is our bacon for living on earth," Dayot, 80, hissed. "Man in his primitive origin slowly developed the logic of reason to liberate himself, only to be subverted time and again in the darkest annals of history."
"I believe in the philosophy of self-esteem which makes every man a hero of himself. The psychology of self-esteem is the living mirror that reflects the nobility of man's soul, thus the man who is true to himself can never be false to another," Dayot added.
SCIENCE
"I believe in the philosophy of science which gives technological and practical values and renders intellectual and cultural enrichment. I believe in the philosophy of brotherhood of men. The highest attribute of man is his sense of wisdom and it includes political and social relationships to increase knoweldge and to trade goods and services with others."
"I don't believe in Socrates, but I believe in Ernesto Dayot," concluded Blegvad, who believes that "some men sold their souls with the devil while others have tried to sell their souls, but there was no evil to buy them."
He was referring to the story in Western literature where a man bargained his soul with the devil, provided the devil would grant him his wordly desires. It was a contract that after 24 years, the devil would come to collect his soul. Thus, Dr. Faustus was given absolute power, great knowledge and riches.
HOURS
And when the hours has come, Dr. Faustus was frantic and desperate, praying for a savior so that he will not burn in hell for thousand years. While he blamed the devil for his miserable condition, he was told to blame himself for being weak-hearted and ambitious.
Next Dr. Faustus called for the mountains and hills to fall in him and the earth to cover him. Likewise, he called for the stars to lift him up because they have something to do with the life and destiny of any man.
At the end of the day, Dr. Faustus gave up and the devil came to collect his soul.
Will the devil come to collect, nay invite the souls of Messrs. Blegvad and Dayot?
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