Veneration Without Understanding: A Reflection Paper

"Does Rizal deserve to be our national hero? Is he really a hero or a traitor?" This article of Veneration without Understanding is everything about the criticism and arguments over Rizal's reputation as the people of the Philippines' national hero. It demonstrates how much the Filipinos know about both Rizal and nationalism. It's all about Rizal, but we need to understand it deeply. I've learned how this article brought so much confusion and eye-opening information. Not everybody will accept this information.

A reflection paper on Renato Constantino's work "Veneration without Understanding," which also answered the question of "Does Rizal Deserve to Be Called a Hero?" Is he a hero or a traitor?

Is he really a hero or a traitor? Way back in my preschool to elementary school days, the only hero that always tackled and was the highlight of the chart "Mga Pambansang Plipinas" and books or writings was Rizal. During that time the only comes on my mind is "Rizal the one and only hero of the Philippines". Those mindsets I have changes through times, not just Rizal is an only hero in this country. Now reading the "the first Filipino", "Veneration without Understanding" and introductions of my professor, made me realized that there's something need to dig more. There's a question that comes on my mind, does Rizal is in the side of Filipinos nor his in the side of Spanish. Does he deserve to be National Hero or considered as traitors.

A REFLECTION PAPER ON “VENERATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING: DOES RIZAL DESERVES TO BE A HERO?” Written by Mendoza, Christine Anne

Reflection Paper on ‘Veneration Without Understanding’ by Renato Constantino, 2023

This reflection paper is all about the variety of intense, diverse feelings and perspectives that were brought on by Rizal's biography, which now comes out as prejudiced towards Rizal. We know that a national hero usually plays a significant role and leads the revolution, but in this case – Our national hero, Jose Rizal, rather denounced the revolution and opposed it. Additionally, he intended to work for the Spanish people and utilize his medical expertise to fight his deportation and secure his own freedom. The idea of returning the Rizal and other Ilustrado revolutionaries in Europe were responsible for the Philippines' independence, but the people who were genuinely in the country are those whose group efforts and revolutionary heroism battled side by side against the Spaniards. Even if this were the case, Rizal was never in favor of the revolution; he opposed it because he thought that such actions were examples of being uneducated. The majority of his thoughts were largely misinterpreted by the populace of the Philippines during those times.