Eliseo Soriano

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Bro. Eli F. Soriano
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Bro. Eli F. Soriano

Eliseo Fernando Soriano (born April 7, 1947- ) is a controversial religious personality in the Philippines. Soriano is presiding minister of the Christian Members Church of God International in the Philippines where he is styled "The Only Sensible Preacher of our Time". He hosts radio and television programs Ang Dating Daan, Ask Soriano, Biblically Speaking, Bible Guide and Truth in Focus.

In May 2006 the Pampanga provincial prosecutor’s office indicted Soriano on two counts of rape [1]. His accuser is Daniel Veridiano, aka Puto, a former member of Soriano's church and now a member of Iglesia ni Cristo. Soriano denied the allegation claiming Veridiano who was expelled from Soriano's congregation for inappropriate conduct is retaliating and being used by the Iglesia Ni Cristo to destroy his reputation. It is unknown when Soriano will appear in court.

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[edit] Biography

Soriano, known as Brother Eli, was born to Triunfo Soriano and Catalina Fernando in Pasay City and is the seventh of eight children. Eliseo was shy as a child and started school at the age of eight. He showed good academic progress and was elected president of the student council.

However, he did not finish high school, leaving three months before graduation to devote his life to study the bible. On April 7, 1964, three days after his 17th birthday, Eliseo was baptized in Seneguelasan, Bacoor, Cavite, and became an official member of the Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan (Church of God in Christ Jesus, Pillar and Ground of the Truth).

In 1969, Nicolas Perez, who was then the church’s presiding minister, gave Soriano the title minister making him the only minister in the Church of God in Christ Jesus at that time. Soriano started the radio in 1980 and TV program Ang Dating Daan in 1983.

Soriano is known for criticizing various denominations through his program Ang Dating Daan for their doctrines, practices and what he says are false teachings including the Catholic Church, Pentecostal Demoninations, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Mormon Church and the Iglesia ni Cristo, another Philippine-based religion which he calls Iglesia ni Manalo (Church of Manalo).

Iglesia ni Cristo retaliated with a counter program, Ang Tamang Daan, criticizing Soriano on the show. In an attempt to end the dispute between the two groups, Soriano challenged the leader of Iglesia ni Cristo Erano Manalo to a one on one debate on TV on March 27, 2005, but it never eventuated.

Soriano was targeted in a smear campaign in 2003 when a series of comics depicted him negatively. The author and publisher were never identified but Soriano said the rival religion was behind it, prompting INC officials to issue libel proceedings against him.

As well as the pending rape charge, in September 2006 a group of Muslims were outraged with Soriano when rival religion, Iglesia ni Cristo circulated a Video CD containing clips of Soriano allegedly disparaging Islam and Mohammad on his TV program. Soriano, maintained that the VCD had been fabricated. A rally against Soriano scheduled outside his headquarters at Apalit was circumvented after Muslim leaders said Soriano was innocent and that Muslims were being used by Iglesia ni Cristo.

Soriano's program, the Ang Dating Daan was recently awarded "Most Informative Religious Program of the Year" by Gawad Amerika Awards, an independent Fil-Am awards-giving body based in North America [2].

[edit] References

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  2. ^ [2]

[edit] External links

[edit] News about Eliseo Soriano

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