The winners of a bible quiz bee at an Iloilo-based university provided great amusement to the online community for their ranking perceived “ironic”.
The Central Echo, the official student media of the Central Philippine University, posted the list of winners of their multi-discipline quiz bees last October 7.
The photo showed that Senior High School was hailed champion while the College of Medicine finished first runner-up and the College of Theology only placed second runner-up for the bible category.
So far, the photo has earned over 70,000 reactions, 700 comments and 21,000 shares on Facebook.
Several online users poked fun at the fact that a science-based academic unit performed better at the quiz bee than students enrolled in a religion course.
“The irony is PALPABLE,” a Facebook user commented on the post.
“Homecourt disadvantage,” another quipped.
“Skill issue,” another netizen wrote.
“Blessed with the power of science,” another online user said in jest.
Responding to only users who made jokes about the results, some academic staff of CPU said studying theology does not require one to memorize the whole discipline.
“Though I grew up in the church, taught Sunday school, studied in a bible school and eventually became a teacher, pastor and pastor’s wife, I know in myself I lack the skill of memorizing,” CPU faculty member Kim G Java wrote.
Professor Rea Villeza, chairperson of the CPU Department of Religion and Ethics, said she intentionally came up with questions that were not usually discussed in theology classes for “fairness.”
“[O]therwise, kung manalo ang Theo, baka ma-invalidate ang panalo nila dahil baka sabihin ng bashers na dahil nga Theo sila kaya sila nanalo,” Villeza commented.
The CPU is a private research university based in Jaro, Iloilo and established in 1905.
