Debate is already a legacy

Whatever faults President GMA might have, one thing is sure – the debate on Charter change, whether it succeeds or not – will be the legacy of her leadership. In the past the issue of Charter change was not a topic for discussion. Indeed, objections to it through the years are consistent, coming from the same forces each time an attempt is made to put it in the open. It just is not the done thing and in that sense it is a forbidden subject. President GMA by staking her presidency on Charter change broke that spell. Without her support, Charter change would never have reached this stage that it could be so openly debated.

"Dead in the water" was a favorite expression to abort any discussion. This expression has been used so often it has become a formula. But all that changed when President GMA gave Charter change her government’s support. Because of her, the issue is out of the shadows. It is not only alive and well it is thriving, being talked about extensively, despite all efforts of some political and religious forces to stop it from being talked about let alone that it should ever happen.

The opposition rant and rave about the alleged suppression of freedom of speech in Arroyo’s time but they do not see the mote in their own eye. Yes, what about Charter change? The discussion is in full swing, despite their attempts to suppress it and that is something we should cheer about. Too bad, the otherwise liberal New York Times didn’t get it. What could be better proof that freedom is alive and well in the Philippines today than the discussion of an issue that has been kept firmly under the lid for years. Charter change was simply anathema as far as the Establishment in the Philippines was concerned.

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It is unfortunate if some use the separation of church and state as the excise for objecting to CBCP’s pastoral statement on charter change. That is a mistake although a case can be made of that too. What should be deplored is that once again, the CBCP as a collective body of Catholic bishops is flexing its muscle and misusing its religious power. Anti-charter change groups have been emboldened to ask the bishops to use its pulpits. That certainly is not just about the separation of church and state but more, much more. It is about the CBCP’s inordinate use of religious power and influence for political gain. In my books, bullying of any kind is neither kind nor religious.

The Catholic Church in the Philippines has a long history of political influence that goes back to colonial times. It cannot be denied that religion as it came to the Philippines was the instrument of colonization. That was how the Philippines became an overwhelmingly Catholic country. That was how the Catholic Church became powerful; so powerful it can use ‘religion’ to decide not only who our political leaders should be but how our government should be run. More unfortunately the unholy combination of religion and political power sired ‘religious’ cults like the INK and El Shaddai both of which blatantly use the numbers of their constituencies for political and material again. Politicians are also to blame for succumbing to its importuning during elections by paying homage to these false idols. From the Spanish to the American up to today political power wielded by the church and its derivations remains in force.

Churchmen and religious groups are free to voice their political opinions provided they do so like the rest of citizenry. To me the CBCP statement is an act of its historical political power at the height of a full blown debate on charter change. When the bishops speak as a collective body it does so with an aura of binding effect and meant to influence its constituents by the power of its religious authority.

Speaking of morals, let us be honest about this. When the CBCP speaks in the midst of a political debate on Charter change, it indulges in power play and not as it claims, to exercise freedom of expression. Historically, we have been bred not to overrule the admonitions of our ‘spiritual’ guardians. After all, if bishops hold the key to the gates of hell and heaven, how can we win? Churchmen can compete in the ‘market of ideas’ if we had a level playing field. But that is not how the Church and religious cults play it out in our body politic.

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LETTERS: My last column, "Copernican breakthrough" elicited a lot of reaction and some wrote letters which I would like to pass on to my readers. Here’s one from Ronald Cruz < [email protected]> who said that ‘society needs people to challenge the status quo especially the powers that foster ignorance among the people". He adds that the Catholic Church deserves much criticism for how we are today.

Earlier, he wrote a letter to the Editor: "This is in reaction to your news article quoting CBCP spokesman Monsignor Pedro Quitorio as saying, "They (the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) were written immediately after Jesus Christ died unlike Gospel of Judas which was written by an anonymous author after 200 years."

Either the CBCP spokesman is lying outright or he is terribly misinformed. Either way, it is shameful. The four canonical gospels were anonymous works written decades after Jesus’ death. Mark was written first (about 40 years after the crucifixion), followed by Matthew and Luke (written at least a decade after Mark), and John was written much later. The names Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were merely added to lend credence to such anonymous works." Your article made me feel that there is hope for this country, if only more people will be brave (and enlightened) enough to tell the truth.

Fil Tan<[email protected] I hope many people will read your "Copernican Breakthrough" to realize how shackled our minds are, not only on political but also, on religious matters. I "stumbled" on the website: www.purechristianity.org and realized how deceived we are regarding our religious belief.

Alex Pineda [email protected] a senior mechanical engineer of SNC Lavalin from Edmonton, Canada said he was disgusted that bishops meddle continuously in government affairs in the name of "truth". They do have a monopoly of what is right and what is good for our people. He says it is only in the Philippines were church people are too preoccupied in government affairs. I am living here in Canada for 4-1/2 years now and still continue attending mass every weekend. I never hear priests using the pulpit to comment or meddle in the affairs of government even on issues like the passage of laws on same sex marriage and abortion.

If they really love politics and media limelight they should resign first as Church officials and pay taxes before commenting on the affairs of the government. Our people have become disillusioned with the church (Philippines Catholic Church only) because it has lost its real focus. which is God’s teaching.

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My e-mail is [email protected]