Neo-Sanhedrin

The few but loud priests and bishops who have chosen to engage President Duterte in a nasty public word war are no different from the Jewish Sanhedrin of olden times. They are arrogant, self-righteous, all-knowing, judgmental, and hypocritical. Humility is totally absent in their persons as a trait.

They rebut Duterte at every turn, but most especially on matters of religion, when it is clear to everyone else, fellow priests and bishops included, that they didn't have to. It makes no sense and serves no interest to argue matters of faith and morals with a person like Duterte.

First, Duterte is not a religious and moral man, as per his own admission. His word cannot be relied upon as authoritative on matters of godliness and goodness. Second, priests and bishops spent years learning how to be godly and good, and years upon years more living out the godliness and goodness they learned, Duterte is a shipwreck on these matters.

I was aghast, for example, not when Duterte said the Roman Catholic Church would collapse in 25 years, but when one bishop actually rebutted Duterte and lectured lengthily on why the Church not only will survive Duterte but will be around for much much longer than the president can ever give it credit for. Of course, the Church will be around for a very long time.

And of course, Duterte is wrong. It is beyond Duterte to make such determination. In fact he did not know what he was talking about and was merely saying anything against the Church knowing how it would rile his critics and make them lose sleep. The president loves these encounters and I suspect he secretly plots ways to shake them in their lofty perches just for fun.

Curiously, for all their vast knowledge and learning, Duterte still succeeds every time. And that is why I am convinced these priests and bishops are not really holy men. They are just the same people who lust for wealth, power, and influence as were the Sanhedrin of old. They cannot stand the effrontery of anyone standing up to them.

There is no turning the other cheek for these priests and bishops. There is no bread for every stone thrown at them. They cannot leave to the Lord the vengeance that they must exact by their own hands. They cannot hold on to their tit for every Duterte tat.

How vastly different are the lives they lead from that of Jesus for whom they profess to follow and serve. If the truth be told and honestly acknowledged, the Holy Mother Church bleeds and grieves today not because of the many rebellious Dutertes that have strayed, but because of the few hypocrites that have chosen to remain within.