Mixing religion with politics

Recent events indicate that the relations between Church and State are warming up. This is good for the Filipino people, their common constituency. President Noynoy Aquino attended both the Thanksgiving celebration in Cebu for the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod, as well as the Thanksgiving Mass in Paco, Manila for the installation of Cardinal Chito Tagle. PNoy was seen embracing Cardinal Vidal, and having tete-a-tete with both Cardinals Gaudencio Rosales and Archbishop Jose Palma. And Cardinal Tagle will say a very solemn private Mass exclusively for the Aquino family. This scenario is illustrative of what is unique in the Philippine socio-politico and cultural milieu, the recurrent mergers of the Church and the State. In our country, there is really no iron curtain between what belongs to Caesar and those that belong to God.

In today’s borderless society, politicians openly use religious activities to advance their partisan agenda, even as many Church leaders use their congregations to promote their political ambitions.

The religious leaders often use the pulpit to push their political biases for or against any group or to support or denounce any government programs like the RH bill. They would even threaten to campaign openly against staunch proponents of anti-Church positions on national issues. The more vocal Church leaders would openly attack the government on issues like population control, gambling, corruption and other shenanigans. Many of them are however mysteriously silent about priests and bishops who have been charged with child molestations and pedophilia.

There are sects, like the Iglesia, which has projected an image of solidarity in their voting patterns, prompting many senatoriables and other politicians to line up and pray for the blessings of Ka Eduardo Manalo, the head of INC. They put up full-page birthday greetings for Manalo, something that is not even done to Pres. Aquino or to the Catholic Cardinals, not even to the Pope. Bro. Mike Velarde and Bro. Eddie Villanueva, and even Southern Mindanao’s Quiboloy, and formerly, Northern Mindanao’s Rueben Ecleo were very political in the way they run their congregation. They invite prominent politicians and anoint them as political shepherds in front of their flock. Villanueva’s close ties with Aquino has gained for him the TESDA post for his son, Joel, whose senatorial ambitions was buried under low survey ratings.

Not too long ago, Fr. Ed Panlileo won as Pampanga governor. He is running again in 2013. Another priest is running for Masbate governor in next years’ elections. In 1972, we, from the erstwhile sixth district of Cebu, from Ronda to Toledo City, elected Fr. Andres Flores as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. Then, we, in Region 7, elected Fr. George Kintanar of Argao as one of our Assemblymen in the Batasang Pambansa. Fr Joaquin Bernas and Sister Christine Tan were named by Pres. Cory Aquino as commissioners who framed the 1987 Constitution. And so the convergence between the Church and the State is just a political theory that is more often breached than adhered to. After all, man is both a political animal and a spiritual being.

Jose Rizal’s Noli and Fili, while denouncing the abuses of the Church as shown by the greed, the hypocrisy and arrogance of Padre Damaso, and the vices and schemes of Padre Salve, also illustrated the subservience of government to the impositions of the Church. This was shown by the manner by which Capitan Tiago had to bow to the whims of Padre Damaso and how the latter had subverted Capitan Tiago’s powers by befriending Dona Pia and producing illegitimately Maria Clara. Many revolts, like those of Diego and Gabriela Silang in Ilocos, and of Dagohoy in Bohol and the sultans in Mindanao, all had religious undertones.

Even our own Lapulapu refused to be baptized because, to him, baptism was not only a religious rite but a symbol of political subjugation. And so, these days, when the President kisses the ring of the Cardinal, like President Cory used to do to Cardinal Sin, it is a symbol of the State bowing to the Church. It is Capitan Tiago again, kissing the hands of Padre Damaso. And so, countrymen, there goes your RH Bill. We will then have a peaceful and merry Christmas.