What kind of god …?
I've heard of people who stopped reading the newspapers, listening to the radio or watching TV, or looking at social media because knowing what's happening in the country and the world stresses them. There is actually a word for this condition and it is "angst" or "anomie." It means an unfocused anxiety or dread about the human condition of the state of the country and the world. It also means an emotional instability resulting from a breakdown of the social and ethical standards and values. Recent news events like the abuse and killing of an OFW in Kuwait, the dismissal of the cases against accused drug lords, the possibility of Napoles becoming a state witness, the granting of bail to politicians accused of corruption, and other acts of impunity by people in power, are examples of news events that give some people "angst" or "anomie." This is compounded by international news of what is happening in the U.S.A, Russia, China, Venezuela, Turkey, and Syria where their leaders are consolidating power and doing away with accountability, disregarding moral and ethical dimensions and getting away with it.
The reason for this condition is actually the innate sense of justice in human beings. Regardless of the form of government, be it democratic or authoritarian or any variation thereof, people expect fairness. In also all religions, the sense of justice is always emphasized even if it is attained in different ways. An "eye for an eye" or "do unto others what you want others to do unto you" are ways of getting justice in almost all religions. For society to function, a justice system that people believe and trust in is paramount and a pillar of that society. The shift to a more democratic government from the Middle Ages to the 19th century was fueled by the people longing for justice and equality. The "egalite et liberte" of the French revolution which spurred the American Revolution, were also the same ideals that led to our own revolution against Spain and America. The decolonization of all countries once under European superpowers was all about justice to the natives of these countries.
In the Philippines, the communist/NPA movement and rebellion, Moslem separatists, and ISIS terrorists are fueled by their claims of injustice. They believe they are not getting their fair share of the nation's wealth the oligarchs and the government have unjustly taken their lands, and they are not getting personal and collective justice from the government. The largest headcount of the NPAs was during the martial law years of Marcos because those were the times the government was perceived to be most unjust, then numbers dwindled when democracy was restored after the EDSA People Power revolution.
These days, with the advent of pervasive information and communication technology and the dispersal and availability of news and information, which is a vital component in exposing injustice and promoting justice, it would be more difficult for governments or people in power to disregard injustice. World news are now replete with stories of heads of states and other powerful people charged or jailed for abuse of authority and other injustices. There is hope for this world and eventually justice will be served. We just need to have more faith to avoid the "angst" or "anomie."
The full title of this article was the last statement of the defense lawyer to the jury who was about to convict an innocent man and should also be said to all those who commit injustice: "What kind of god do you pray to?"
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