Instead of intellectually dissecting the merits and demerits of the RH Bill, it is disgusting to read readers’ comments in some dailies. Some of these are good while others are silly.
I don’t have any intention to impose my opinion but I find the following ideas of readers sifted from the dailies as unfair if not absurd:
If the Catholic Church meddles in government affairs, they should pay tax.
I don’t think that telling what is right or wrong is meddling. Why pick up the Catholic Church alone to pay tax when the INC that directly meddles with the government through block voting is not considered? The Church is helping the poor and the needy but do other faiths do?
Archbishop Oscar Cruz “talks a lot” and is now retired; why not be the president instead?
This country respects freedom of speech and of expression. Archbishop Cruz is retired but he is also a Filipino citizen. It is insane to assume that now that he is retired, his opinions are now false. In fact, his analyses on current issues are accurate.
”I’m a faithful Catholic and studied the teachings of the Church. I found out that some are wrong.”
I agree when issues are not moral like the Copernicus issue. But how really faithful a “faithful Catholic” in saying that the Church is wrong when she teaches issues on the sanctity and respect of life? This mentality called “relativism” is heretic. It is not true that what one thinks as correct is indeed correct. Truth is objective and not subjective. And how can anyone claim to be better that the Magisterium, the teaching authority of the Church which is infallible?
”Some priests are using condoms.”
These priests have no business in the active ministry. It is the duty of the laity to report these priests to their bishops. The laity is also called to evangelize and doing that greatly helps the bishops.
”In Italy, where Vatican is, there is abortion, contraception, red district, and homosexuality.”
Evil is everywhere even inside the churches. No matter how pious and focused one is while praying, strong temptations occur. But knowing that the above mentioned are wrong, why do we want them to have in this country? If you know that stealing government money is wrong, why still do it?
Separation of Church and State must be respected.
Cardinal Sin helped topple dictatorship. The Church exposed the evil of jueteng. The Church abhors graft and corruption as the main cause of poverty. In these instances, why were we silent and did not say that the Church is meddling the affair of the State? Do we only see Church intervention when we do not like what the bishops say?
So, how relevant is the Catholic Church in the Philippines in these confusing times?
The Church is as relevant as ever. She may have some misgivings because its hierarchy is composed of human being --- sinners and imperfect but when it comes to moral issues, the Church should have a perfect score. After all, Philippine bishops do not invent or write their own teachings but follow the official teaching of the universal Church. We note that during the infancy of the Church till now, 21st century, its history is full of scandals and heresies but for 2,000 years, this Church remains unshaken in correctly interpreting and teaching what Christ, her founder taught. We hear cathedrals and shrines in Europe closing down or turned into museum or substantial decrease in Mass attendance but to assume that the cause of these is the Church’s wrong teachings is totally unacceptable.
I can only say that the Church in the Philippines is at a critical period when some of her members fall to the heresy of relativism. The Church survives till the end of time but there is no guarantee that the faith of the majority of Filipinos survive in this time of confusion, liberalism, nonchalance, arrogance and stupidity as well.
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