Here goes a stand of my fellow classmate who is studying organizational communication. Her testimony is as follows:
“After a series of random interviews with students and after hearing their meaningful insights, finally, I am going to unveil my stand about the RH Bill. *drum roll* I am a Catholic. Maybe the Catholic Church would excommunicate me for this and I might go to hell in the afterlife, but I am PRO RH Bill. I’m not against morality but I’m against ignorance. I guess that the church is just making a controversy out of something that shouldn’t be controversial at all. I don’t see why the morality issue should be included here when at least everyone should be looking at the brighter side and see what RH bill has to offer to our unstable society.
With morality issues set aside, being a pro-RH bill doesn’t make me a murderer and it doesn’t necessarily mean that I am against life. As a matter of fact, I value life more than anything. Yes, everyone has the right to live but would the “person” enjoy his/her existence if the state is in a condition like this? Don’t worry, I can see the fallacy in my statement. But then there’s nothing wrong with looking at the near future. First, we are over populated. Artificial contraceptives, on the other hand, may not be the best solution to it but at least it could lessen the problem. Second, this act of using contraceptives should be not regarded as abortion. Abortion is a different thing. Using contraceptives in my point of view is much more effective than natural family planning. Third, teenagers are getting pregnant. Sex education is a must for it will inform them a lot of things. They will also be guided. People should be well-informed about this so that they will be knowledgeable and responsible for their every action. Fourth, the rights of the women are being distorted; they should be able to do what they want because it’s their choice because it is their body, our body. And Fifth, I am pro because I have the right to say yes, to what I think is right and no, to what will lead me and my fellow citizens at risk.
I value life and I value others life’ as well. Maybe some could afford to buy condoms, pills etc., but some cannot afford to have one. Some have access to proper education, some are ignorant. I think we all need to see what’s happening around and not only consider what’s best for ourselves. If the Church fears that Christians might be extinct because population will be controlled and nobody will be on their side and give donations, they may have to re-consider things and put aside morality issues.
In my point of view, this act would be for the betterment of our country. For a healthy living lifestyle.
But then again, no one knows what the effect of this RH bill would be, if implemented. Would it really resolve the problems that our country is facing now? Or would it be just another neglected bill?
Let’s hope for the best.”
Monday, June 27, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
GOVERNMENT SHOULD FOCUS ON THE BEST INTEREST OF ITS PEOPLE
To share more thoughts and opinions about the Reproductive Health Bill I have started gathering what my friends and their friends think about the Reproductive Health Bill. The first friend I have asked about this matter is the Bath valedictorian of his school Reedley International School (RIS). His name is Regis Andanar.
“The Philippines does not have a population problem/Overpopulation is not a problem. A well educated and skilled population is an asset to any country. Sadly a lot of poor couples have no means to educate their kids. An uneducated people is a liability and will stress social and police services. The RH bill tries to solve this by helping poor couples manage their family sizes so that they can provide the education and time for their children.
RH bill is against the law of God. Not all agree on this. If this was a universal belief then the bill would be rejected immediately. I believe that none of the provisions of the bill is immoral by itself. Many Filipinos agree and many Filipinos do not. But anti RH people should allow this bill to be passed but continue to live your own lives as to what your beliefs allow and let others live their life as to what their beliefs allow.” (Regis, 2010)
Many would say that their strongest argument for persuading more and more people to side with them on the pro side of the reproductive health bill is that, education must be put into priority. Just like what Regis said, it could be a great advantage of our country to have more and more educated people. However, since the reason is not a lot of people in our country are not well educated they are not able to get jobs that will satisfy or be enough for them to be able to send their kids to schools that have quality education.
Our public education is a good step, however the government has yet to take plenty of steps to improve it so that we may once and for all solve the problem of the overpopulation in our country. Moreover, we will be al better as people and as citizens of this country. This kind of drastic change cannot just be carried on the shoulders of people who are willing to but a sense of synergy as a country is a must.
If all will work together in making sure that education will be put as one of the top priorities of our government then that would be a very great accomplishment of our country. Doing this will demand that people would make sure government officials get rid of their hidden agendas-CORRUPTION! We will never develop as a country if corruption will be tolerated by almost everyone in our country especially those who are in the position of doing something about it. This is very unfortunate too because if our country remains like this then there will be only little opportunities for the Philippines to get better. INSTEAD OF HAVING OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL FOCUS ON THEIR HIDDEN AGENDAS AND MOTIVES, THEY SHOULD FOCUSE SOLELY ON THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE!”
“The Philippines does not have a population problem/Overpopulation is not a problem. A well educated and skilled population is an asset to any country. Sadly a lot of poor couples have no means to educate their kids. An uneducated people is a liability and will stress social and police services. The RH bill tries to solve this by helping poor couples manage their family sizes so that they can provide the education and time for their children.
RH bill is against the law of God. Not all agree on this. If this was a universal belief then the bill would be rejected immediately. I believe that none of the provisions of the bill is immoral by itself. Many Filipinos agree and many Filipinos do not. But anti RH people should allow this bill to be passed but continue to live your own lives as to what your beliefs allow and let others live their life as to what their beliefs allow.” (Regis, 2010)
Many would say that their strongest argument for persuading more and more people to side with them on the pro side of the reproductive health bill is that, education must be put into priority. Just like what Regis said, it could be a great advantage of our country to have more and more educated people. However, since the reason is not a lot of people in our country are not well educated they are not able to get jobs that will satisfy or be enough for them to be able to send their kids to schools that have quality education.
Our public education is a good step, however the government has yet to take plenty of steps to improve it so that we may once and for all solve the problem of the overpopulation in our country. Moreover, we will be al better as people and as citizens of this country. This kind of drastic change cannot just be carried on the shoulders of people who are willing to but a sense of synergy as a country is a must.
If all will work together in making sure that education will be put as one of the top priorities of our government then that would be a very great accomplishment of our country. Doing this will demand that people would make sure government officials get rid of their hidden agendas-CORRUPTION! We will never develop as a country if corruption will be tolerated by almost everyone in our country especially those who are in the position of doing something about it. This is very unfortunate too because if our country remains like this then there will be only little opportunities for the Philippines to get better. INSTEAD OF HAVING OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL FOCUS ON THEIR HIDDEN AGENDAS AND MOTIVES, THEY SHOULD FOCUSE SOLELY ON THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE!”
WHY THE DELAY?!
Many people argue that the reason for the delay of the implementation of the reproductive health bill is due to its target audience-the poor people. The people who are not for the bill say that it only affects the marginalized ones. And this is true! A root cause of over population can also be recognized by the lack of education in our country. Aside from the lack of education, its poor system also contributes to the problem. All of the facilities in our public schools fail at the level of its conduciveness for learning.
Most public schools in our country accommodate about fifty students per teacher. For the lectures to be effective a ratio of 1 is to 25 or 20 is the most recommended. Truly, the Philippines fail to meet this effectiveness hence the need to improve the system.
Because the education system of the Philippines is very poor this results into citizens of the Philippines not knowing much anything about family planning. They are not aware of the cause and effects of continually having kids or not having kids in that matter. Which is very important, especially that this is done with much consideration of your background and financial standing.
I have attended a forum regarding the reproductive health bill in our school last year and they have presented very valid reasons of why the bill should be passed and why it should not be passed also. The people anti the reproductive bill argues that aside from the poor people being the target of this bill, it is very inappropriate for students in the elementary and high school be taught sex education. Doing so makes the elder allow them to be open to a world that should be entered by adults only.
The pro-side however will argue that there is no particular standard that we have to follow. Who says that kids cannot be taught and lectured about sex education? Yes, Moral will definitely enter the picture. However, everybody ought to understand that different people have different morals. Sex education will be taught so that kids would learn the reasons for people being engaged in sex. Aside from that, they will learn the various effects and responsibilities of doing so. It is not like teachers who will lecture the student’s sex education will encourage them to engage in sex. Definitely not, its main objective is to be able to make them aware of its pro’s and cons and encourage them to do this on the right time.
The bill has been going on for a very long time now and I firmly believe that the one of the reasons for the delay of a decision for this bill is just for the media to garner attention. They of course earn from this too, and it is a way for many politicians to get the people’s attention away from the more important matters and issues. Instead of focusing on the education system, this bill is brought up and so many more other issues. It is terrible that its been just a cycle argument.
Most public schools in our country accommodate about fifty students per teacher. For the lectures to be effective a ratio of 1 is to 25 or 20 is the most recommended. Truly, the Philippines fail to meet this effectiveness hence the need to improve the system.
Because the education system of the Philippines is very poor this results into citizens of the Philippines not knowing much anything about family planning. They are not aware of the cause and effects of continually having kids or not having kids in that matter. Which is very important, especially that this is done with much consideration of your background and financial standing.
I have attended a forum regarding the reproductive health bill in our school last year and they have presented very valid reasons of why the bill should be passed and why it should not be passed also. The people anti the reproductive bill argues that aside from the poor people being the target of this bill, it is very inappropriate for students in the elementary and high school be taught sex education. Doing so makes the elder allow them to be open to a world that should be entered by adults only.
The pro-side however will argue that there is no particular standard that we have to follow. Who says that kids cannot be taught and lectured about sex education? Yes, Moral will definitely enter the picture. However, everybody ought to understand that different people have different morals. Sex education will be taught so that kids would learn the reasons for people being engaged in sex. Aside from that, they will learn the various effects and responsibilities of doing so. It is not like teachers who will lecture the student’s sex education will encourage them to engage in sex. Definitely not, its main objective is to be able to make them aware of its pro’s and cons and encourage them to do this on the right time.
The bill has been going on for a very long time now and I firmly believe that the one of the reasons for the delay of a decision for this bill is just for the media to garner attention. They of course earn from this too, and it is a way for many politicians to get the people’s attention away from the more important matters and issues. Instead of focusing on the education system, this bill is brought up and so many more other issues. It is terrible that its been just a cycle argument.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Catholics support the RH BILL!!
Our President Noynoy Aquino have received yesterday (April 20,2011) the rising support of Catholics for the Reproductive Health Bill after the President have earned the ire of several Church leaders for his constant advocacy to approve the controversial issue in the Congress.
The spokesperson of the group of Catholics for the RH Bill (C4RH), Dr. Edelina de la Paz called the President “a good Catholic ad Christian.” However, the retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archibishp Oscar Cruz, said the President Noynoy Aquino is an “anti-Christian” for making it a challenge for the Church that he is alright to be excommunicated due to his strong stand on the issue of the Reproductive health bill.
“Bishop Oscar Cruz is out of line when he called our President anti-Christian. On the contrary, being pro-reproductive health and pro-quality of life makes him a good Catholic,” De la Paz said in a statement.
The group of Catholics for the Reproductive health Bill (C4RH) is a affiliated with the Filipino Catholics who have members coming from different areas of our country and are the ones pushing through with the cause and advocacy of the Reproductive health Bill.
Fr. Jerry Oblepias of Laguna also called the President “a bad Catholic.”
“I think that some Catholic leaders are abusing their religious authority by making irresponsible remarks that are embarrassing for me as a Catholic,” De la Paz said.
She has also said that despite all the lay believers of the Roman Catholic have the right to speak out what their minds think on matters like this, matters that affects all the people in our country and our beloved Church.
“Church law even states that at times it is even the duty of those who possess special knowledge or status to express opinions on matters that affect the church to our bishops and the rest of the faithful,” she said.
De la Paz is a medical doctor and faculty member of the UP College of Medicine. And says that, “It is our hope that the President’s next pronouncement is to certify the RH Bill as urgent,” she said.
The RH bill, which seeks to promote artificial family planning and sex education among others, is still being debated in plenary at the House of Representatives.
I have been posting blogs about catholics who are in favor of the Reproductive Health Bill because I would like to share and clear out if their particular stand is valid. This is a very interesting question for me too and a little hard to comprehend. I cannot help but wonder which stand should be stronger if one is a catholic but believes that the reproductive health bill should be implemented in our country. I can help but think if it is against God’s eyes if one will be supporting the RH Bill because it is clearly not stated in the bible that we cannot use contraceptives. But this idea has yet to be discussed in a different blog. I still find it very interesting though. Maybe I will try to interview some people about it and we will see what they think.
Source:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=678644&publicationSubCategoryId=
The spokesperson of the group of Catholics for the RH Bill (C4RH), Dr. Edelina de la Paz called the President “a good Catholic ad Christian.” However, the retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archibishp Oscar Cruz, said the President Noynoy Aquino is an “anti-Christian” for making it a challenge for the Church that he is alright to be excommunicated due to his strong stand on the issue of the Reproductive health bill.
“Bishop Oscar Cruz is out of line when he called our President anti-Christian. On the contrary, being pro-reproductive health and pro-quality of life makes him a good Catholic,” De la Paz said in a statement.
The group of Catholics for the Reproductive health Bill (C4RH) is a affiliated with the Filipino Catholics who have members coming from different areas of our country and are the ones pushing through with the cause and advocacy of the Reproductive health Bill.
Fr. Jerry Oblepias of Laguna also called the President “a bad Catholic.”
“I think that some Catholic leaders are abusing their religious authority by making irresponsible remarks that are embarrassing for me as a Catholic,” De la Paz said.
She has also said that despite all the lay believers of the Roman Catholic have the right to speak out what their minds think on matters like this, matters that affects all the people in our country and our beloved Church.
“Church law even states that at times it is even the duty of those who possess special knowledge or status to express opinions on matters that affect the church to our bishops and the rest of the faithful,” she said.
De la Paz is a medical doctor and faculty member of the UP College of Medicine. And says that, “It is our hope that the President’s next pronouncement is to certify the RH Bill as urgent,” she said.
The RH bill, which seeks to promote artificial family planning and sex education among others, is still being debated in plenary at the House of Representatives.
I have been posting blogs about catholics who are in favor of the Reproductive Health Bill because I would like to share and clear out if their particular stand is valid. This is a very interesting question for me too and a little hard to comprehend. I cannot help but wonder which stand should be stronger if one is a catholic but believes that the reproductive health bill should be implemented in our country. I can help but think if it is against God’s eyes if one will be supporting the RH Bill because it is clearly not stated in the bible that we cannot use contraceptives. But this idea has yet to be discussed in a different blog. I still find it very interesting though. Maybe I will try to interview some people about it and we will see what they think.
Source:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=678644&publicationSubCategoryId=
Catholics who support the RH bill are fake ones!
According to an article in Inquirer last May 2011, A bishop have announced that Catholics who are in favor of the reproductive health bill (RH) bill could not ever be considered as genuine Catholics.
He is Bishop Jose Oliveros of Malolos who made this statedment and have considered it as a warning against Catholics who join the group of Catholics who are for the reproductive health bill or C4RH. He had said that those who will be joining the group and support their advocacy are “Catholic in name only.”
“Maybe they should examine their conscience… Are they still Catholic if they vote for RH? I don’t think so. They will be Catholics in name only,” Oliveros said.
“What will happen is a cafeteria mentality: I like this. I don’t like that. A true Catholic would always embrace every teaching of the Church,” he said.
“The Church has always been consistent. Our popes have been very consistent in saying that using artificial contraception is not in agreement with our faith. We cannot do that. Why can’t they see that?” he said.
The bishop also said that he cannot perceived the idea of Catholics who could support this bill, who will fund the allocation or distribution of these contraceptives in our country and allow sex education in elementary and highschool establishments, when “it is very clear that it’s opposed to the fundamental teaching of the Church.”
“If this were for the rights of women, then that is OK. We are also for the rights of women. But there is also the right of the unborn which we must also protect—the right to be born and the right to be conceived,” he said.
Our Church are the ones who maintains that life ought to begin at conception, proclaims that these use of artificial contraceptives are abortifacient.
Full harmony
“I can’t think of why there are Catholics who are said to be in favor of the RH bill,” Oliveros added.
The Bishops statement came a day later during the catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) which warned those who are faithful about the Reproductive Health Bill. The CBCP president and Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar mentioned that the group has been all out in the public proclaiming to be a Catholic associationg that will “bring Catholics into full harmony with their faith and realize that there is no dissonance with their being Catholic and simultaneously believing in the advocacy and goals of reproductive health and rights.”
“We wish to make it clear that the Church does not recognize this group to be an authentic Catholic association or group since it espouses and supports a stand contrary to the magisterial teachings of the Church,” Odchimar said.
Constant teaching
“The uncompromising stand of the Church to uphold the dignity of the person and to protect and respect life from conception to natural death has always been the constant teaching of the Church,” he said.
Odchimar said the public espousal of measures “that directly undermine these nonnegotiable principles of the Catholic faith” is “a sharp wedge that cuts the unity of the Church.”
“Let it be clarified that the Church does not recognize the Catholics for Reproductive Health as a genuine Catholic association or organization in accordance with Canon Law. Any Catholic who freely identifies himself or herself with this group gravely errs,” Odchimar said.
Source:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/7923/rh-bill-backers-catholics-in-name-only-says-bishop
He is Bishop Jose Oliveros of Malolos who made this statedment and have considered it as a warning against Catholics who join the group of Catholics who are for the reproductive health bill or C4RH. He had said that those who will be joining the group and support their advocacy are “Catholic in name only.”
“Maybe they should examine their conscience… Are they still Catholic if they vote for RH? I don’t think so. They will be Catholics in name only,” Oliveros said.
“What will happen is a cafeteria mentality: I like this. I don’t like that. A true Catholic would always embrace every teaching of the Church,” he said.
“The Church has always been consistent. Our popes have been very consistent in saying that using artificial contraception is not in agreement with our faith. We cannot do that. Why can’t they see that?” he said.
The bishop also said that he cannot perceived the idea of Catholics who could support this bill, who will fund the allocation or distribution of these contraceptives in our country and allow sex education in elementary and highschool establishments, when “it is very clear that it’s opposed to the fundamental teaching of the Church.”
“If this were for the rights of women, then that is OK. We are also for the rights of women. But there is also the right of the unborn which we must also protect—the right to be born and the right to be conceived,” he said.
Our Church are the ones who maintains that life ought to begin at conception, proclaims that these use of artificial contraceptives are abortifacient.
Full harmony
“I can’t think of why there are Catholics who are said to be in favor of the RH bill,” Oliveros added.
The Bishops statement came a day later during the catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) which warned those who are faithful about the Reproductive Health Bill. The CBCP president and Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar mentioned that the group has been all out in the public proclaiming to be a Catholic associationg that will “bring Catholics into full harmony with their faith and realize that there is no dissonance with their being Catholic and simultaneously believing in the advocacy and goals of reproductive health and rights.”
“We wish to make it clear that the Church does not recognize this group to be an authentic Catholic association or group since it espouses and supports a stand contrary to the magisterial teachings of the Church,” Odchimar said.
Constant teaching
“The uncompromising stand of the Church to uphold the dignity of the person and to protect and respect life from conception to natural death has always been the constant teaching of the Church,” he said.
Odchimar said the public espousal of measures “that directly undermine these nonnegotiable principles of the Catholic faith” is “a sharp wedge that cuts the unity of the Church.”
“Let it be clarified that the Church does not recognize the Catholics for Reproductive Health as a genuine Catholic association or organization in accordance with Canon Law. Any Catholic who freely identifies himself or herself with this group gravely errs,” Odchimar said.
Source:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/7923/rh-bill-backers-catholics-in-name-only-says-bishop
Friday, June 24, 2011
No celebrity endorsement for anti-RH bill campaign, says Church
There are has been so many articles and events where in celerbites like Lea Salonga, Jim Paredes, Mocha Uson, Ding Dong Dantes and so many more were able to share and announce their advocacy regarding the Reproductive Health Bill. And a lot of their advocacies now are actually being heard and known for. It is in fact true that celebrities have a great impact on many people which why they the church says no to celebrity endorsement for anti-rh bill in an article in the Philippine Star.
Manila’s Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales have said that despite the argument or debate regarding the controversial issue of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, they would not be in search for celebrities who would endorse their cause.
Manny Pacquiao is one of the most influential people in the world who is anti the bill. He is with the stand of the church of promoting life. However, Cardinal Rosales uttered that he is not forced to ask the world class boxer to promote their side for them. “The lord does not need an endorsement, just join Him. You do not need to endorse,” said Archbishop Cardinal Rosales.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) was able to complete their nine-day vigil for life practice. The novena was purposely there to enrich the minds of the people in our country. “What is moral is based on the holiness of God. Morality is based on one’s goodness. Morality is not the people because people change,” said Archbishop Cardinal Rosales
He has also said the regardless if the Congress resumed the session they had and have restored the debates over the heated bill, it will certainly not be an easy fight for the people who are for the bill. We are still far from seeing the end of the RH bill. We still have far to go. This is not yet the end.” Said Archbishop Cardinal Rosales.
Reading this article made me realize that it is quite difficult to fully understood all the reasons of the church. Why they won’t just simply agree to it. I am not saying that I am for the RH bill yet, however throught my research about the RH bill and the stands of the government and the church it is a little hard to understand the side of the church. It is also starting to sound hypocritical for me because it seems like what ever the church feels like doing they would always have the reason to support what they believe in. I feel like some context of the bible verses they present are misused and misconstrued that is why this bill has been going on for a very long time. Further, with all the research I have done so far I do not think that the RH Bill is anti-life. They do no say that which why the church saying “WE ARE PRO TO LIFE” is quite bothersome for me because it seems like the church do not understand what the RH Bill is all about. They just simply assumed that it is anti life which is absolutely not.
source:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=63&articleId=684431
Manila’s Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales have said that despite the argument or debate regarding the controversial issue of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, they would not be in search for celebrities who would endorse their cause.
Manny Pacquiao is one of the most influential people in the world who is anti the bill. He is with the stand of the church of promoting life. However, Cardinal Rosales uttered that he is not forced to ask the world class boxer to promote their side for them. “The lord does not need an endorsement, just join Him. You do not need to endorse,” said Archbishop Cardinal Rosales.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) was able to complete their nine-day vigil for life practice. The novena was purposely there to enrich the minds of the people in our country. “What is moral is based on the holiness of God. Morality is based on one’s goodness. Morality is not the people because people change,” said Archbishop Cardinal Rosales
He has also said the regardless if the Congress resumed the session they had and have restored the debates over the heated bill, it will certainly not be an easy fight for the people who are for the bill. We are still far from seeing the end of the RH bill. We still have far to go. This is not yet the end.” Said Archbishop Cardinal Rosales.
Reading this article made me realize that it is quite difficult to fully understood all the reasons of the church. Why they won’t just simply agree to it. I am not saying that I am for the RH bill yet, however throught my research about the RH bill and the stands of the government and the church it is a little hard to understand the side of the church. It is also starting to sound hypocritical for me because it seems like what ever the church feels like doing they would always have the reason to support what they believe in. I feel like some context of the bible verses they present are misused and misconstrued that is why this bill has been going on for a very long time. Further, with all the research I have done so far I do not think that the RH Bill is anti-life. They do no say that which why the church saying “WE ARE PRO TO LIFE” is quite bothersome for me because it seems like the church do not understand what the RH Bill is all about. They just simply assumed that it is anti life which is absolutely not.
source:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=63&articleId=684431
Friday, June 17, 2011
CHURCH and the GOVERNMENT FOR THE NTH TIME.
There are many injustices in the world. Jesus Christ – the prophet of liberation who announced the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth – knew that the biggest injustices required the boldest responses. I doubt Romans would have crucified him if his primary concerns involved censorship or the policing of the bedroom.
Unfortunately, Christ’s Church in the Philippines (by this, I do not mean the Iglesia ni Kristo which has shown remarkable dynamism in its endorsement of the RH bill) is more concerned with sex and women’s bodies than it is with anything else – a curious fact given their lack of experience in such matters. In this country, farmers are denied land, activists get murdered, politicians steal millions, children starve, families live on mountains of trash, etc. You get the picture—assuming you’re not a bishop of the dense order. Amidst this, the CBCP devotes its energies to preventing couples from choosing artificial contraception. The last time I was that obsessed with sex was when I first hit puberty. Seriously CBCP, it’s time to grow up too.
In the late 1950s, as with now, the Philippines was undergoing a period of reconstruction: the Huk rebellion had been crushed without the resolution of the tensions that caused it, and Magsaysay had to contend with the aftermath of Quirino’s corruption (a bit like Noynoy to GMA). Like today, the Church was more concerned with its pride than the betterment of society. In a blatant attempt to obscure the colonial sins of the friar orders, they mustered the power of the pulpit to prevent Filipino students from reading the two most important novels in Philippine history: Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
Republic Act 1425 (Rizal Law), which mandated the teaching of Rizal’s works and life, was the Reproductive Health Bill of the 1950s. In a 2007 Inquirer column, celebrated Rizal scholar Ambeth Ocampo narrates the extent to which the Church was willing to oppose popular sentiment:
“Going through the novels with a fine-tooth comb, specific passages were deemed offensive to the Catholic faith. Church spokesmen argued that Catholics could read selected passages from Rizal’s work, but to compel Catholics to read Rizal’s novels in its “unexpurgated” or uncensored version was to force heresy on them and violate their freedom of conscience. Catholic schools put up a good fight and even threatened to close down if the Rizal bill was passed. Claro M. Recto calmly told them to go ahead so the state could then nationalize all the schools and teach what it wanted. The Church retreated but threatened to “punish” erring legislators in future elections. Recto was undaunted.”
Their rhetoric in the 50s mirrors their present threats to engage in acts of “civil disobedience” against the RH bill. Although, I must say, the scare tactics have become lamer over the years. I don’t really know what they mean when they talk about civil disobedience. But that’s the thing with the Church hierarchy; its rigidity prevents it from learning its lessons.
History is haunting the Catholic Church. In a Philippine Free Press article by Teodoro M. Locsin from May of 1956, he describes the public backlash against the Church’s opposition to the Rizal Law:
“It was all very surprising. A month ago, one could not have imagined a Filipino politician speaking in any but the most respectful terms of the prelates of the Church; he would have considered it political suicide to express himself critically of them. Now all caution seems to have been thrown to the wind.” The passage could have been about contemporary Philippines. We feminists, freethinkers, and defenders of liberty are now willing to throw caution to the wind. Our opponent has proven itself unreasonable, leaving no room for compromise and denying us our humanity by calling us names. Fine, we might have called them Damasos as a means to revive the spirit of the national hero whose legacy they sought to tarnish. But to call us murderers and terrorists crosses a line. It denies us our morality, and as I’ve said before, how can a democratic debate begin when we assume the worst of the other?
According to Locsin, the Church’s opposition to the Rizal Act made aging revolutionary Emilio Aguinaldo recall “how Rizal’s Noli was banned by the Spanish authorities who had kept Filipinos subject for more than 300 years under ‘the guise of Christianity.’” Today, the CBCP is subjecting women’s bodies to their domination under that same guise. This is a turning point, and it’s time the public teach these arrogant men a lesson.
So when you get the chance, pick up Noli and Fili (the hipper ones might prefer the Penguin Classics editions). If you find that Rizal is a good aphrodisiac and end up in the sack with your partner, use a condom. Condoms and anti-colonial novels are, after all, eerily similar: they piss off the powerful because they liberate.
Lisandro Claudio (“Leloy”) is a PhD Candidate at the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, the University of Melbourne. He is the national chairperson of Akbayan Youth.
Reference:
http://blogs.gmanews.tv/lisandro-claudio/index.php?/archives/14-Crisostomo,-wear-a-condom!-Rizal-and-the-RH-bill.html
Unfortunately, Christ’s Church in the Philippines (by this, I do not mean the Iglesia ni Kristo which has shown remarkable dynamism in its endorsement of the RH bill) is more concerned with sex and women’s bodies than it is with anything else – a curious fact given their lack of experience in such matters. In this country, farmers are denied land, activists get murdered, politicians steal millions, children starve, families live on mountains of trash, etc. You get the picture—assuming you’re not a bishop of the dense order. Amidst this, the CBCP devotes its energies to preventing couples from choosing artificial contraception. The last time I was that obsessed with sex was when I first hit puberty. Seriously CBCP, it’s time to grow up too.
In the late 1950s, as with now, the Philippines was undergoing a period of reconstruction: the Huk rebellion had been crushed without the resolution of the tensions that caused it, and Magsaysay had to contend with the aftermath of Quirino’s corruption (a bit like Noynoy to GMA). Like today, the Church was more concerned with its pride than the betterment of society. In a blatant attempt to obscure the colonial sins of the friar orders, they mustered the power of the pulpit to prevent Filipino students from reading the two most important novels in Philippine history: Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
Republic Act 1425 (Rizal Law), which mandated the teaching of Rizal’s works and life, was the Reproductive Health Bill of the 1950s. In a 2007 Inquirer column, celebrated Rizal scholar Ambeth Ocampo narrates the extent to which the Church was willing to oppose popular sentiment:
“Going through the novels with a fine-tooth comb, specific passages were deemed offensive to the Catholic faith. Church spokesmen argued that Catholics could read selected passages from Rizal’s work, but to compel Catholics to read Rizal’s novels in its “unexpurgated” or uncensored version was to force heresy on them and violate their freedom of conscience. Catholic schools put up a good fight and even threatened to close down if the Rizal bill was passed. Claro M. Recto calmly told them to go ahead so the state could then nationalize all the schools and teach what it wanted. The Church retreated but threatened to “punish” erring legislators in future elections. Recto was undaunted.”
Their rhetoric in the 50s mirrors their present threats to engage in acts of “civil disobedience” against the RH bill. Although, I must say, the scare tactics have become lamer over the years. I don’t really know what they mean when they talk about civil disobedience. But that’s the thing with the Church hierarchy; its rigidity prevents it from learning its lessons.
History is haunting the Catholic Church. In a Philippine Free Press article by Teodoro M. Locsin from May of 1956, he describes the public backlash against the Church’s opposition to the Rizal Law:
“It was all very surprising. A month ago, one could not have imagined a Filipino politician speaking in any but the most respectful terms of the prelates of the Church; he would have considered it political suicide to express himself critically of them. Now all caution seems to have been thrown to the wind.” The passage could have been about contemporary Philippines. We feminists, freethinkers, and defenders of liberty are now willing to throw caution to the wind. Our opponent has proven itself unreasonable, leaving no room for compromise and denying us our humanity by calling us names. Fine, we might have called them Damasos as a means to revive the spirit of the national hero whose legacy they sought to tarnish. But to call us murderers and terrorists crosses a line. It denies us our morality, and as I’ve said before, how can a democratic debate begin when we assume the worst of the other?
According to Locsin, the Church’s opposition to the Rizal Act made aging revolutionary Emilio Aguinaldo recall “how Rizal’s Noli was banned by the Spanish authorities who had kept Filipinos subject for more than 300 years under ‘the guise of Christianity.’” Today, the CBCP is subjecting women’s bodies to their domination under that same guise. This is a turning point, and it’s time the public teach these arrogant men a lesson.
So when you get the chance, pick up Noli and Fili (the hipper ones might prefer the Penguin Classics editions). If you find that Rizal is a good aphrodisiac and end up in the sack with your partner, use a condom. Condoms and anti-colonial novels are, after all, eerily similar: they piss off the powerful because they liberate.
Lisandro Claudio (“Leloy”) is a PhD Candidate at the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, the University of Melbourne. He is the national chairperson of Akbayan Youth.
Reference:
http://blogs.gmanews.tv/lisandro-claudio/index.php?/archives/14-Crisostomo,-wear-a-condom!-Rizal-and-the-RH-bill.html
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