CLARIFYING THE STAND OF THE PHILIPPINE CHURCH ON RH BILL

Alceo Dossena Madonna and Child, St Giovannino, St Anne and two Cherubs in the style of Donatello

Anonymous said...

Hi Fr. Abe,

I'm not too familiar with the RH bill. I am a catholic, however, one of the things which I don't necessarily agree is the stand of the church against contraception. I believe every human being has a choice which is why God has given us free will, to make our own choice. The church is there to guide us in making sure that we make the "right" (according to the society's norms) choice. The Church should never dictate to the people what they should do as human nature would tell us, the more you try to control the people the more they will retaliate. Having said that, I'm not saying that the Church must approve of contraception, all I'm saying is that the Church must provide the people the choice. If the bill is there (sorry, I'm not too familiar with the bill), does that mean all the people will adopt it?It means, the people are given the choice.

In this entire saga, I'm just disappointed why the Church is reacting like this. They have said their point but I'm sure the Church has more pressing issues that she needs to solve too. This issue - population control, is not only a MORAL issue but a SOCIAL one which is why the government is trying to do something about it. Will the Church share the responsibility if more social problems are created if we don't try to curb the population explosion? I don't think so, at the end of the day, we blame it to the government, although I'm not saying they're not to be blamed, coz they also have faults. Be that as it may, I sincerely hope that the Church will stop bashing PNOY (or other Catholics)if he (they) support artificial contraception. At the end of the day, if the Church has really done a good job in inculcating to its people what is morally right, then the same people will do the right thing.

October 22, 2010 10:50 AM

Fr. Abe, CRS said...

[Hi Fr. Abe,]

HELLO THERE.

[I'm not too familiar with the RH bill.]

I SUGGEST THAT YOU BE FAMILIAR WITH IT SO THAT YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF THE ILLEGAL ELEMENTS CONTAINED THEREIN.

[I am a catholic, however, one of the things which I don't necessarily agree is the stand of the church against contraception.]

IT IS A PITY THAT YOU CHOSE TO DISOBEY THE FAITH AND MORALS OF YOUR OWN CHURCH. A CATHOLIC IS ONE WHO BELIEVES AND PRACTICES HIS CATHOLIC FAITH NOT THE FAITH AND PRACTICES OF ATHEISTS, CONDOMISTS, ABORTIONISTS AND ANTI-LIFE ADVOCATES.

IT PAINS ME THAT YOU CHOSE TO BE A TRAITOR TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND TO THE FAITH THAT ST. LORENZO RUIZ AND BLESSED PEDRO CALUNGSOD GAVE UP THEIR LIVES FOR.

[I believe every human being has a choice which is why God has given us free will, to make our own choice.]

IT IS TRUE THAT GOD GAVE US THE FREEDOM AND THE FREE WILL AND BECAUSE OF THEM WE DO HAVE A CHOICE. HOWEVER, GOD ALSO ASKED US TO CHOOSE WHAT IS GOOD AND AVOID WHAT IS EVIL. GOD DIDN'T SAY THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A FREE WILL WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE WANT. BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH A THING AS GOOD AND EVIL. IF FREEDOM IS ABSOLUTE BECAUSE WE HAVE A CHOICE THEN WE HAVE TO GLORIFY SATAN WHO CHOSE TO BE A TRAITOR TO GOD WHO CREATED HIM, THEN WE HAVE TO HONOR THE MURDERERS AND THE RAPISTS BECAUSE THEY FOLLOWED THEIR PREFERRED CHOICE. THE HOSTAGE-TAKING OF MENDOZA IN LUNETA WAS HONORABLE AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

WHAT IS GOOD AND WHAT IS EVIL? EVERYTHING THAT IS LIFE-GIVING, LIFE ENHANCING, LIFE-PROMOTING IS GOOD AND EVERY THING THAT DESTROYS, HARM AND PREVENT LIFE IS EVIL.

CONTRACEPTION IS EVIL BECAUSE IT PREVENTS LIFE.

[The church is there to guide us in making sure that we make the "right" (according to the society's norms) choice.]

WRONG.

THE CHURCH IS THERE TO GUIDE US IN MAKING SURE THAT WE MAKE THE "RIGHT" CHOICE ACCORDING TO THE NORMS OF GOD... NOT OF THE SOCIETY. THE SOCIETY IS EASILY GOVERNED BY MOB RULE AND BY CAPRICES OF THE FEW. MOST OF THE TIME IT CHOOSES WHAT IS CONVENIENT RATHER THAN WHAT IS REALLY GOOD. DUE TO THE INFLUENCE OF SIN THE HUMAN PERSON IS INCAPABLE OF GENUINELY CHOOSING GOD OVER THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH, MONEY, POWER AND PRESTIGE. THIS SINFULNESS CAN ONLY BE OVERCOME BY THE GRACE OF GOD.

WE NEED THE GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES AND ONE OF THE GIFTS GIVEN US BY GOD TO GUIDE US IS THE CHURCH 'THE PILLAR AND GROUND OF TRUTH' ACCORDING TO ST. PAUL [cf. 1 Timothy 3:15].

[The Church should never dictate to the people what they should do as human nature would tell us,]

I THINK YOU ARE IGNORANT OF WHAT THE CHURCH IS. THE CHURCH BEING THE BODY OF CHRIST IS THE MOTHER AND TEACHER OF HER MEMBERS. IT IS HER DUTY TO TEACH ER MEMBERS WHAT IS GOOD AND WHAT IS EVIL ESPECIALLY THE SPIRITUAL AND MORAL PRINCIPLES INVOLVING THE SOCIAL ISSUES CONFRONTING THE PEOPLE TODAY LIKE CONTRACEPTION AND ABORTION.

IT IS DEMONIC TO SAY THAT THE CHURCH SHOULD JUST BE SILENT AND ALLOW HER MEMBERS TO DO WHAT THEY WANT. THOSE WHO WANT TO COMMIT ADULTERY THEY JUST DO IT. THOSE WHO WANT TO STEAL THEY MUST BE ALLOWED TO DO IT. SO, WHY DON'T YOU TELL THE GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE THE AMPATUAN SINCE THEY MADE A CHOICE TO KILL? WHY DO WE HAVE TO PUT THEM TO TRIAL AND IMPRISON THEM FOR THEIR CHOICES? YOUR REASONING IS ABSURD... HAVE YOU NOT REALIZED THAT EVEN OSAMA BIN LADEN AND HIS 911 TEAM OF TERRORISTS FOLLOWED THEIR FREE CHOICE TOO?

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS A RELIGION THAT TEACHES HER DOCTRINES TO PEOPLE. HOW CAN YOU STILL CLAIM THAT YOU ARE A CATHOLIC IF YOU ARE NO LONGER BELIEVING CATHOLIC TEACHINGS, PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF GOVERNING? I BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOUR GOVERNMENT ASK YOU TO PAY YOUR TAXES AND MUST PASS AN EXAMINATION BEFORE GETTING A PUBLIC LICENSE YOU WILL OBEY IT NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT. YET THE BENEVOLENT TEACHING AUTHORITY OF YOUR CHURCH IS BECOMING BURDENSOME FOR YOU TO THE POINT THAT YOU HAVE ABANDONED IT IN FAVOR OF PAGAN MENTALITIES OR THE 'SEXED CULTURE' OF THE WEST.

YOU ARE FREE TO DISOBEY THE CHURCH, BUT YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO TELL YOUR CHURCH TO STOP TEACHING HER MEMBERS. WE WILL DO IT AS LONG AS THERE IS STILL ONE PERSON WHO IS WILLING TO LISTEN TO US. AND EVEN IF THAT ONE WILL BECOME A TRAITOR LIKE YOU, WE WILL STILL SPEAK TO THE STONES AND TO WINDS THE TRUTH OF OUR FAITH IF NO ONE ELSE WILL LISTEN.

ASKING US TO STOP TEACHING IS LIKE IMPRISONING THE WIND.

[the more you try to control the people the more they will retaliate.]

WE DO NOT TRY TO CONTROL THE PEOPLE. THEY CAN INSERT HOW MANY CONDOMS THEY WANT TO INSERT IN THEIR BODIES. THEY CAN EVEN SWALLOW THEM IF THEY WANT. THEY CAN DRINK A FULL BOX OF PILLS IN ONE SHOT WITHOUT A SINGLE PRIEST OR NUN TO STOP OR CONTROL THEM. NO, NO, NO...

WE ARE ONLY TEACHING AND PREACHING. AND WE ARE DOING IT INSIDE OUR CHURCHES AND IN OUR BLOGS OR WEBSITES OR IN OUR COLUMNS IN NEWSPAPERS OR ON RADIO OR TV RIGHT IN OUR PROGRAMS. WE NEVER ENTER YOUR HOUSES MUCH MORE YOUR BEDROOMS TO CONTROL YOU. NO, NO, NO...

YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS IN THE REALMS OF YOUR PRIVACY. YOU CAN BED YOUR WIFE OR YOUR MISTRESS OR YOUR PET DOG OR A MONKEY BUT THE POPE, THE CARDINALS, BISHOPS AND PRIESTS SHALL NEVER KNOW. SO STOP HALLUCINATING THAT WE WILL CONTROL YOU. YOU ARE FREE LIKE A BIRD.

[Having said that, I'm not saying that the Church must approve of contraception,]

HOW NICE OF YOU. HOW VERY KIND. DO YOU WANT ME TO APPLAUSE FOR YOU?

OF COURSE, THE CHURCH SHALL NEVER APPROVE CONTRACEPTION. WHAT IS IMMORAL AND ANTI-LIFE SHALL NEVER BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE CHURCH. NEVER.

[all I'm saying is that the Church must provide the people the choice.]

YEAH, WE ARE PROVIDING YOU WITH A CHOICE. A CHOICE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, GIVING LIFE OR PREVENTING LIFE. GOOD OR EVIL. WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CHOOSE WHAT IS GOOD AND IT IS YOU WHO WILL DECIDE IT NOT ME, NOT THE POPE, NOT THE BISHOP AND NOT THE CARDINAL.

THAT IS WHY YOUR CALL TO GIVE YOU THE CHOICE IS VERY PATHETIC. YOU ARE SHOWING ME THAT YOU ARE IGNORANT OF YOUR CATHOLIC FAITH BECAUSE THE CATHOLICS ARE THE FREEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.

[If the bill is there (sorry, I'm not too familiar with the bill), does that mean all the people will adopt it?It means, the people are given the choice.]

YEAH, THEY ARE GIVEN THE CHOICE TO USE THE CONDOMS OR NOT, TO DRINK THE PILLS OR NOT, TO CASTRATE THEMSELVES OR NOT. THEY CAN COMMIT SUICIDE OR EXTERMINATE OTHERS BY HAND GRENADE. BUT WE ARE IMPLORING THEM NOT TO DO THOSE THINGS AND INSTEAD CHOSE A LIFE WORTHY OF BEING SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD.

SPECIFICALLY, WHAT THE CHURCH IS TELLING IS THAT IF YOU WANT TO BUY CONDOMS AND PILLS FOR THE USE OF YOUR OWN GENITALS AND THAT OF YOUR SEXUAL PARTNER THEN USE YOUR OWN MONEY NOT THE MONEY OF THE GOVERNMENT. BECAUSE THE MONEY OF THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT MEANT FOR YOUR SEXUAL ENJOYMENT BUT FOR INFRASTRUCTURES, EDUCATION AND MEDICAL NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE.

FULFILL THE NEEDS OF YOUR LIBIDO WITH YOUR OWN MONEY DON'T INCLUDE THE MONEY OF THE CATHOLICS WHO ARE NOT TRAITORS TO GOD AND TO THE CHURCH AS YOU DO. WE SHALL NOT ALLOW YOU TO WALLOW AND BE INTOXICATED BY YOUR SEXUAL PROMISCUITY ON OUR POCKET'S BEHALF. O NO, NO, NO...

[In this entire saga, I'm just disappointed why the Church is reacting like this.]

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE REACTION OF THE CHURCH? SHE SIMPLY OPPOSES SOMETHING THAT SHE BELIEVES TO BE EVIL. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT?

IF OTHERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO SUPPORT THE RH BILL THE CHURCH TOGETHER WITH ALL FILIPINOS HAVE THE RIGHT TO OPPOSE IT. IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO PUT ON CONDOMS OR EVEN TO DRINK IT WITH WHISKEY OR BRANDY THEN WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO TEACH AGAINST IT. TEACHING AND PREACHING AGAINST A BELIEVED TO BE ILLEGAL AND IMMORAL LEGISLATIVE BILL IS NOT DEPRIVING OTHERS OF THEIR FREEDOM. SO WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM WITH THAT?

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO OBEY YOUR CHURCH SO YOU ARE FREE TO LEAVE THE CHURCH OR FOUND YOUR OWN RELIGION. BE AN ATHEIST, A MOSLEM, A HINDU, A SNAKE-CHARMER, A SATANIST OR WHAT. NOT THAT I WANT YOU TO LEAVE. I WANT YOU TO STAY. BUT IF YOU STAY YOU BETTER STAY BECAUSE YOU ARE CONVINCED THAT YOUR CHURCH IS TEACHING YOU THE TRUTH COMING FROM GOD. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT THE TRUTH OF GOD IS IN CONDOMS OR IN NOYNOY AQUINO WHO IS PRO-RH BILL FINE. YOU CAN ATTEND MASSES WITH NOYNOY AQUINO AS YOUR HIGH PRIEST WITH RICO PUNO AND OCHOA AS YOUR CARDINALS WITH OTHER KABARKADA INCORPORATED. YOU CAN HAVE THE AUTHORS OF RH BILL LIKE EDCEL LAGMAN AS YOUR SPIRITUAL GUARDIANS.

IF YOU DO NOT TRUST THE POPE AND THE BISHOPS AND THE PRIESTS THEN TRUST THE POLITICIANS. THEY WILL LEAD YOU TO HEAVENLY LIFE BECAUSE THEY WILL BRING YOU TO THE TRUTH MORE THAN THE POPE. THE CONGRESSMEN ARE MORE HOLY, MORE VIRTUOUS, MORE MORAL, CLEANER AND MORE TRUSTWORTHY FOR YOU THAN YOUR POPE WHO IS SUPPOSE TO BE THE SUCCESSOR OF ST. PETER FOR CATHOLICS LIKE YOU AND ME.

[They have said their point but I'm sure the Church has more pressing issues that she needs to solve too.]

THE CHURCH IS ACTIVE IN ALL PRESSING ISSUES THAT SHE NEEDS TO SOLVE TOO. SHE HAS BUILT MORE ORPHANAGES THAN THE GOVERNMENT WHICH IS RECEIVING OUR TAXES, SHE HAS MORE HOME FOR THE AGED, SHE HAS BUILT BETTER SCHOOLS THAN THE GOVERNMENT OWNED WHO ARE MOSTLY ROTTEN AND DECAPITATED.

[This issue - population control, is not only a MORAL issue but a SOCIAL one which is why the government is trying to do something about it.]

IT IS MORAL, SPIRITUAL, DOCTRINAL, SOCIAL, LEGAL, ETC.

DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT THE POLITICIANS WILL HAVE IN HEART THE SOCIAL WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE OR THEY WERE MERELY PAID MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BY THE CONDOM AND PILL'S MULTI-NATIONAL CORPORATIONS TO MAKE THE BODIES OF OUR WOMEN THE DUMPING SITES OF THEIR MEDICAL JUNKS?

[Will the Church share the responsibility if more social problems are created if we don't try to curb the population explosion?]

THERE WILL BE NO POPULATION EXPLOSION IF THE YOUNG PEOPLE SHALL BE TAUGHT MORAL AND SPIRITUAL VALUES OF VIRGINITY, CHASTITY AND PURITY. INSTEAD, THE CONDOMS AND THE PILLS PROMOTE SEXUAL PROMISCUITY THAT IS WHY THERE ARE SO MANY TEENAGE PREGNANCIES. IF THE COUPLES ARE FAITHFUL TO EACH OTHER THEN THERE WILL BE LESS PEOPLE TO BE BORN IN THE WORLD BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO CHILDREN OUTSIDE OF WEDLOCK. THE SOLUTION OF THE CHURCH IS CHEAPER BECAUSE IT REQUIRES NO MEDICINE TO TAKE BUT ONLY THE FORCE OF THE WILL FOR SELF-CONTROL AND RIGHTEOUS LIVING. IT IS SAFER BECAUSE THERE IS NO NEED OF ANY MEDICINE TO POLLUTE THE BODY.

THE CHURCH IS DOING ITS SHARE OF RESPONSIBILITY IN THE SOCIAL SPHERE. IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS FEEDING MORE STREET CHILDREN THAN THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. TRY TO VISIT THE DSWD CENTERS. THEIR SOCIAL SERVICES ARE TOO SUPERFICIAL. GO TO THE CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS OF THE PRIESTS AND NUNS: FREE EDUCATION, BOARD AND LODGING, TRAININGS FOR FINDING JOBS. GO TO DON BOSCO CENTERS, HOSPICIO DE SAN JOSE, AND COMPARE THEM TO THOSE GIVEN BY YOUR BELOVED CORRUPT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.

THE CONGREGATION IN WHICH I BELONG HAS BUILT FIVE LARGE ORPHANAGES IN THE PHILIPPINES AND HAS GIVEN THOUSANDS OF SCHOLARSHIPS TO MANY STUDENTS FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS OF ITS PRESENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES. DO YOU KNOW THAT? DO YOU KNOW THAT IN THE WORLD THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS MORE INSTITUTIONS OF CHARITIES AND EDUCATION FOR THE POOR THAN THE UNITED NATIONS?

YOU ARE SPEAKING AS IF THE CHURCH IS NOT DOING SOMETHING FOR THE SOCIETY. EXCUSE ME. I ADVISE YOU TO LIST ALL DSWD INSTITUTIONS THEN VISITS ALL INSTITUTIONS OF MOTHER TERESA OR OF DON BOSCO OR OF DAUGHTERS OF CHARITY AND YOU WILL SEE WHICH IS MORE NUMEROUS AND BETTER IN QUALITY.

HERE IN SORSOGON THE DSWD INSTITUTION FOR THE POOR BOYS IS VERY POOR IN QUALITY BUT THOSE RUN BY THE PRIESTS AND NUNS ARE VERY VERY BEAUTIFUL AND LARGER. THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT 20 BOYS UNDER THE GOVERNMENT CENTER BUT THAT OF THE PRIESTS TAKE CARE OF MORE THAN 50 AND THE NUNS OF MORE THAN 30.

October 25, 2010 9:41 PM