The politics of conscience
I am saddened by the comment of a party-list congressman who thought that the “Catholic Church in the Philippines is practicing a double standard when it tells the people to choose the country’s next leaders by following their conscience, but at the same time it tells them not to vote for those candidates that support the reproductive health (RH) bill”(Solon hits Church double standard, PDI 01/26).
I presume he has a wrong notion about conscience. He must be referring to personal preference or a bad conscience and not to an informed conscience as taught by the Church. A person who claims that he uses his conscience in electing a candidate but his conscience is opposed to the teachings and ethos of the Catholic Church is using his personal preference or bad conscience. He only expresses such and not a showing of a well-formed and informed conscience. The Church helps the conscience to be formed by imbuing in the conscience of the person the teachings and traditions of the Church. It is only then that the conscience is informed. And only a formed and informed conscience should be followed.
Is the Church playing a double standard as claimed by the congressman? He said that “On the one hand, [the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines ] has said vote according to your conscience. On the other, it says it’s not moral to vote for people who support the reproductive health bill. There is a double standard here” This is an uncalled for remark. It is the moral obligation and duty of the Church to protect its flock from sinning especially by following policies that are anti-life and anti-family. It follows that the Church admonishes the faithful not to vote for candidates who push for anti-life and anti-family bills. In both cases, the Church persuades the faithful to use their informed consciences. That is not double standard- that is consistency!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Am a proud Catholic servant-leader
Am a proud Catholic servant-leader
Of late, I attended a forum about population dynamics and government resources. I presented my position as regards the hotly debated Reproductive Health Bill. I admit that my position is basically an echo of the stand of my church, the Catholic Church.
I pointed out that there are certain flaws in the bill. Among them is the not-so-clear view about the reckoning period of the protection of human life. I stood by my ground that human life begins at conception and hence the unborn child is human and possesses rights. Although the bill speaks of abortion as a crime but I suspect that it may be wantonly resorted to when the unborn child is deemed not a human being.
I also explained that I support that natural way of family planning. My church abhors the contraceptive mentality. The government seems to be pointing to population problem as the cause of poverty, street children, unemployment, and other social evils. What population problem is the government talking about? Probably, it is a narrow view to claim that there is over population when such is seen only as a problem in Metro Manila. In many of our provinces, there are many tracts of land that are not habited. If the country is overpopulated then these vacant lots should have been massively occupied by our people.
During another round table discussion, I presented the same position about the Reproductive Health Bill. I observed that that some of my listeners, who even claimed they are Catholics, frowned upon my ideas. They said that I was pontificating. I resisted the idea and said that I was only faithful and was showing my fidelity to the Gospel of Life and the teachings of the Church.
It is an unfortunate phenomenon that some of the clergy even support candidates who are pro-Reproductive Health Bill. They seem not to realize that the bill is anti-family and anti-life. I beg for their forgiveness if I say that they are showing their ignorance about the Catholic Faith and are still influenced by the antics of traditional politicians.
Everyone, before elections, calls for change and demands honesty in our leaders. I was being honest with my thoughts and I was trying my best to contribute my fair share in changing the political life in this country for the better. I don’t really mind if they don’t appreciate the effort. Be that as it may, it is a consoling thought that I remain firm with my faith and continue to live an authentic life as a Catholic.
Of late, I attended a forum about population dynamics and government resources. I presented my position as regards the hotly debated Reproductive Health Bill. I admit that my position is basically an echo of the stand of my church, the Catholic Church.
I pointed out that there are certain flaws in the bill. Among them is the not-so-clear view about the reckoning period of the protection of human life. I stood by my ground that human life begins at conception and hence the unborn child is human and possesses rights. Although the bill speaks of abortion as a crime but I suspect that it may be wantonly resorted to when the unborn child is deemed not a human being.
I also explained that I support that natural way of family planning. My church abhors the contraceptive mentality. The government seems to be pointing to population problem as the cause of poverty, street children, unemployment, and other social evils. What population problem is the government talking about? Probably, it is a narrow view to claim that there is over population when such is seen only as a problem in Metro Manila. In many of our provinces, there are many tracts of land that are not habited. If the country is overpopulated then these vacant lots should have been massively occupied by our people.
During another round table discussion, I presented the same position about the Reproductive Health Bill. I observed that that some of my listeners, who even claimed they are Catholics, frowned upon my ideas. They said that I was pontificating. I resisted the idea and said that I was only faithful and was showing my fidelity to the Gospel of Life and the teachings of the Church.
It is an unfortunate phenomenon that some of the clergy even support candidates who are pro-Reproductive Health Bill. They seem not to realize that the bill is anti-family and anti-life. I beg for their forgiveness if I say that they are showing their ignorance about the Catholic Faith and are still influenced by the antics of traditional politicians.
Everyone, before elections, calls for change and demands honesty in our leaders. I was being honest with my thoughts and I was trying my best to contribute my fair share in changing the political life in this country for the better. I don’t really mind if they don’t appreciate the effort. Be that as it may, it is a consoling thought that I remain firm with my faith and continue to live an authentic life as a Catholic.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
We demand honesty
We demand honesty
I COMPLETELY agree that “The depth of the depravity that the Philippines and the Filipino people find our governance to be, however, make honesty and how much of it, or the lack of it, the primary factor of choosing candidates” (The Crying Need For Honesty PDI 01/14). It seems that we have not produced honest leaders in our country because many of us are not also honest in choosing them.
It is a welcome sight in local elections for us electorate to be pleased with candidates who can entertain us. We sometimes snooze listening to platforms of government from honest candidates and instead heedful to the jokes, songs, and dance numbers of unscrupulous politicians. Any candidate who presents his platform of government is an outcast and a killjoy. We do remember the names of candidates who did perform like a clown in a circus than the honest candidate who recited details of his agenda. If only politicians give high value to truth-telling and fair play during elections and if only we demand honesty from them, our elections would be more crucial and, as a consequence, we would elect honest leaders in this country.
More often than not, we complain that we are served badly by our leaders. Cases of graft and corruption, side-stepping of laws by the powers-that be, deception, cover-ups, and many more- all these are indications that we are shortchanged by our elected leaders. But the question that arises now is whether or not we have also been honest in our voting privileges? Have we been honest in voting honest leaders? We seem to take our right of suffrage lightly that we don’t use it prudently. Electing dishonest people in the government seems to be no longer a matter of privilege but as a product of tradition because we always do it on a regular basis.
I imagine our country where truth is given a high premium. I picture our people especially our leaders not to bend the truth. I visualize our country to become a country of character where we build a culture of integrity and accountability. I envision a better Philippines after the May 2010 elections when truth reigns supreme.
I COMPLETELY agree that “The depth of the depravity that the Philippines and the Filipino people find our governance to be, however, make honesty and how much of it, or the lack of it, the primary factor of choosing candidates” (The Crying Need For Honesty PDI 01/14). It seems that we have not produced honest leaders in our country because many of us are not also honest in choosing them.
It is a welcome sight in local elections for us electorate to be pleased with candidates who can entertain us. We sometimes snooze listening to platforms of government from honest candidates and instead heedful to the jokes, songs, and dance numbers of unscrupulous politicians. Any candidate who presents his platform of government is an outcast and a killjoy. We do remember the names of candidates who did perform like a clown in a circus than the honest candidate who recited details of his agenda. If only politicians give high value to truth-telling and fair play during elections and if only we demand honesty from them, our elections would be more crucial and, as a consequence, we would elect honest leaders in this country.
More often than not, we complain that we are served badly by our leaders. Cases of graft and corruption, side-stepping of laws by the powers-that be, deception, cover-ups, and many more- all these are indications that we are shortchanged by our elected leaders. But the question that arises now is whether or not we have also been honest in our voting privileges? Have we been honest in voting honest leaders? We seem to take our right of suffrage lightly that we don’t use it prudently. Electing dishonest people in the government seems to be no longer a matter of privilege but as a product of tradition because we always do it on a regular basis.
I imagine our country where truth is given a high premium. I picture our people especially our leaders not to bend the truth. I visualize our country to become a country of character where we build a culture of integrity and accountability. I envision a better Philippines after the May 2010 elections when truth reigns supreme.
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