RH Bill Controversies

(analysis of the situation)

It's not exactly because of money, though surely it's part to blame as "love for money is the root of all evils" (1 Tim. 6:10). The Church stands for life and the unity and stability of the family. Legislators argue saying we are over-populated. And we know population control agencies are offering huge amounts for their own materialistic agenda.

Are we really overpopulated when there are lots of empty spaces in the world for people to live in? Is pleasure more valuable than life since population control agents reproduce the contraceptives that facilitate sexual exchanges without the risk of conception of new life with its responsible consequences?

When we consider that life is the first right of man, together with liberty and property, let's ask the legislators who want to approve the RH Bill: "Are you sure the RH Bill will not violate the right to life and the freedom of conscience to seek the truth?

Before you do that, think it over and be sure. After all, an immoral law has no force at all and merits no following if indeed it violates God's laws. It would look funny when legislators do not exactly understand what they are talking about. That is the point we are to check. Is the RH bill violating a human right? That's all, think it over and be sure. Even the lure of money is of no avail when a basic right is violated.

Enigma of Obedience

When St. Augustine in his treatise "De Civitate Dei" (the City of God) talks about the life of pious obedience as "the mother and guardian of all virtue" (14.2), we are then not surprised why the Church and religious orders have given it prime importance. For the religious clergy and congregations, it is the main of the 3 vows or public promises. The one public avowal of the Diocesan or secular clergy at the time of holy Ordination is obedience to their Bishop, though poverty and chastity are presupposed in pledges made through other contracts. In the Roman Catholic Church priests stay single for life. At the momentous and decisive event of our salvation by the passion and death of Jesus on the cross, He prayed in a solemn tone of obedience to His Heavenly Father: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, let your will be done, not mine" (Lk. 22:42). So He became the victor by the obedience of the cross. He also demonstrates how we may solve hopeless situations by a life of prayer and union with God. Let's go back to history from the very beginnings: the pride of Lucifer or Satan with his angels who refused obedience and was cast to hell (cf. Rev. 12:7). The story of our first parents Adam and Even who were driven out of Paradise because they followed the devil's enticements to disobey God (pls. refer to Gen. 3:1-24). How many vocations have been lost through disobedience! Learn from history. You regret too late when you reach the point of no return. No wonder the book of Proverbs has this: Vir obediens loquetur victoriam, "the obedient man speaks victory" (Prov. 21:28). The word obedient is derived from the Latin ob and audire which means "to listen to". Such is the example of Our Blessed Mother Mary who always listened to and pondered on God's words. "Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Lk. 2:19). Of course, it is not simply listening but likewise fulfilling God's will, which naturally also implies obeying and respecting legitimate authority which is also willed by God for the good of family, society and nations (cf. Rom. 13:1-7). It is also equally true that one cannot obey if he or she does not care to listen to proper instructions. Before you learn to command you must first learn to obey. In the two cities spoken of by St. Augustine (the city of God and the earthly city), we may say that the earthly city tends to depreciate the value of obedience in favor of a false sense of freedom that ends in its own nemesis or destruction. It is characterized by its affectation of total independence and self-sufficiency. It presents itself as the very antithesis of the life of God. God's infallible word warns and assures us that at the very end of life when we face God's judgment everyone gets what he or she deserves (cf. Mt.25:31) 25:31-46).

A Deeper Meaning Behind

The fact in Jesus' life and teaching that He asked people not to talk about His miracles, even commanding the demons to keep quiet about His identity since they knew who He was (cf. Mk. 1:26; Mk. 1:34). This is consistent with His teachings on humility and that we are not to do our good deeds for the sake of outward show or giving impression otherwise we risk losing the heavenly reward (cf. Mt. 6:1-18). In fact He died the shameful death of the cross. We do not need to make propaganda of what numbers Christianity is now. Just look around without much hullabaloo. After all, humility is truth. And the important thing is our sincerity in searching for the truth. There is a German proverb that says: Die tat ist alles, Nichts der Ruhm (the deed is everything, the glory naught).

"If I may advise you in the name of Christ and if you can hear it as the voice of love; if we share the same spirit and are capable of mercy and compassion, then I beg of you make me very happy: have one love, one spirit, one feeling, do nothing through rivalry or vain conceit. On the contrary let each of you gently consider the others as more important than yourselves. Do not seek your own interest, but rather that of others. Let what was seen in Christ Jesus be seen in you. Though being divine in nature, he did not claim in fact equality with God, but emptied himself, taking on the nature of a servant, made in human likeness, and in his appearance found as a man. He humbled himself by being obedient to death, death on the cross. That is why God exalted him and gave him the Name which outshines all names, so that at the Name of Jesus all knees should bend in heaven, on earth and among the dead, and all tongues proclaim that Christ Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:1-11).

The Koran Talks About Jesus

There ought to be some complementarity in the Koran and the Bible, as we strive for reconciliation, harmony and love. The Koran talks about the miracles of Jesus, curing the sick and raising the dead in Surah (chapter) 3:49; the clear signs He showed in Surah 43:63; His coming for the last judgment in Surah 43:61. He comments thus in Surah 3:50 and Surah 43:63 - "therefore fear Allah and obey me."

Also the Christian Bible talks about the deeds or works of Jesus. As the Latin saying goes: contra factum non valet argumentum (you do not argue against facts). Jesus spoke the following to respond to the Jews:
"The Jews then picked up stones to throw at him; so Jesus said, 'I have openly done many good works among you which the Father gave me to do. For which of these do you stone me?' The Jews answered, 'We are not stoning you for doing a good work but for insulting God; you are only a man and you make yourself God.'
Then Jesus replied, 'Is this not written in your Law: I said: you are gods? So those who received the word of God were called gods and the Scripture is always true. Then what should be said of the one anointed and sent into the world by the Father? Am I insulting God when I say: 'I am the Son of God'?
If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you don't put faith in me, believe me because of the works I do, and know that the Father is in me and I in the Father.' Again they tried to arrest him, but Jesus escaped from their hands" (Jn. 10:31-39).

Religion and Governance

It has been said that religion is a great help to the state in the sense that citizens who have their religion that is based on truth are a more conscientious and peaceful people. Certainly, because true religion supports such basic tenets as “do unto others as you want others do unto you” (Mt. 7:12). And true religion also teaches that “God repays everyone as his works deserve” (Mt. 16:27; Ps. 62:12). In short that’s what the common saying signifies: “you get what you deserve.”

For a conscientious people, you do not need to set so many laws or rules to guide them, since by the early training or teaching of religion, they know that as an “all-seeing eye” God knows all the secrets of the heart, the very source of good or evil desires. “It is from within that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly….these make a man unclean” (Mk. 7:21).