Thou Shalt Not Vote For….

eman's picture
Submitted by eman on Sat, 01/16/2010 - 1:05pm

By: Ricky Carandang

Interesting moral perspective from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. They say it is morally unacceptable for anyone to support modern family planning in general and the Reproductive Health Bill in particular. They feel so strongly about this that they have even issued voting guidelines for the faithful. They discourage the Catholic flock from voting for anyone who supports reproductive health.
This afternoon I interiewed Fr. Melvin Castro, who heads the CBCP commission that drafted the guidelines and asked him why candidates who commit plunder and acts of corruption are not being condemned in the same way that reproductive health advocates are.
Castro said in effect that plunder and all of those corrupt acts are an offshoot of the lack of respect for the family and therefore not as bad in the heirarchy of catholic morality as family planning which is as he says, anti-family.
Flabbergasted, I asked if they were saying it was alright to vote for a crook as long as he doesn’t advocate modern family planning. His roundabout answer,—as I understand it is …in so many words–yes.
I grew up thinking that stealing money from the poor was worse than wearing a condom. I grew up thinking that betraying the responsibility given to you by the Filipino people as a public servant was worse than wearing an IUD or taking birth control pills. I believe that today.
I will not begrudge the Church for expressing its political views. In a democracy I think anyone has that right, even religious organizations. I even support the Church’s right to try to convince its followers to do vote in accordance with its doctrines.
But what I learned many years ago is that the Catholic Church’s ideas about morality are in irreconcilable contrast to mine.
I guess this means that I resign from the Catholic Church. This also leaves me free to watch James Cameron’s movie, Avatar, which was also condemned by the Vatican. Anyone else wanna see it?

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Ricky Carandang Reporting
http://www.rickycarandang.com/?p=460

hey!

burabod_bato's picture
Submitted by burabod_bato on Wed, 02/10/2010 - 1:50pm.

i think you've been too judgmental with regards to the stand of the Catholic Church. i would suggest if its ok for you to see and know the real reason why the Church is against the RHB. however, it is very just in relation to the Catholic Church if we will also try to see and examine what the Church has been doing since the Marcos regime... how about the social action groups of the Church who pioneered the foreign funding, the pastoral letters of the 3 bishops which is the first ever in the whole world which talks on politics, corruption, etc... now can we still say that the Church is not against corruption and even plunder? my friend we might be too biased in judging the situation but may i tell you that the main stand of the Catholic Church is putting importance and care for life as stewards of God's creatures. Life must first be secured and as such it implies justice. then, campaign against corruption and plunder follows. but not at all favoring or even doing away with it. the Church never even said that its ok to have corruption as long as there is no RHB.

THOU SHALT NOT VOTE FOR ...

Submitted by Sweet Bikolana on Sat, 01/16/2010 - 8:05pm.

Historically the Catholic church has always sought to control its members. Confession for example, on the pretext that it was necessary for God's forgiveness is one example. The intercession of another human being between God and the sinner has been unecessary since the crucifixion of Christ who died for that very purpose.

Large families are good for the church. It fills the pewes and swells the collection plates. What better way to achieve this than by outlawing birth control. I can think of no New Testament scripture to justify this.

Another example of excessive control:
Since the 16th century the Catholic Church had kept what was simply known as "The Index", a short form for the Index Librorum Prohibitorum or "List of Prohibited Books". The Church sought to censor those books which It judged to contain heresy, immorality or scandal and which It did not see as fit for reading by the faithful. Condemned books ranged from everything to heretical theologies to modern philosophers to novels, such as, for example, "The Three Musketeers" (as Aramis was a runaway priest who solicited a lady).
The Index was discontinued in 1966 at the prompting of pope Paul VI in the spirit of Vatican II although he asked that Catholics observe the spirit of the Index and not seek out scandalous reading material.

The church has an important role in society, but they seriously over step the mark when they employ these draconian methods of control of their flock.

The Catholic Church controls the flock!

burabod_bato's picture
Submitted by burabod_bato on Mon, 01/18/2010 - 11:46am.

first, i would like to thank you Sweet Bikolana for such a sweet expression of your opinion. your very vocal and frank with your message. but first, let me react on what you've said that, "Historically the Catholic church has always sought to control its members." how sure are you in saying this? Your example is confession. Does the sacrament of confession really take control of the flock? i see it quite illogical.. sorry for the term but i am a little bit hurt with what you've said. r u trying to tell me then that as a catholic going to confession, i am enslaving myself to the Catholic ministers? i have also my own mind and heart. in the first place, nobody in the catholic church forces the Lord's flock to confession. it's their own decision to go to it.

Thou shalt not vote for... Catholic Church controls the flock!

Submitted by Sweet Bikolana on Mon, 01/18/2010 - 1:09pm.

I could give you an answer straight away, but before I do so it would be helpful to first have your own reasons for supporting the sacrament of confession. What does it mean to you? You have your own mind and therefore take part in the act for your own reasons. What are they? If there are biblical precedences then these would be helpful too. I am willing to be persuaded.

on confession

Submitted by langob on Tue, 01/19/2010 - 10:02am.

biblical precedence,

good news bible,
john 20 22,

then he breathed on them and said,"recieve the holy spirit. If you forgive people's sins,they are forgiven;if you do not forgive then,they are not forgiven.

catechism for filipino catholic page512 no 1775

profession of faith. thus to confess our sin in the sacrament of penance is really to profess our catholic faith. by going to confession we imflicitly affirm our faith conviction that .

a)we are sinner
b) we need the mercy of god our father who sent hi son to save us and the holy spirit to dwell within us,

c)gods mercy is always available to us, come through
.christ the primodial sacrament of god mercy
.the church the fundamental sacrament of christ
.the priest representing both christ and the church
d)god call us to conversion, that is, to be truly sorry for our sin to make up for ou sin and the sin of others, and do better with the help of his grace
e)the closer intemacywith christ and the reintegration in the church community effected in the confession find a natural completion in the eucharistic celebration.