I once read a quotation somewhere in the Internet that says “If you believe the separation of Church and State, you don’t know anything about religion.” Maybe that’s why Philippine politics and the church go side by side.
Before election, these politicians who are running for public office woo the church for the vote, especially those churches with reputation of a solid vote for supporters. We have a church here that when their supreme pontiff chose someone to support, the whole congregation will vote for that person. Now, that is an advantage for voting numbers.
The Roman Catholic Church includes in their mass special an anouncement on voting awareness. Sometimes the Catholic Church shows it favors a certain politician who supports their issues (example: on birth control).
Who will not forget Bro. Eddie Villanueva’s attempt to run in public office in the last Presidential election (and yes folks…he’s running again in the coming 2010 election) or Eli Soriano’s bid for senatorial slate (that went down the drain when COMELEC announced that he was a nuisance candidate).
In the case of the running priest, Fr. Robert Reyes, all I can say is there is nothing wrong in engaging in public rallies about the government, it’s every Filipino’s right…but wearing a priest outfit on rallies? What is he trying to prove?
Also, why carry a statue of the Virgin Mary, rosaries and the Bible and say that it’s just a public prayer rally…uh a public prayer rally with people shouting “Down with the Government”? Hmmmmm…I thought people in prayers shout “halleluiahs”? Have you forgotten the very words of your founder when he said, “Give Caesar what is unto Caesar”?
But whom can blame these men of God who are entering Philippine politics. St. Ignatius Loyola once said, “Whenever one’s business is not worth minding, one often minds other people’s business.” Maybe priests and pastors are getting more exited in politics these days because matters inside the church are getting weary, repetitious, monotonous and utterly boring.
The American president Ulysses S. Grant has a good parting word that every Filipino should think. “Leave the matter of religion to the family altar, the church and the private schools, supported entirely by private contributions. Keep the church and the state forever separated.”
Filipinos, maybe it’s a good time to start thinking.
Magising na kayo!
how can Church and State be separated in the same man?
Church and state here in the Philippines cannot exactly be separated. Reasons: 1.)Unless, every Filipinos accept the idea that the ONLY PROPER FUNCTION OF THE GOVERNMENT is bzsed on an individual rights, the protection. Rights is a moral concepts not fully understood by so many Filipinos. 2.) The politicians in the government are themselves members of that establishment-the church. As a member and follower of the Church or God, it is moral for them just to OBEY and SACRIFICE without any questions asked. If any of them have some secular mentality left, it will be a sort of contradictory ways of life, policies and decisions resulting to more confusions, problems and more unsolvable problems. 3.) It reflects the general culture of the whole filipino society, an irrational culture.
astig talaga ng mga behaviour/tradisyon ng mga Filipino… hindi marunong matoto sa napaka laking Error sa ating Bansa… pa ulit2x na lang wew! at maraming madadamay o magsa- suffer grrrr
aw oh! ang mga Filipino pala ay madaling ma manipula…. kulang sa time at mga katanungan ^_^
dapat ang ating Politika ngayon ay mag EVOLVE na or mag Voltage V na wahehe
* In the case of the running priest, Fr. Robert Reyes, all I can say is there is nothing wrong in engaging in public rallies about the government, it’s every Filipino’s right…but wearing a priest outfit on rallies? What is he trying to prove?
Then all things being equal, let's all attend rallies and marathons wearing t-shirts with the likeness of Darwin, Russel and Dawkins. Tutal, we're in a free country naman, di ba? E di patas lang ang laban 😉 hehehe