The HR Bill, Mutants, and the Man Called "Ona"

“The slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts.”

~ George Orwell

In this post, I won’t argue for the irrationality of Ex-CBCP President Oscar Cruz’s stand on the RH Bill or contraception. I’ve done that before, and the sad reality that many still agree with him is the only reason his opinion is worth refuting. Instead, I’ll focus on Oscar’s sloppy writing, which I believe reflects an equally sloppy mind.

In his latest blog post, Oscar said that the RH Bill battle is down to two parties: the president, with “the power of the office and the command of public funds,” and the CBCP, that “has but the tenure of truth based on faith and reason.”

Their “tenure of truth” might be based on faith, but judging by Oscar’s statements below, it’s hardly based on reason.

“Now it can be said in the open and with certainly : The Battle is joined.”

~ Oscar Cruz

What’s so special about a battle being “joined”? Maybe Oscar meant to say something like “the real battle has begun.” Because certainly, Noynoy and the CBCP have been part of this battle long before Oscar wrote his recent post. And isn’t this battle also “joined” by the legislators, the other religious and secular groups, and most importantly, the Filipino citizens?

On one side, there is this middle-age bachelor president who officially and emphatically proclaimed his support for and affirmation of “Responsible Parenthood” through the use of all kinds of artificial contraceptive pills, injectable and rubbers – self-mutations included like male vasectomy and female tubal ligation.

Is Oscar implying that procedures like vasectomy and ligation can alter a person’s DNA?

He claims that in perfect accord with democratic principles, people have the prerogative of “free choice” – although and strangely so, physicians and other experts unwilling to cooperate with the HR Bill, are considered in trouble with the law.

In fairness, if “physicians and other experts” don’t cooperate with company policies, it could become an HR issue.

Specifically in conjunction with the phrase “Responsible Parenthood” – the strange, interesting and disturbing fact is that the same blessed single head of state does not even butt a eye in believing and presuming that “Responsible Parenthood” and artificial contraception are a compatible pairing.

I’m not sure what it is, but I think it’s not good to “butt an eye.”

But while all those who wanted her doctrine out and teaching done away with, are eventually nowhere to be found – except six feet under the ground, and mostly even forgotten.

I’m certainly not a zombie, and neither are the majority of Filipinos who want the doctrine on contraceptives done away with.

The Church teaching against man-made contraception is as old as the Scriptures: There was this man called “Ona” who engaged in sexual acts with his wife, and finished this by scattering his seeds on the ground.

If you’re going to cite scripture, at least get the spelling right (it’s Onan). Has Oscar even read that part of the Bible? Maybe not — it was not his wife but his brother’s wife Onan was having sex with. At least he’s admitting that his opposition to the RH Bill is based on a biblical tale about spilling sacred sperm.

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Oscar also said that the Church “has been abandoned by her supposed following, in addition to appearing like one good joke.” I wonder why.