President Aquino has recently verbalized his support for government health offices to offer artificial family planning methods alongside natural ones. We welcome President Aquino to the 21st century. We denounce the religious fundamentalists who seek to drag him (and our country) back to the sixteenth.
THE PROBLEM: A CATHOLIC HIERARCHY THAT ABUSES ITS POWER
The Roman Catholic hierarchy – as embodied by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines – is using its outsize influence to impose its particular views on our government and the people of the Philippines.
By forcing government offices to provide ONLY natural family planning methods, it forces the government to ignore the needs of all Filipinos in favor of the opinions of a few fundamentalist Catholics.
By imposing its will on nominally secular government offices, it makes a mockery of our supposedly secular Constitution and institutions, while revealing it cannot walk its own talk about the “absolute dignity of conscience”.
By demanding obedience and usurping secular authority from our elected officials, the Church effectively dictates the observance of its particular religious views upon all Filipinos, regardless of religion.
When we permit the Catholic hierarchy to substitute the Catholic agenda for the government’s, everybody loses. The Church loses moral authority. Government decision making powers are hobbled. And constituents end up being badly served by decisions driven by dogma instead of reason.
BISHOPS HAVE NO POWER TO COMPEL OBEDIENCE
The Catholic Church has no power to compel obedience from Filipinos or the government. But you wouldn’t know that by the way our society’s stakeholders have, up to now, crumpled before the bishops’ demands for compliance.
The government continues to grant special privileges to the Catholic hierarchy, according it a reverence that it grants no other religious group. This flies in the face of our Constitution and its mandated separation of Church and State.
The mass media continues to report the Church stance, disproportionately and without due balance. Do we hear from other religious groups, Catholic or otherwise, who disagree with the bishops? Do we hear from intellectuals who can debunk the CBCP’s continuing efforts to spread misinformation about artificial family planning?
THE WAY FORWARD: POLICY DICTATED BY REASON, NOT RELIGION
The path is clear for the President and his administration: government health offices must be permitted to provide information and supplies that promote reproductive health and family planning, in a manner consistent with the Constitution and our secular laws.
For many of our fellow Filipinos, government health offices are their only source of health information and medication. These Filipinos have a legal right to be educated about all aspects of family planning; they have a right to artificial methods of family planning if they ask.
Our fellow Filipinos cannot be deprived of legal family planning resources simply because the bishops of the CBCP say so. The CBCP’s interests cannot predominate in a multi-ethnic, multi-confessional community.
A Muslim or Protestant mother must not be compelled to settle for government services tailored only to meet Catholic sensitivities, which is what happens when the Church is able to bully legislators into substituting the Catholic agenda for the government’s.
WHAT WE CAN DO
As Filipinos who support policies driven by science and reason, we must do our utmost to oppose the Catholic hierarchy’s retrograde policies.
We will be vigilant. We will counter Catholic misinformation with accurate information, supported by scientific evidence.
We will be heard. We will match protests with counter-protests. We will send letters to public officials. And we will take our message to the Filipino people through all media channels available to us.
We will not be afraid. Beyond the power to cause fear, the Church has no power whatsoever. Excommunication, refusal of sacraments, or the disapproval of bishops cannot hurt us. What remains to be done is to show these bishops we cannot be cowed.
But we cannot oppose the Church alone, or piecemeal. Now is the time for all of us – those of us who cannot brook the CBCP’s incursions into government policy, those of us who find our personal beliefs colliding with those of the bishops – to speak up.
“The state’s duty is to educate our families as to their responsibilities and to respect their decisions if they are in conformity to our laws,” President Aquino has said. As President Aquino raises his voice in support of family planning choices for all Filipinos, let us raise our voices with him.
Raise your voice in support of a secular society.
Raise your voice in opposition of a Church hierarchy 500 years too late.
[…] FILIPINO FREETHINKERS JOINS P-NOY IN SUPPORT OF RATIONAL FAMILY PLANNING POLICY […]
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=380471898… always loved this one…placed the credit of the modern world to the challenge made and won by the protestants…not on catholic initiative…
Put that buddhist saying here again! 😀
lol. what has happened to "freethinking?"
when did this "organization" become an agent of change pursuing one single goal.
this site is getting too morally "correct".
it's slowly transforming into an anti-catholic guerrilla squad.
remember, roman catholicism is not the only religion worthy of contempt–
all religions are.
free your minds. be a skeptic. of. everything.including your own rationality.
rex extensa
@lol:
"when did this "organization" become an agent of change pursuing one single goal.
this site is getting too morally "correct".
it's slowly transforming into an anti-catholic guerrilla squad."
>>>You think we haven't discussed any other issues aside from this one? It just turns out that this is the most current, and we are trying to do what we can to pass a bill that's been held back for fourteen (14) years. Do you even know what the RH Bill is, that you can dismiss it so easily?
"remember, roman catholicism is not the only religion worthy of contempt–
all religions are."
>>>And I guess you haven't been around when we were discussing Muslims protesting against the burka ban in Europe, and the crazy protestant pastor that wanted to start a Burn a Koran Day.
"free your minds. be a skeptic. of. everything.including your own rationality"
>>> okay, you need to take your medication now.
you and your activism.
you and your judgment.
you and your accusations.
you and your morally guided ways of combating the current enemy.
you haven't been around when this "organization" started.
you and the herd.
"we"
this community became what it was afraid to become in the beginning.
sugar coating freethinking with activism.
that's what happened while i was not around.
Do us all a favor – read our previous posts and comments.
whoops! sorry,that was three nor two and the middle one not too recent either,but true,none the less.
Citations please.
Especially the part where you made the jump from blaming the downfall of our educational system from a corrupt dictatorship, to secularism.
citations? I don't recall any of you using citations when hurling accusations against the church,but since you ask so kindly ,i'll oblige you. Here are two of the most recent: Check out <a href="http://www.topuniversities.com” target=”_blank”>www.topuniversities.com where Ateneo De Manila ranked 307 in the world's top 500 ahead of the leading secular university UP, ranked at 314. Now if the downfall of the Ed.system were due to catholicism, why would a catholic U. rank well ahead of the leading secular U. according to International non religious standards? you may want to check the earliest issues of the Inquirer while it was aborning in the mid 80's as well as TIME magazine issues of the same period for just what the dictatorship did. A good media citation would be the numerous exposes on local TV news revealing that not enough money for various projects like education is getting there . Note the bulk of our population goes through the gov't. public school system.not catholic schools,check any related website,I kid you not. And the the gov't. is of course secular. so the deterioration has been definitely from secular sources.
Fail, fail, fail!
now that's just *BAD*logic. there's no evidence nor direct correlation to suggest that their being "catholic" were the reason for their better academic performance because I don't see the top schools in the list being catholic-run schools either.
its like saying Manny Pacquiao won his fights because he was more religious than his opponent. Who the hell taught you to come up with wacky conclusions like that? A catholic school? *rolls eyes*…
*AHEM*
I'll have you know that I graduated from a Catholic High School and a Catholic University.
…although I can imagine my proffs (half of whom were SJs) facepalming at Forged's assertions.
lol
So multiple choice, hotshot 😀 :
Catholic schools perform better _____ their religious affiliation
A. because of
B. in spite of
C. regardless of
A. 😉
Because if it weren't for those mandatory theo and philo courses I had to study, I'd have a much harder time picking apologist's assertions apart XD.
That, and I was exposed to the Jesuit way of thinking – as my proffs say, always back up our arguments with solid evidence, and we've got nothing to worry about.
rotfl!
the force is strong in this one… so the young padawan decides to switch sides after his training is complete and uses his training against his former masters? 😛
FYI, I still have a tremendous amount of respect for the Jesuits.
They've kept mostly silent regarding the issue, but I find that the likes of Fr. Joaquin Bernas of the Ateneo Law Schools, and Fr. John Carroll always have something insightful and sensible to say when they do publish their comments.
A misguided sense of "utang na loob"? No, just common decency.
If I'm not mistaken, an international group of professionals outside of the Church declared the country "Most corrupt in Asia" a few years ago. So we managed to garner that "honorific" not from the Church alone, but from secular experts. Many lenders like ADB do want to see corruption stemmed as it is obvious to them that the money is not reaching the poor, such as in the rice subsidy. Apparently, the majority of beneficiaries of the subsidy are well above the poverty line and it is not reaching the target group of the very poor. Again, the claim of corruption has been made by a secular institution; not the Church. Now, as far as your RH Bill is concerned, statistics show that through the decades, abortions have lead to the deaths of millions of innocents to the point that these casualties exceed the populations of some countries and the casualties of more than the two World Wars combined. This is an example of secular freedom running free. These countries practicing contraception have proven that abortion is the easy way out, as backed up by the statistics.
Now as far as progressive nations are concerned, even in the Old Testament, the pagan nations surrounding the Jews were far more progressive than the Jews. But one Jew from these back waters changed the world in far more many ways than all the pagan and atheists combined. He founded the Catholic Church. Even if you just take it as a philosophy, history and the numbers prove my last claim. 'Nuff said.
As I said, if you're going to make such long posts, would you kindly post at the forums. They make for a better discussion ground than a comment box in an article.
Citations please.
Done, and done:
https://filipinofreethinkers.org/forum/viewtopic.p…
I've set up a thread to discuss your points in greater detail.
To the "Celdranites":
The problem with the vast majority of us is we have very short historical memories. We just need to "bone up" on the recent historical events of the last 25 years as follows.
In the local setting, as recent as 1986, without the Church's involvement in the over throw of the Marcos regime, it would certainly not have succeeded and could have easily deteriorated into a blood bath. Without the Church's intervention in that case alone, we would not be enjoying the democratic freedom we have today.
Globally, in the late 80s and early 90s, the late great pontiff, John Paul II involved the Church in a peaceful uprising against the communist regime in Poland which triggered a " domino effect" resulting in the freedom of hundreds of millions of Eastern Europeans in various nations who had been oppressed for decades behind the iron curtain.
Weigh the millions of lives saved from oppressive regimes that are known to have killed mercilessly against the few thousands who may have suffered as mentioned in the global abuse scandals which are clearly crimes of individuals and not the Church itself. This is not even considering the millions saved by the Church over at least fifteen hundred years after evolving the Western concept of the hospital which people throughout the world,including ourselves benefit from today.
Now, those who claim to think freely having garnered such philosophical concepts from studying in universities and attaining much valued degrees of higher learning, may not even be aware that it was the Catholic Church that virtually invented the university as early as the 13th century in Bologna and Paris. It embryonic roots as early as the 9th century when Alcuin, a Benedictine monk started the Palatine school in the courts of Charlemagne. Even nations of other faiths have copied the Catholic University model, thereby making it one of the original global standards affecting not only Christians, but believers of many faiths on all continents. It is the Church like a caring parent that has nurtured our intellects and it is truly up to us to have the moral decency to see that we aren't biting the hand that fed and raised us.
Also, as patron of the arts, preserver and propagator of science, through over a millennium and a half, one recent good example being the currently much studied field of genetics fathered by yet another monk, Gregor Mendel, the Catholic church has proven time and time again to be far more a positive force in the shaping of mankind yesterday, today and for centuries to come. What is mentioned above is but the tip of the iceberg of what the Church has quietly contributed to the development of mankind since it's inception. We need only be open to the truths of history.
May the guidance of the one true God through his Holy Catholic Church enlighten us 'til His return.
A most interesting interpretation of history, but I'm not sure what those issues have to do with the matter of the Reproductive Health Bill. All you've done is post a red herring – whether or not the church has impacted recent history is irrelevant to the issue right now.
All you seem to be doing is trying to brobeat us with some misguided sense of "utang na loob."
The fact is that the bishops have been issuing poor advice regarding the problem of RH in the Philippines, playing the morality card despite the fact that none of the measures they suggest have worked, and in fact been proven to be unsuccessful when applied to other countries.
And when we do question them or demand facts, they've resorted to demonizing the pro-choice people by calling them murderers, and other sorts of names.
And of you want to answer back to my reply, I suggest you do so at the forums, where a more proper discussion can be conducted.
https://filipinofreethinkers.org/forum/
suuure… if it succeeds, the Church will jump at the chance to gain total credit for it. If it fails, it blames someone else. When People Power won, the church claimed responsibility. When the country is still deep in poverty afterwards, it blames the corrupt politicians.
That's the problem with "hindsight"… you can interpret it according to your own bias on who gets credited for which accomplishment. But the Catholic church already held sway on the Philippines for a century and it still sucks. Shouldn't it take the blame as well? Then take the top 10 atheist countries in the world and see how progressive they are.
"In the local setting, as recent as 1986, without the Church's involvement in the over throw of the Marcos regime, it would certainly not have succeeded and could have easily deteriorated into a blood bath. Without the Church's intervention in that case alone, we would not be enjoying the democratic freedom we have today. "
Was the church involved in EDSA Dos?
"Now, those who claim to think freely having garnered such philosophical concepts from studying in universities and attaining much valued degrees of higher learning, may not even be aware that it was the Catholic Church that virtually invented the university as early as the 13th century in Bologna and Paris. It embryonic roots as early as the 9th century when Alcuin, a Benedictine monk started the Palatine school in the courts of Charlemagne. Even nations of other faiths have copied the Catholic University model, thereby making it one of the original global standards affecting not only Christians, but believers of many faiths on all continents. It is the Church like a caring parent that has nurtured our intellects and it is truly up to us to have the moral decency to see that we aren't biting the hand that fed and raised us."
I posted in the Forums about a thinker from Ancient Greece. They had some form of education there.
And the word academy came from Plato's school of Philosophy. That's why we have academic subjects in school
You mean those multi national corporations, those billionaires, businessmen, middle class; not even the serfs and peasants thought of creating a university in the 13th century? church really beat those greedy bastards to the punch eh.. 🙂
The crimes of the Church are covering up the crimes of their priests.
I'll go deeper with academies. Academies began with Plato's school of Philosophy then it evolved from there. Take a look at Lincean Academy of which one prominent member was Galileo Galilei. The Catholic Church used the Inquisition to coerce him to let go of the Copernican System.
http://galileo.rice.edu/bio/narrative_7.html
Then Pope Pius XI just recreated something similar to the Lincean Academy made of Catholic members as Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
if cbcp wanted to exert effort in addressing RH bill as being immoral, i think they should start explaining and imposing humanae vitae to all catholic members during their sermons in mass or couple's seminars prior to the wedding celebration, and not on threatening a leader of the state over which they have no jurisdiction to interfere.. NOYNOY is for every filipino.. and not for catholics only.
I agree…Its like this Bishops are Lording over us…They're not the only ones reading the Bible & i dont think it would make us immorals or believers committing a real grave sin in opposing them & / or in going against their so called LAWS OF GOD…at 'yang si Archbishop Cruz na yan naku wala ng ginawa kundi ang manggulo makisawsaw sa lahat na lang…I think he's in the wrong profession or wrong vocation…Tsaka Hello pwede 'ba bishop cruz…ARE YOU REALLY A MAN OF GOD???mAGRETREAT NGA KAYO OR KUNDI CONTEMPLATE/MEDITATE..are you Honorable Bishops really doing what a Man of God should be doing???huh???
I believe in God, I strive to live The Gospels of Jesus and all religions are like societal clubs who invite members to be like them and expel those who violates its rules. It's like the Rotary Club or the Glee Club. Excommunication is simple expulsion nothing else. No big deal. Anyone can start a new club. Those bishops should faithfully live like Jesus and not like a Damaso. God wants a relationship with Him and not with clubs.
i like your analogy dude =) may even vote you for senate one day
I feel like maybe it's time for all the atheists to come out. And to the agnostics: NO FENCE-SITTING
Don't get me wrong thou. Its not like I hate religion/catholic I myself is a catholic but what I really hate is how the CBCP is really sticking their nose on other people business.They should just mind their role and not get in to politics. If they want to get in to politics then by all means quit their position in the church or CBCP and run for the office.
For me its immoral to raise a child if you can't provide 3 meals a day or a good education and worst of all those kids will probably end up in the streets and criminal life. Also using contraceptives helps control unwanted pregnancy and diseases. I wonder what is immoral using contraceptives or having a child and ignoring it or giving it up for adoption ?
I really wish they'd put their money where their mouth is. I hate it when I keep hearing empty threats, like they don't have the conviction for their cause. Empty threats get people pissed slower, when they start excommunicating people they would have just created a secular state.
they will never have the balls to do it, 😀 it's the president… if they do, then secular government will dawn… 😀
good bye to cbcp's reign on state…
XD
"We will not be afraid. Beyond the power to cause fear, the Church has no power whatsoever. Excommunication, refusal of sacraments, or the disapproval of bishops cannot hurt us. What remains to be done is to show these bishops we cannot be cowed."
I agree completely, and shared my sentiments here: http://bit.ly/bfu0wI
[…] demands for compliance … according it a reverence that it grants no other religious group. This flies in the face of our Constitution and its mandated separation of Church and State.” “The more nights you spend in other rooms—hotels, rented apartments, borrowed beds, […]
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