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Seeing red FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 07/08/2010

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Seeing red



FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
07/08/2010
There the Catholic bishops go again, combining religion and politics.

So there was a so-called Red Mass, ostensibly a mass that seeks the descent of the Holy Spirit upon government officials to achieve enlightenment and unity.

That’s okay as Church rites go. But why is a president of the republic being allowed to give a speech during these rites? Why is politics again being mixed with religious rites?

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said to be the official voice of the church, issued a pastoral letter that said the bishops are not to engage in politics or, for that matter political activities, since they refused at that time to heed the people’s clamor for the CBCP to provide support in their call for the resignation of Gloria Arroyo.

In truth, that was a correct position since there is a clear separation between church and state, and never the two should meet.

Of course the same church leaders always claim that they have to interfere in political matters that have a “moral” dimension to them, which is still a lame excuse, since what is moral to them is not necessary legal and if the bishops want to inject their claimed morality into political issues, the way to do it is not to interfere in state policies or bills and laws, but to call on their flock to toe the Catholic line — such as on the issues of abortion, divorce and the use of artificial contraceptives, among other doctrines espoused by the Church that clash with government policies..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100708com2.html


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