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Monday, November 17

"Lord, that I may see" Luke 18

"Lord, that I may see you." Luke 18:8

Today's Catholic Gospel struck me really hard. I came across it after reading an article in the "Philippine Daily Inquirer" about the Catholic church opposing the passage of the House Bill 5043.
The article said that the CBCP has come out with another pastoral letter opposing the proposed bill.

The article stated the "killer amendments" of the church against the proposed bill such as "to limit the family planning option to natural family planning methods; delete or slash the appropriations for reproductive health and family planning; discard reproductive health and sexuality education; and remove the provision on humane ans non-judgmental medical care for women suffering post abortion complications." the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines, as the article stated, will also "be coming out with its own curriculum based on church teachings.

but the CBCP's "killer amendments" are, in my opinion, utterly stupid and contradictory to what they supposedly teach.

First the limitation of family planning options. Like today's "Gospel," "lord, That I may see you."
Leave us the freedom of choice. show us where your God resides and let us choose which path to take or how to take it. In your "limiting," you obscure our sight that we could not see what He is showing us. (and not necessarily showing you) In your restrictions, you are stopping us from knowing the truth. and is that not the attitude that the Pharisees possessed that led to the Crucifixion of the Christ? Hypocrites!

Next there is the deleting of the appropriations for republic health and family planning.
"receive your sight, Your faith has saved you." Do not deprive us from receiving our "sight." Leave us to receive what is given to us. Give us the chance for a healthy life and well planned family.

Then there is to "remove the provision on humane and non-judgmental" care.
Even outside the Catholic community I think it is a universal thought. Who are we to judge and prosecute? And who are we to ignore the needing? I know that church is aiming to punish the guilty (by law of man) and a particular section on the proposed House Bill 5043 section 3 m states to be compassionate to the sinners. Which would be more Christ like than prosecuting.
To condemn a life does not revive the life taken.

Then the CEAP is coming out with their own curriculum of "sex-ed" based on church teachings. Well, I hope that the church teaches what sexual harassment is. And puberty. And lust not as a sin but a natural occurrence in an adolescent body. And view an erection as natural and not necessarily "evil." I hope the church knows exactly what a nude body looks like and how to treat a person of the opposite sex.

I actually find it ironic. to think that a group of celibates that took vow of celibacy making a lesson plan about sexuality and sex dos and don'ts.

I hope Edcel Lagman, author of the proposed HB5043, and CBCP have a sit down and Lagman could shove those "killer amendments" up theirs.

And these words are coming from a teenage parent. Think about it.

-Orville "chubby" Basas