CBCPhils - Double Standard

DOUBLE STANDARDS 07/17/08 Posted under Uncategorized

I find it painfully hypocritical that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) would suggest not giving communion to members of the church simply because of their stance on family planning.

What about other members guilty of other “sins?” What about the politicos who steal from the people and still have the gall to show their faces at church every Sunday? That’s been going on for decades, and yet they pick this as a reason to kick somebody out? Why not also refuse to give communion to Gloria’s entourage who flew overseas just to watch Pacquiao’s bout, even as we were still reeling from Typhoon Frank’s aftermath?

Talk about double standards. While I don’t agree with Gabriela on many matters, I will side with their point that abortion happens simply because many women here have neither the financial nor the emotional means to care for their child. There are probably more reasons, but given our level of poverty, this is the most likely cause.

If the church is so against abortion, then why don’t they care for the unwanted child? Or would they rather he or she grow in “a situation of sin,” where starvation and neglect will push them to resort to drastic actions just to stay alive?

I am angered especially because I am also a practicing Catholic. Since when did we end up with leaders with this backward thinking. Family planning does not equal anti-life. If anything, it ensures that the couple will have the means to properly care for their offspring.

As for the argument that sex education would lead to immoral acts, this flow of logic implies that reading about lock picking will also encourage us to commit thefts, or that reading about serial killers will turn us into murderers. Except that this doesn’t happen normally, unless the one reading is already mentally disturbed.

This only reveals that the CBCP is selling their pulpit’s common sense and integrity short. We are smarter than that, and we certainly deserve better leaders than that.

-Antonio Yang III, Sta. Mesa, Metro Manila