RH BILL is dividing the people, not because it is a bad idea but because the people arguing about it seems do not understand their stand. Worst, confused people are drag into it even though they do not clearly understand what it is all about. The only thing they understood is it is good for the economy of the country for the pro, and it is against the law of the Holy book for those who are against it.
Both reasons are correct; however, the leaders whom we trust to resolve the problem cannot come into agreement or into terms, and decide what to do. Worst, because of their ineffectiveness to resolve their differences, people are being allowed to commit actions for the detrimental of our economy - resulting into more problems.
How I cringed when I am thinking how foolish it is to make such foolish actions when the problem or issue is not that big. It angers me that those learned people could not solve the problem without involving the common people. They are sowing bitterness and creating misunderstanding among the people; dividing them instead of uniting them.
If I am to be asked this is what I will advice to these honorable leaders.
Yes, the church is right on its reason; on the other hand, the government also is justified in its action of creating the bill - and is obligated to implement it.
Let us understand that the church and the government are two separate entities as written and defined in our constitution. Each one has to govern its own people according to their books – The church is its followers, and the government is its citizens. They are responsible to make their people well disciplined. Failure on their part to instill discipline to their people will result into problems, and chaos in the country where they both resides. Therefore, both parties have to do their job diligently.
So, what are their obligations to their people? And how does each ones’ failure affects the other?
Discipline I think is supposed to be coming first from the teachings of the churches, or religious groups to which the people belong. They teach good moral behavior to their people according to the teachings of their religion. Now, if the churches are successful in making their people to practice good moral behavior, and then the government will not have any reasons creating policies, bills, or laws to control the people or for the people to abide with.
However, since, the church failed miserably in its obligations, the government had no choice but to find a solution for the result of such failure. In this case, is illicit sex, and illegal abortions?
Instead, therefore of wasting their time arguing, they should both think on how they focus on their own obligations, especially for the church leaders, who are supposed to teach the people about good behaviors and to fear G-D. Teach their people what are the moral implications, and bad effects of not following a good moral behavior.
If they can do that, the RH BILL will become useless. It will just be there waiting for people who do not want to become responsible enough by following the guidelines of living morally.
Now, since there is a wide practice of immorality among us (as a result of failure from the church leaders) the government has no choice but to create a solution, in that matter, to protect its own interest; because for not doing anything, then it is an irresponsibility in its part.
Are you suggesting, then, that the RH Bill is the solution. Solution for what? What are the problems that it purports to solve?
ReplyDeleteWhat are the provisions in the RH Bill that you consider as the solution?
Hello, Ishmael
ReplyDeleteI am not saying that the RH BIll is the solution. What i am saying is the government, and the church do not know where do they stand about their role to the people.... The church is now busy criticizing the government and the government is now busy defending itself to the wrong entity(Church) which we can see is now creating misunderstanding among their people instead of promoting peace.
In my opinion, the church should be busy educating the people to become more responsible on their actions, thus the Bill they are trying to oppose will become useless - that should be their way in opposing the RH Bill. We did not have this bill for a long time because back then the people were more disciplined and G-d fearing, so the government did not see a need for it. But now, we know what is happening - it may look like i am blaming the church, but again, if we trace the reasons why people are now becoming irresponsible is because the churches failed miserably in their role as the light of the people.
Because of that failure, people found more freedom to everything they want to do because they no longer fear that their is a G-D to fear, that this G-D in fact gave them the freedom to choose and do anything they want. So, as a result the government as the next on line to defend the dignity of the country has to do something - in this case to come up with the RH Bill.
I hope this explained my point about the issue... Because if you ask me about those provisions, I don't care about it, because i know i don't need that bill. It is not made for me; it is made for those irresponsible people who did not think about the result of their actions.
Again the church should concentrate on their responsibility of educating their people to "become more religious" and let the government do its job. Failing to do so would bring more misunderstanding and probably chaos in this country!
Thank you
Thank you for responding to my comment Czar. I don't aim to create animosity between you and me. I just want things straightened out regarding this issue.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, you are affected by this issue even if you believe that you don't need the bill. The reason for this is the implications that this RH Bill will bring once it becomes law.
That is why I am asking you about those provisions because if you read the bill then you will understand where I am coming from.
There are many things that are wrong with the RH Bill and I will take up much of your combox if I posted them all here. Let me point out some of the unacceptable things about this bill:
1. The advocates of the RH Bill proposes that 13 Billion be used to fund this law. This is their solution in solving poverty in the Philippines. Where will they get the large amount of funds? It is possible that they will slash the budget of other sectors like agriculture, education, public works and other sectors that provide concrete solution to poverty. Another option is that they will increase our taxes just to shoulder the caprices of the RH advocates. What will we get in return? Mountains and mountains of condoms, pills, IUDs and other "reproductive health services."
Will these freebies resolve poverty or reduce unwanted pregnancy? Well, all you have to do is to look at the USA and see that the use of condoms and pills doesn't work to reduce unwanted pregnancy. The fact is that abortion business is thriving in USA. So, if contraceptives are effective then why does the abortion business thrive?
2. Don't you know that contraceptive tools are dangerous to our health. Take the pills for instance. Contraceptive pills are considered as level 1 carcinogen by the IARC - World Health Organiztion. Pills are blamed for the increae of breast cancer cases in other countries. Will you not be affected if you discovered your female relatives and friends taking the cancerous pills?
2. Another is the fact that RH Bill empowers the government to coerce businesses to provide free RH services to their employees. It will affect our economy because our business men will be forced to add their expenses. This added expenses will be added to the price of their products.
These are just three of the unacceptable provisions of the Bill. Those arguments doesn't even include the arguments used by the Church!
Giving irresponsible people condoms and pills will never work. We just need look at the USA. People their became more irresponsible with their sex life because they believe that they are 100% covered by pills and condoms. Alas, they are wrong.
Instead of following the footsteps of America and Europe, our government should heed the call of those who oppose this bill (and that includes the Church) and help in truly educating and instilling the virtue of discipline and responsibility to the Filipino people. That is the best way forward.
Thank you for the birds eye view you have provided Ishmael. Now we can straighten things out.
ReplyDeleteSo, what's taking them so long to explain to the people about these unacceptable provisions of the bill? When I listened to them on the news they are not talking about these things, they are talking about nonsense. The church say, "It is not acceptable because it is against the teachings of Christianity," and the government will answer, "We need it because we have to control the population to solve poverty!" Do you think they are explaining anything if this the way they are talking? They are way beyond the point! Instead of needing only a month to talk about the issue, it is now taking longer than it should, and worse comes to worst, it is creating a misunderstanding among the people.
If they would have explain it the way you did here, then people will know what to say, and I believe majority if not all of us will oppose it until the government can come up with a provision that is acceptable to the people.
You are right, that tons of condoms and pills cannot solve the problem, but what other solution a government can do to remedy the problem? This is a desperate solution. However, as a government it has to do something, and sorry to say - as you have said - the solution is not the solution as proven in America, and in Europe.
The only thing I believe as a solution is to educate children to become more responsible by educating them about the results of their action. And not only them, but also the parents and teachers. The government should increase a seminar about responsible parenthood, and responsible "Citizen-hood." In addition, the church should increase their influence with their people, by strengthening the teachings of the bible about doing immoral things, instead of leading their flocks to the streets and criticizing the government's action because they will just look like the hypocrites that Jesus said in one of his speech that these people can see the speck on their brother's eyes but they cannot see the plank in their own eyes!"
I am happy if you can provide more explanations to the bad lines written in the RH bill, so that people like me, who have no idea about what's really the issue will know what we are going to talk about when our friends ask us about our say. This topic came up many times, but the way the people talk about it is just like a "Yes or No" without elaborating why they say Yes or why they say No.
Again thank you for the most valuable education you provided!
I agree with you that this debate about the RH Bill is too long already. You can sense the weariness of those who support the RH Bill and those who are against it. The reason why this is taking so long because no side wants to give in. The pro-life people don't want to give in because the important things are at stake like the sanctity of marriage and the life of the unborn. The other side don't want to listen to the arguments that we had presented and they still want the Bill to be passed in toto.
ReplyDeleteI have an advice to you, don't take all the things that you see on TV as the whole truth. No. These media entities present the news to satisfy their agenda and biases. It is sad to note that majority of the media people are for the RH Bill. You can see it in the way they present this issue and you will know what side they are on. The Lopezes, Karen Davila, Ces Drilon, Jessica Soho, Howie Severino, Philippine Daily Inquirer and many of the big names in the media are pro-RH. So it is not surprising if they will paint the anti-RH people in a bad light.
The groups behind the RH Bill also has deep pockets. These groups are the UNFPA, Planned Parenthood Federation (which is the biggest abortion servies provider in America), USAid and the condom manufacturers and pharmaceutical groups that will earn large incomes once the government is forced by the RH Law to buy tons of pills and condoms. These groups have large money to pay for the activities of the RH Bill advocates. Can you still remember the TV ads of Risa Hontiveros regarding the RH Bill. Aren't you wondering where Risa Hontiveros get the fund just to market RH Bill via television? Aren't you wondering why these international groups are so keen in promoting the RH Bill? I don't believe that it is for "women's health" that they are pouring large sums of money for the RH Bill.
The debate regarding the RH Bill is dragging too long because the RH Bill advocates don't want to admit the simple truths that counters the provision of the Bill. They ignore the our arguments but focuses on media hype and destroying the image of the people and groups that are against their agenda. We already had serious debates with them shown on three TV channels (GMA, ABS-CBN, and TV5). We aired our arguments and the viewers voted in favor of anti-RH people in all of these three debates via text votes and online votes. However, that is not enough to make the RH Bill advocates listen to the truth.
The RH Bill advocates has the machinery to ram the RH Bill forward. The pro-life groups doesn't have the money and media presence to broadcast the other side of the issue. This is the reason why pro-life groups took a drastic action. Pro-lifers took mass action and the Church is forced to be more vocal in its stand. You must realize, however, that it is not only the Catholic Church that is standing against this bill. There are secular groups, other Christian denominations (i.e. the baptists), The Muslim imams, and even atheists are against the RH Bill. It is wrong to say that it is only the Church that don't want the RH Bill.
The only solution for the problems is the change of mindset. Instead of spreading he belief that people are burden, we should spread the truth that people are one of the important resource in the country. Human beings work, consume, create new ideas and other things that can help the economy move forward. Instead of giving the message that it is OK to have pre-marital or extra-marital sex because you are protected by condoms, it is better if we emphasize the importance of fidelity to your spouse and the importance of marriage.
Thank you very much and welcome.
That's a clear explanation for the reason why we should take side about the issue, and in this case, to go against the bill. However, I have not heard a person who is a pro-RH Bill, yet - I don't want to appear bias. Anyways, I hope one will come out, since my tone is going against the bill based on the explanations you have given here, and I plan to do my own campaigning against it.
ReplyDeleteYour advice had been the advice to me of the wife of a prominent journalist in the middle east in year 2000. She told me not to believe what most of the media were saying, like CNN, but can you tell that to people one by one or announce it? The people will say we’re crazy! And we know, everything they would hear every day will become part of their belief, and they make principles out of it.
In the campaign against the bill, the church (I want to make clear that when I say "church" I refer to all the religious denominations)...the church should not be out into the streets, because they are just creating more problems. When they are out on the streets, it shows they no longer have a majority of people inside their house of worship to tell their advice - it shows people have lost their faith on them. (If only they have a majority of people listening to them, this RH Bill will have no chance to be approved) This is my own opinion, and if there is one like me, I do believe there are more Czars out there who think like me.
In addition, it is always expected that these people will always go against issues like this to show they are religious. They always want the praise of the people. As far as I remember, every time there is a campaign of the government about population control, like the old time POPCOM(Population Commission) they are out trying to dictate and trying to become the rulers .
My solution, which can be added to your solution - based on the facts (I assumed) you provided, is “To create the notion that the government is trying to make a behind the back deals in the name of the RH Bill. This is to make it look relevant and unquestionable to the mind of the people, and say, pity are those senators and good unsuspecting leaders being used to campaign for the bill. History repeats itself, and the proof is now on the making – be sure that another GMA will be put to trial after this administration, but should we wait for that time to come? Now is the chance to do something, and not wait when all things happened badly that we regret we did not do anything!
Another one is to create Internet fliers to be distributed online. Make your own explanations on this unacceptable issues where even a fetus can understand your terms, and I am sure the people will now be clear on what to side on. Forget about the religious reasons because people’s thinking nowadays are different. They are tired about being dictated by the church on what is right and immoral. Why, if Vic Sotto, Ramon Revilla, Dolphy, Sharon Cuneta, Chris Aquino, Nora Aunor, forget about the “Imported” can go to heaven with their different partners, what makes us common people to not experience the same?
Hope you’re still with me, Ishmael, but the reasoning of people today is more vocal and more “practical.” They want freedom, and they are given that freedom to do whatever they want. To tell you the truth, based on my observations, most people are saying the opposites of what they really wanted to do, but because they were told it was bad, so they parrot the same talk, when inside them they are burning with the desire someone would give them the reason, which would make them innocent to do the forbidden.
Thank you again for the enlightening words you provided.