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(right) Adam Garrie , (left) CBCP members (ctto)
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President Rodrigo Duterte’s remarks about ‘stupid god’ made the social media sizzle once more as it made people talk about religion and God, even challenges people’s thought about their beliefs.
The president is also being attacked by the Catholic Church, and his political critics calling him a ‘madman”, psychological freak and a blasphemer.
President Duterte, on the other hand, further explained his earlier remarks and defended that it is every Filipinos right to choose whether to have no religion at all.
As stated under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance”.
This piece from the Constitution protects the president from his statement about religion.
A Geo-political Analyst, Adam Garrie, believes that the Church should have acknowledged Duterte’s belief instead of criticizing him over his own belief of God.
“While Duterte’s language is more colourful than that in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Philippine President is actually saying the exact same thing that is inscribed in the Declaration. Just because certain religious institutions would like a monopoly on people’s beliefs, it does not mean that they are legally or ethically entitled to such things. Rather than acknowledging Duterte’s right to believe in a universal being as a matter of conscience, Catholic leaders criticized Duterte using language which itself is offensive at a secular level.” Garrie said.*
Garrie cited how a certain Philippine Bishop Arturo Bastes called President Duterte a ‘psychological freak’;
“Duterte’s tirade against God and the Bible reveals again that he is a psychological freak, a psychopath, an abnormal mind who should have not been elected as president of our civilized and Christian nation”. The Bishop stated.
Then there’s Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo who called the president a blasphemer.
“First of all, one cannot blaspheme something that one does not subscribe to in the first place. Duterte did not insult the universal God that he believes in but insulted an institutionalized concept of a deity as promulgated by the Roman Catholic Church, while also blasting clerics for their numerous scandals and hypocrisy.” Garrie explained
“Indeed, like many others around the world, Duterte was a victim of molestation at the hands of a priest when he was a child and as such, Duterte has every right to criticize the institution that brought him misery at an innocent age.” He added.
Instead of throwing him insults, Garrie believes that the Church should instead thanked Duterte for his fresh ideology have stirred the hearts of the people more widely than any other promising Philippine theologians has ever done.*
“In short – people are talking about God, religion and spirituality more today than they did a week ago and it is not because of what a priest has said but because of what Duterte has said.” Garrie added.
“This proves that it is not Duterte who is afraid of opposition or disagreement but that instead Roman Catholic leaders in the country are afraid that Duterte’s words might inspire others to find God, peace, solace and comfort somewhere outside of a church as is one’s legal and inalienable moral right.” The analyst also said.
In his article, Garrie also thrown several questions to the Church;
“Just as corrupt politicians should not stand between the people and a better economic future, safer streets and a more uplifting society, why should corrupt clerics deprive people of freedom of conscience? Are the church leaders lambasting Duterte so afraid of losing their power over society that they are willing to take the side of an ideology that deprives people of freedom to find peace in their own way just to retain their own economic power and social privilege?”
Garrie believes that given the historically documented Church background on corruption, and scandals, the clerics not Duterte are ought to do some soul searching.*
“Since it is becoming increasingly common to accuse one’s opponent of being a “dictator”, I would suggest that it is not Duterte who displays dictatorial tendencies but rather, it is the Church leaders who are concerned only with people finding themselves in a position to be dominated by the clergy, rather than focused on a desire for all people to attain spiritual enlightenment.” Garrie suggested.
Source: Euroasia Future
