Friday, October 1, 2010


Blame me for being liberal minded and anti wrinkled perspective. I will be surely going to hell in the afterlife, (by Roman Catholic standards) but I cannot, for the love of everything sacred and political, understand the Church's opposition to the RH Bill. I cannot comprehend how such useful and relevant future laws be regarded as unacceptable by the Roman Catholic church as if it is Satan's plot for world annihilation.

Tell me, what is wrong with informed decision making regarding such an important issue such as family planning? Why do the church insist of keeping parents in the dark and stuck in ancient ways? Natural family planning methods are, in my opinion, not only ineffective, but also hard to follow. Mothers are busy enough as it is, and you expect them to keep notes, take their temperature daily and notice slight increments signifying that they are indeed fertile? How about the Calendar method where the woman counts 14 days backwards from their expected date of menstruation? The method is confusing enough as it is when we were nursing students, what more if you have kids to take care of and probably a job to attend to? What if the woman is irregular? As for abstinence, I think one is demented to expect millions of people to abstain from a physiologic need.

The Catholic Church promotes only natural family planning and is opposed to the use of artificial birth control methods such as condoms and birth-control pills, saying these could lead to promiscuity and a rise in abortion cases.
With all due respect to our bishops, I think they have it backwards. There won't be a rise in abortion cases because contraceptives will prevent pregnancy in the first place. I believe it will actually decrease such moral crimes and as the cliche goes, make this world a better, more responsible place.

Having worked in the OB Ward of a government hospital for quite some time, I was exposed to this problem first hand. I must have handled thousands of newborns and mothers during my stay there. And let me tell you, the length of my stay was not that long. 

Maybe the Pope is in Vatican with his incense and entourage of bishops and the priests here in the country is secluded in seminaries and churches that they don't realize how big the overpopulation problem really is. Maybe they should open their eyes a little wider to let in at least a grain of truth that is already staring at their faces. I advise that they start from observing how many babies and little children they see during their Sunday masses. I bet they won't be able to count them all for it'll be like counting stars in the midnight sky. Too many and too scattered for the human mind to fully comprehend.

I am not against religion, and most importantly, I am not against morality. But I do frown upon hypocrisy. I don't feel comfortable on how the church is portraying itself, not just the voice of God, but as God himself, meddling with state affairs, now with threats of civil disobedience and even excommunication on the president if he approves something that they don't. It doesn't sit well with me how they shun people who are not at par with the kind of principles that they believe in. 

I don't think that is something Jesus would do.

And don't even get me started with the countless Catholic sex abuse cases that both the congregation and its flock have turned a blind eye on. That is another story.

I am not an atheist, I am a big fan of god and, most importantly, freedom of choice. Let the people have theirs. We are not forcing anyone to do anything, just educating the public on options and alternatives.

Since when did that become so morbidly immoral?

Source: www.gmanews.tv

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

some artificial birth control devices are abortifacient. please see http://www.pregnantpause.org/abort/untold.htm

Clarriscent said...

I am aware of the kinds of contraceptives, although I think it is a matter of perspective. The glass could be half-empty or half-full depending on the person, what matters is we have a choice.

Anonymous said...

The Church has been brainwashed by Catholic ideology, but that's the way it is supposed to be. They're planning to call for a civil disobedience but majority of Filipinos approve the RH Bill. That civil disobedience they CLAIM they can organize is empty boast -- the church is no longer as possible as before. And Filipinos are wiser not to support the Church's stand on this issue.

Anonymous said...

I think,having more children is not the main reason why many filipinos suffer poverty.it is the gov't itself and being irrisponssible of a person.
i diS agree to RH BILL ,It will just give us more problems,to health, spirituality and more...

Clarriscent said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Clarriscent said...

@Anonymous: There really should be a clear separation of church and state. First, although the majority of the Philippines is under the Catholic faith, we still cannot forget those who believe otherwise.

Again, the RH Bill is not forcing anyone to do anything. The best thing it has to offer is unbiased information and a CHOICE to all Filipinos.

Clarriscent said...

@Anonymous #2: I also don't think that overpopulation is the fundamental reason of poverty in our country. But it sure does affect it. In the months that I've worked in the OB ward of a government hospital, I've heard a lot of stories, most of them based on the same scenario:

a. Family with 6 and above children (most pregnancies unplanned) who can't even pay for the hospital bills, much less pay for a good home, adequate food and education of their offsprings.

b. 13-16 year old mothers with their future taken away from them by a single mistake.

Both can be helped by the RH Bill. It promotes RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD and can prevent teenagers from becoming such way too soon.

Please open your eyes. It is NOT shoving the pills down anyone's throat, just giving people the facts and figures to let them choose for themselves. The way intelligent humans are supposed to decide. For their family, for their health, for their future.

Anonymous said...

I think contraceptive can be a matter of choice, but abortifacient? I am not agreed to that. Much less make it an essential medicine.

http://www.lifeissues.net/writer.php?ID=wilks
http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/wilks/wilks_04pillworks1.html

Hypocrisy can be found in the church, all the more so to the individual who does not even have any conscience.

Clarriscent said...

@Anonymous: Why always concentrate on the, and I quote, "abortifacient" pills etc. like people will have NO CHOICE but to take them every morning during breakfast or else risk being imprisoned for life in a maximum security facility?

Please do not underestimate the intelligence and standards of morality of our fellow countrymen. We all have brains and our own point of views regarding said matter. What the RH Bill is offering is just INFORMATION. It is still up to the person what to do with the data that he/she is presented.

There are loads of other contraception methods to choose from. Although I do have a question:

Why is the church so against the use of condom when it is a contraceptive that cannot be classified as an abortifacient and could even prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted infections including HIV?

Anonymous said...

well for me contraceptives or any etc...is not the issue...the issue is we cannot implement to all that self control is the most important especially to all youth..they do not know hoe to control their selves...they thought that using contraceptives are enough..but we all knoe that it is a sin..it is stated in the Bible that you shall not commit adultery...especially if you are not married..thank you..

Clarriscent said...

@Anonymous: Frankly, the whole Though-shall-not-have-sex-before-marriage-or-else-suffer-eternal-damnation is, I think, depends on the person's belief system. Not all Filipinos live by the same ideology, not all are Catholics, worship with the bible in one hand and a miniature saint in the other. Heck, some even doubt/don't believe in the existence of God.

All I'm saying is that the CBCP should respect other sectors in the society and not meddle with state affairs that will surely impact the rest of the country, even those who are not under its all-holy wing. There should be a clear separation between state and church.

And, I repeat, please do not underestimate the intelligence and moral values of Filipinos, even the youth. Just because they will be given information about sex doesn't mean they will be humping everything that moves from that day on. If their parents reared them the way that they're supposed to be reared, I don't think we'll have anything to fear.

So, are we really afraid of a piece of rubber or something else entirely?

Anonymous said...

It's okay to pass RHBill because this rule doesn't force anyone to use contraceptives. But I hope perverts and two timers won't abuse this bill because the government will implement this for the good of families and not for self-pleasure. Most of all, youth should know how to decide correctly for their priorities in life (e.g. studies, help their family etc.)even though their hormones make them rebellious. They must be aware that engaging in sex while they are still nurturing in school and in the house might give change their life. Contraceptives may not totally stop pregnancy, but if you are not ready to get pregnant or have a child, not engage in sex while not married...no biblical explanation needed for this:))

Clarriscent said...

@Anonymous:

"It's okay to pass RHBill because this rule doesn't force anyone to use contraceptives."

Good thing we've established this fact. :) I also share your thoughts, and like what I've said before, I think our youth can handle themselves better than we give them credit for. Especially since, with the RH Bill, they will be equipped with the information they need to make life-altering decisions.

In the end, each has his/her own principles and it's the person's right to decide for his/herself. The thing the RH Bill is promoting the most is a person's right to informed choice.

Anonymous said...

hoy wag kayong salita nang salita matuto sana kayo sa mga limitasyon nyo bilang tao wag kayong umabuso at basta na lang sa contraception ipaubaya

Clarriscent said...

@Anonymous:

The funny thing is, even what "God" says nowadays is established by mere human beings who just happen to wear white robes and speak important sounding dead languages. So, no, I think I'm going to listen to the God in my conscience.

Anonymous said...

for me, i say, if people today are not too fool to have a sexual intercourse, i think, we don't have a problem like dis, where church and government are being involved. we should have proper discipline, that's all we need.

Clarriscent said...

I think it's quite foolish to blame the "problem" for its lack of solution, or more accurately, the stubbornness of some people to accept the proposed solution.

Anonymous said...

ITS MORE GOOD IF WE WILL NOT PASSED THAT BILL, BECAUSE THAT THING WILL RUINE THE CHRITIAN BILIEFS

Anonymous said...

The church always stand for what is right naturally,,,right is right that is...RH bill is an absurd one in the sense that it is not yet clear what it really is to public...is it true that contraceptives are available even to grade-5? There is nothing wrong about it, what im concerned about is the age limit! And for one thing, US has this elaborate sex education but how ironic it is when they are first in the rank of AIDS cases!

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