Bishops are not kings

In a predominantly Catholic country, it takes guts to go around flower shops and give away free condoms on Valentine’s Day – even if it’s part of a campaign of the Department of Health. But Secretary Esperanza Cabral did it anyway and she’s now under fire from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and “pro life” groups. The CBCP is demanding her resignation. Let’s have a look at the situation from various perspectives.

The condom freebie campaign is in consonance with the mandate of the DOH to promote health. To be more specific, to curtail the spread of the HIV virus. Meanwhile, the bishops say use of contraceptives promotes promiscuity and “weakens the moral fiber” of the youth.

While the DOH has the data that show the alarming rise in HIV cases, the CBCP has no statistics to show a correlation that access to condoms leads to promiscuity which my Mac’s dictionary defines as the “undiscriminating or unselective approach” in acquiring sex partners. What the CBCP has is a belief based on the presumption that if people weren’t so afraid of unwanted pregnancies, then, they would engage in sex more often and with more partners.

Clearly, the DOH and the CBCP are approaching the issue from two different perspectives. The DOH does not delve on the motivations of Filipinos for engaging in sex, it does not impose moral standards nor pass judgment, as it shouldn’t, for its responsibility is the health of the population.

Imposing upon itself the role of moral guardian, the CBCP does everything that the DOH does not – it dictates what a person’s motivation should be each time he or she engages in sex (for procreation only), it imposes moral standards on acceptable sexual behavior (it still calls homosexuality as something abnormal, doesn’t it?) and it passes judgment – and condemns – all those that do not live by its standards.

Let’s note at this point that although the Vatican sanctions its existence, the CBCP is an entity separate and distinct from the Catholic Church. Essentially, the CBCP is simply an organization, duly incorporated in accordance with Philippine laws, made up of men who wear long gowns. Not only does the CBCP dabble in spiritual and moral issues; according to its official website, when it was first incorporated in 1946, “its purpose was to unify, coordinate and organize the Filipino Catholics in the works of education, social welfare, religious and spiritual aid under the direction of the Filipino bishops.”

While religious and spiritual aid are logically within its domain, education and social welfare are within the purview of the State. So when the CBCP imposes its own standards in matters involving education and social welfare, not only does it undermine the Constitutional mandate on the inviolability of the separation of church and State – it actually seeks to substitute its will for the will of the State.

A situation that is both amusing and ironic, really. The CBCP is a corporation and, therefore, its existence (a “juridical personality” created by legal fiction) is based on law which is an act of the State. In essence, therefore, its very existence is an acknowledgment of the power and authority of the State over it. Yet, here it is, seeking to replace the policies of the very authority that makes its existence possible and even implying that its standards are superior to those of the State. I am reminded of the allegory of the “langaw” (common house fly) that alighted on the carabao’s back and fancied itself to be taller than the carabao.

So what is the real significance when the CBCP insinuates itself in state affairs such as safe sex campaigns to curb the spread of HIV? Let’s go even father. What is the real significance when the CBCP imposes its beliefs in any issue that is related to governance? First, it implies that the CBCP is the one true government whose policies the Filipinos must accept and obey. Second, a natural consequence of the first, that all Filipinos, irrespective of spiritual beliefs (or lack thereof), or membership or non-membership in any religious denomination, must abide by the dicta of the CBCP.

Last I heard, we live in a democracy. Despite the limitations (and fallacies) of a democracy, and despite an electorate that is prone to make mistakes because it can be duped by the flowery words and false images of politicians, at least we are not ruled by a handful of men who are chosen by a select few. Moreover, we live in a society where there are mechanisms for booting out officials when they become abusive or when they put their personal interests ahead of the people’s. Not that we always utilize those mechanisms but it is still good to know that they are there, they are available, and anyone can make use of them.

The CBCP likes to play it out as though it were the rightful government of this country so that its will must be obeyed. Does it provide similar mechanisms as the State does so that when the bishops turn despotic, we the people have the power to remove them from power? Of course not. They are monarchs subject only to the rules of their class.

In modern society, the powers and privileges of monarchs are limited by organic laws (a.k.a. Constitution) and the healthy existence and participation of multi-faceted political groups. Only in dictatorships do monarchial powers remain absolute. Examples? Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland and – did you guess? – Vatican City.

Is that what we want? To allow these wanna be kings to wield absolute power over all of us? If six out of every ten people say yes, then the future of the Philippines is a dark and dingy pit where the real demons, ignorance and lunacy, await to devour us and our children.