The Tyranny of Catholicism

It is ironic that for a church founded on compassion, love, charity and the so-called "preferential option for the poor," the Catholic Church, and especially the Catholic Church in the Philippines, has been anything but. Looking back at the history of the Catholic Church and how it practically exploited and raped its way (literally and figuratively) into the consciousness of the Filipino psyche is appalling to say the least. During the Spanish period, the Church, for all intents and purposes, was the Spanish authority. Indeed, secular Spanish authorities were only found in the large cities of Manila and Cebu, if at all. And even then, they always, always, deferred to the whims and caprices to the men in the frock. In all Christian Philippines of the Castilian period, the authority, secular and  ecclesiastical, was the Church as personified by its priests and religious.

The Church was so powerful it controlled vast tracts of land, effectively enriching itself and essentially pauperizing the Filipino masses which it has always, always looked upon with disdain. Why else would they not, after more than 350 years of occupation, not teach Spanish to the Indios? It was simply because of that hateful disdain and contempt to the Filipino masses. It is ironic that all these brutal realities are now forgotten. What has changed? Whereas in the Spanish period abuse was incarnated in the Castilian import, now, we have our own homegrown Filipino clergy who has taken on the mantle of continued spiritual and moral exploitation of the Filipino.

There were many abuses committed by the Church, for one, they executed Jose Rizal. For what? Essentially for fighting for the human rights of the Filipino people. For fighting to have the Filipino be treated with respect, compassion and humanity it rightly deserves.

During the height of the cantakerous fight for the Reproductive Health Bill, the Church again reared its ugly dark malicious side. It wanted Filipinos deprived of the right to plan their families, to have access to contraceptives that will eventually have a profound impact on the health, well-being and future of the mother but most of all, the future all members of the family, the children most of all. The Church opposed it because it was in its view immoral. In fact, it preferred that women continue to bear children they can never even care for, let alone provide a decent life and future, as long as the dogma it chose to enshrine is maintained. Regardless of what its practical and real world implications were. For the church, dogma comes first and foremost, the rest will have to follow. It does not care for the Filipino, it only cares that its dogma be at all costs be maintained. Control is what it has always wanted. Control over the lives of the Filipino people.

That is why a Filipino patriot and nationalist can never be a man of faith. He can only be a Filipino patriot and nationalist if he frees himself from the blind, unreasonable and immoral constructs of organized religion. Only through his belief in rationality, science and society can a Filipino serve the Filipino and the country that badly needs heroes.

I would like to end with an article by Valerie Tarico, who more than enough captures the perennial tyranny that is Catholicism.