An Act Of God?
The
legislative debate on the Reproductive Health Bill incurred the wrath of God. That’s what the Catholic
clergy want us to believe in the wake of the devastation wrought by Typhoon
Pablo (international name “Bopha”).
In an interview with Radio Veritas, a Catholic AM Station, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said, “Ewanko lang kung yan ay coincidence lang o dahil nga may pinapasabi ang Diyos saatin na kapag iyan ay pinag-uusapan ng matindi ay parang may mensahe nanangyayari na maraming kahirapan na nagaganap sa atin.” [“I don’t know if it’s just coincidence or God may be telling us that whenever this is discussed heavily, it seems there is somehow a message that many hardships seem to be happening.”] Remember that, a few months ago, when Habagat hit us hard, though Father Melvin Castro of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family Life stopped short of linking the monstrous monsoon with the RH Bill, nonetheless he said, “Although we would not give other meaning toit, nonetheless God speaks through his creation as well. Nature tells us torespect the natural course of things.” Sadly, such speculations do not all soothe the situation. It’s the proverbial “rub-salt-on-the-wound-add-insult-to-injury” thing. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, so far as of writing, we have 418 dead, 383 people missing and 445 injured. This led showbiz activist Jim Paredes to quip via Twitter, “I don’t know whether God punishes or rewards, and what value system God uses if He does. But I know men like to imagine things.”
I personally don’t agree with the notion that we are mere pawns in God’s divine chess game. That’s not the God of the Bible. I believe the one true God does not punish innocent people for the sins of the guilty others. “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6-7, ESV)
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| Residents walk amongst their destroyed houses after Typhoon Pablo hit Compostela town, Compostela Valley province, in southern island of Mindanao on December 4, 2012. Source: Inquirer.Net |
In an interview with Radio Veritas, a Catholic AM Station, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said, “Ewanko lang kung yan ay coincidence lang o dahil nga may pinapasabi ang Diyos saatin na kapag iyan ay pinag-uusapan ng matindi ay parang may mensahe nanangyayari na maraming kahirapan na nagaganap sa atin.” [“I don’t know if it’s just coincidence or God may be telling us that whenever this is discussed heavily, it seems there is somehow a message that many hardships seem to be happening.”] Remember that, a few months ago, when Habagat hit us hard, though Father Melvin Castro of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family Life stopped short of linking the monstrous monsoon with the RH Bill, nonetheless he said, “Although we would not give other meaning toit, nonetheless God speaks through his creation as well. Nature tells us torespect the natural course of things.” Sadly, such speculations do not all soothe the situation. It’s the proverbial “rub-salt-on-the-wound-add-insult-to-injury” thing. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, so far as of writing, we have 418 dead, 383 people missing and 445 injured. This led showbiz activist Jim Paredes to quip via Twitter, “I don’t know whether God punishes or rewards, and what value system God uses if He does. But I know men like to imagine things.”
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| Tweeted December 8, 2012 |
I personally don’t agree with the notion that we are mere pawns in God’s divine chess game. That’s not the God of the Bible. I believe the one true God does not punish innocent people for the sins of the guilty others. “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6-7, ESV)
Brethren,
what we need is compassion and not speculation.
