THERE’S a billboard outside the Borongan church, put up by the diocese, which proclaims the stand of the diocese towards mining. It used to be an absolute “no to mining” message that made it clear to one and all what the Borongan bishop’s view on this industry was.
But I am told the message on the billboard has changed. From the absolutist position, it is now “no to irresponsible mining,” a change that I think everyone should welcome and one that is a significant step forward. Forward towards rationality and sanity, and away from hypocrisy.
Yes, hypocrisy. How can an institution like the Roman Catholic Church that built its fortunes on harvesting the riches of the earth in colonies that it had helped subjugate and control be against the very source of its wealth? How can an institution that uses solid cast iron bells, gold crucifixes and tiaras and goblets studded with gems be against mining?
And my joke: how can an institution like the Roman Catholic Church whose doctrine swirls around the crucifixion of the Savior be against mining? How can there be a crucifixion without nails and how can there be nails without mining?
‘… now you see how the change in the tenor towards mining of the billboard of the Borongan church is indeed a significant step forward!’
The church founders should have chosen a story where maybe the Savior had been drowned or stoned — maybe even burned at the stake — instead of having been crucified. Because the crucifixion story tells us Christians that mining was instrumental in saving us from eternal damnation! (Will I burn in Hell for this?)
In contrast, notice how Pope Francis — a scientist — is more reasonable? He has spoken out not against mining as a whole but against irresponsible practices — as it should be. Yet, some local priests and bishops are less reasonable. And more hypocritical.
Thank God the bishop in Borongan is no longer one of them, or so it appears.
And it’s also about time. Because always remember: what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. If priests and bishops would lump all mining as irresponsible because a few are, then how do we deal with the legally proven fact that there are sex criminals among the ranks of the clergy? Using the same logic then makes all clergy, His Holiness included, a bunch of sex maniacs, yes?
In the US city of Boston, for example, the Archdiocese has had to sell most of its property in order to pay the enormous fines imposed by US courts on sexual predators among the clergy. Luckily for the Church the Jesuits in the US were able to step in and buy the properties, somehow keeping them still in the books of the Church, albeit that of a religious order.
(Interestingly, I haven’t heard of any Catholic priest in the Philippines sued for sexual assault. Hmmm.)
And so, if we were to go by the old logic that all mining is bad because a few are bad, then it should follow that all priests are predators because a few are, yes?
So now you see how the change in the tenor towards mining of the billboard of the Borongan church is indeed a significant step forward!
Hallelujah!
