Is it really separation? Or the meddling of the Church in the affairs of the State? This is one of the things that we really should differentiate. By definition, separation means “the action or state of moving or being moved apart.” It implies that the church has been merged with the State or Government while this issue is ongoing. On the other hand, When we say “The meddling of the Church on the affairs of Government”, it means that the church is attempting to interfere with decisions that only the government should do. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s dive right into this topic, shall we?
The basic function of the church is to be involved in every facet of the life of the believer. Holding true to this mission, Christ looked at the needs of the people, provided it, and then begun to preach out the good deeds. The church today must live up to its true billing — meeting the needs of the people. Instead, the church as portrayed in the media shows them attempting to meddle with government legislature which they deem to be “against the teachings of the bible”. In this age of Modern Globalization, Religion and Science have become much more important than ever before. Many people rely on religion to give them explanations to things science cannot currently explain. It offers the people moral guidance and help if people are in need. Ever since the events portrayed in the bible, we as humans have progressed so far that we have to abandon some of our beliefs that prevent us from continuing to advance, and so is the case with the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church in the Philippines still does retain its influence among the general populous, which is still a dangerous tool. Some government bills such as the Divorce Bill have been blocked by the Catholic Conservatives due to the belief that marriage is a sacred rite. Although there are alternatives such as annulment, these alternatives take much longer in general. These blocking of legislature due to the influence of the church slows down our progress as a country and destroys our unity as a Filipino people as a result of this divide.
For me, the best thing that the church should do is to leave the government alone and focus on giving people the guidance that they need. That is the best help that the Catholic Church can give for the Country and its people. Since the government is busy building up our economy, maintaining diplomatic relations, responding to emergencies and running our country in general, the government can’t really tent to all the needs of everyone in our country, and I think that’s why the Catholic Church is there, to help the people, to spread the good news, to give hope where others cannot provide any. It should be the pillar which helps the government, not something which stops it from running.
In the end, I think it is better if they remain separated and free from each other’s control. We must learn from our past mistakes and do better in the future, for the progress of the people and the entire nation.
Federation News Network 