What about community and social issues?

[idealist yupee]

Originally Posted by Maria Silang

Do you think we have to apply this practice to our country? Any comments regarding this issue?

Since time in memorial the issue about separation of the Church and the State have been rised. The Catholic Church through its "Liberation Theology" further stregntens the Church's role in our day to day lives. Gone are the days when the church only focuses more on the spiritual being of its members. The Church will not be silent anymore to the abuses done by our political leaders. The Church plays a major role in the development of our country's economy. Economic growth does not mean that we would let go of our values and morality. The Church will serve as our guide in achieving economic growth but wihout the expense of well-being as a "person". I guess people who often criticized the Church active involvement in our country's quest for economic growth are afraid of what history have taught us. The Church have already undergone reorganization for them not commit the same mistakes done by them in the past. Theocracy is indeed not an ideal form of government. History tells us that there are abuses done by the Church leaders. Here in our country it happened during the Spanish colonial era. The Church today is different from the Church in the past. Past mistakes have been taken into account. This resulted to the creation of Vatican II, in which guides our Church leaders to increase their involvement in our country's affairs either on local or international. This is of course, guidance to do what is morally right to a certain issue at hand. Furthermore, our government has already lost to its people its confidence. If the Church will only focus on spiritual matters, where would we seek leadership and guidance to obtain sustainable development? To our politicians...?!

[Ruben Tagalog]

Hindi makakatulong ang paggamit ng mga politiko sa altar ng Simbahan para isulong ang anumang layuning pampolitika maging ang naisin ay para sa kabutihan ng bayan.

Ang simbahan ay para sa sagradong paglilimi ng ating diwa at kilos. Ito ay nakalaan lamang para sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa Maylikha, kay Kristo, o kay Jehova, o kung alinmang Pangalan na iniuukol natin.

Ang politika sa Pilipinas ay napakadumi, marahas at halos wala nang pitagan. Hindi ganito ang Simbahan na may kabanalan at pitagan.

Halos lahat ng politika ay umaasa sa limos mula sa sugal, prostitusyon, maging sa droga at iba pang iligal na naglalagay sa bingit ng kamatayan sa kanioang nasasakupan. Ang Simbahan ay nagliligtas sa mamamayan. Napakalayo ng agwat ng kanilang diwa at kilos.

Isa pa, kung paghahaluin ang Simbahan at politika, hindi rin malayo na dumating ang panahon na ang maglalaban ay hindi na partidong kinaaaniban at sa halip ay labanan ng relihiyon--- Katoliko laban sa Iglesia ni Kristo o laban sa Islam o laban sa Buddhism o laban sa Jehova o laban sa Born Again. Ayaw nating balikan ang panahon ng dark ages, hindi ba?