The futility of religious quarrels

By Herbert Vego

THIS writer once wrote of his failed search for the true religion, stressing that “I discovered God outside of religion.” Let this be a sequel to that article.

The truth is that one religion’s goodness is another’s sin – as in worship or veneration of graven images.

If I cited unassailable anti-religion opinions that tended to allude to popular preachers who had enriched themselves at the expense of poor followers, they were supported by facts.

It is indisputable that the followers’ tithes and offerings ensure the earthly survival and expansion of churches. But it remains to be seen whether these followers would be rewarded with heavenly afterlife.

One of my readers wrote to disagree with my observation that our main reason for believing in God is a selfish one – “to reward us with eternal life in heaven.”

He wrote, “Sorry to disappoint you, but I believe in God and the Catholic religion because it is rational and not for the selfish reason that you mentioned.”

He placated me with calming words from the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, yet sincerely seek God, and moved by grace, strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known through the dictates of their consciences, may attain eternal life.”

Does that not support the “selfish reason” I was pointing out? Anyway, what’s wrong with selfishness when it does not cancel selflessness out? Don’t politicians fatten themselves while serving their constituents?

As an afterthought, I recalled the late American writer Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) who wrote, “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”

Vox populi, vox Dei?  Nay, “truth” is not always found in majority opinion. Otherwise, Roman governor Pilate could have been right in heeding the demand of the Jews to crucify Jesus Christ.

Poor Galileo Galilei. The Church excommunicated this Italian “heretic” in the 16^th century for declaring that the sun, not the earth, was the center of the universe. Now we know he was right.

I would not refute my critic’s argument that Catholics do not worship graven images in violation of one of the 10 Commandments; that they merely “venerate” whom the images represent. It would be futile to argue, as Carnegie would have opined.

After all, the reason why Christianity has divided itself into thousands of sects and sub-sects is because of different interpretations of the Bible.

There is a defense to every offense. You must have heard the late televangelist Eli Soriano of Dating Daan ridiculing the “ignorance” of Catholics who address Virgin Mary “Ginoong Maria” because ginoo means “mister”.

The Roman Catholic defense is that Mary is no ordinary woman, hence befitting the higher masculine level of respect.

I have dropped out of religious affiliations, having found them ineffective in reforming society. We can’t be proud of being “the only Christian country in Southeast Asia” and at the same time “the most corrupt country”.

Shame on Filipino evangelist Apollo Quiboloy who calls himself “appointed Son of God”. He is now a “world-famous fugitive” who evaded arrest by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Davao City the other day. He is wanted for violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law.

The quest for an eternal life transcends religious boundaries. People who belong to different religions – whether Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism – take different routes to one destination. To quote the Dalai Lama, “People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.”

-oOo-

MORE POWER’S EXPANSION ONGOING

RESIDENTS of Iloilo City’s neighboring towns appear to be “worried” why MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) has not yet “lighted up”. This I gathered during a visit to a relative in the town of Pavia.

Their anxiousness is not without basis. It is public knowledge that RA 11918, the law expanding MORE Power’s franchise, has long been approved. Why the delay when the installation of posts and primary lines in three towns (Pavia, Santa Barbara, and San Miguel) has been ongoing?

The law provides for the distribution utility to expand to Passi City and 15 Iloilo municipalities – Pavia, Santa Barbara, Alimodian, Leon, San Miguel, New Lucena, Zarraga, Leganes, Dumangas, Barotac Nuevo, Dingle, Dueñas, Banate, Anilao, and San Enrique.

When we asked MORE Power’s president and chief executive officer Roel Castro for an update, he revealed that the company was still waiting for the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) to issue a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN).

“The approval of the CPCN is the green light we need,” Castro said.

Meanwhile, we are amused over the efforts of the three branches of Iloilo Electric Cooperative (ILECO), to improve their services against the upcoming competition.

“Madasig na sila mag-respond sa reklamo,” my niece in Pavia told me.

This reminds me of a quotation from Henry Ford: “The competitor to be feared is one who never bothers about you at all, but goes on making his own business better all the time.”