The power of faith

Religion is a topic I normally avoid. I have always considered Faith as a deeply personal matter. This is one time I have gone against this writing rule of mine; and share my personal view. For the sake of full disclosure, I would like to publicly state that I am a practicing Catholic and not just a weekend Catholic. I have tried my best to live a life that follows the basic tenets of the Church. Not only do I go to mass regularly; but, I try to visit the Blessed Sacrament regularly – a habit I inherited from my earliest years in a Catholic School. I believe that being a Christian enriches a person’s life in politics, business or in any profession he or she chooses. 

At the same time I also believe in every person’s right to the basic freedom of religion – the right to worship God or god as he or she deems appropriate for personal salvation. This also includes the right to not believe in the existence of any god. The right to be an atheist is also an exercise in freedom of religion. There are many atheists – past and living – who I admire for their achievements like science fictionist Isaac Asimov, poet Robert Burns, Greek philosopher Democritus, inventor Thomas Edison, writer Ernest Hemingway and philosopher Bertrand Russell.

However, there is a red line when any person preaches violence against any religion – Islam, Budhism Christianity, Hinduism or any other spiritual beliefs or non-beliefs. I strongly condemn any act of violence in the name of any religion – be it jihadist terrorism or the Spanish Inquisition.

Simon Hughes, former Member of parliament (MP) of the United Kingdom; and a Catholic, was once asked if being a Christian brings something unique to politics that cannot be replicated by any other system or ideology. He replied: “ Yes, Christianity leads people to confront the truism of politics, that at the end of the day, you have to account for your own decisions. The faith teaches that if you accept your own inadequacy, that is understood and taken into account.”

He also confronted the issue of being a Christian politician representing people of different beliefs: “...the job of politics is to convert ideas into practice and the job of the honest Christian politician is to interpret the gospel into a framework which permits people to make choices and protects them when they do so but doesn’t make the choices for them. We cannot prescribe a Christian Utopia. We have to legislate for a fallen world. Yes, we are influenced by our faiths and beliefs, but I am MP for 80,000, many of whom are non-Christians, many of whom have no faith and many of whom are people in circumstances entirely different from mine. They need a framework which is socially coherent for them, which enables, validates and develops them as individuals to be themselves – and, I hope, then gives them the opportunity to open the door marked ‘ Salvation on offer through Faith.’

I believe in a liberal democracy and a government which upholds the basic freedoms. It is true that the democratic system of government has produced corrupt officials and ignorant leaders; but, that is not a reason to condemn democracy. Politicians and even elected representatives do not represent the basic ideas of democracy. 

It is also the same basic belief that makes me distinguish between criticisms of bishops and priests and criticisms of the Faith. I strongly believe in the basic doctrines and tenets of the Catholic Faith; but, I have also criticized many actions of bishops and priests. I strongly condemn the efforts by many bishops to protect members of the clergy from being prosecuted for sexual abuse. I have even criticized certain parish priests who have installed air conditioning in their churches amidst so much poverty. I also believe that it is time for the Vatican to allow priests to get married; and, for women to become priests. However, I see these issues as separate from the basic doctrines of the Church.

I do believe that one of the failures of many bishops and priests is that they have failed to speak in the language of the day and to understand the present generation. Hughes also said: “The message is the same – the miracle of the gospel is that Christ’s teaching is entirely applicable now – but the Church doesn’t seem to communicate in the language of today.”

As I said at the start of this column, although I have criticized many leaders of the Church and I have admired many achievements of atheists, I have remained faithful to the teachings of the Church. Perhaps, Pope Francis gives the best explanation in one of his homilies:

“ Everything passes, only God remains. Indeed kingdoms, peoples, cultures, nations, ideologies, powers have passed but the Church, founded on Christ, notwithstanding the many storms and our many sins, remains ever faithful to the deposit of faith shown in service; for the Church does not belong to Popes, bishops, priests, nor the lay faithful; the Church in every moment belongs solely to Christ. Only the one who lives in Christ promotes and defends the church by holiness of life, after the example of Peter and Paul. In the name of Christ, believers have raised the dead; they have healed the sick; they have loved their persecutors; they have shown how there is no power capable of defeating the one who has the power of faith!”

Creative writing classes for kids/teens and adults

Online Writing for Adults with Tarie Sabido on June 30 (1:30pm-4:30pm).  Young Writers’ Hangout on July 7 and 21, August 4 and 18 (1:30pm-3pm; stand-alone sessions). All classes at Fully Booked BGC. For details and registration contact 0945-2273216 or [email protected].

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