WHAT was supposedly a popular liturgy in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary became a grotesquery of sorts. Liturgy was transformed into blasphemy. This is what Reproductive Health (RH) bill supporters did when they used the age-old Catholic tradition of Santacruzan to promote their anti-life cause as if the maelstrom of advertisements promoting the bill is not enough already. This mockery and desecration of a religion has gone way overboard.
If memory serves me right, it was during the last week of May when music from an incoming marching band summoned us outside to see what we thought was Santacruzan passing by our street. Not having seen one in a long time, I was pretty much excited to see elegant women grace the parade while at the same time pay due respect to our Mother. But as the procession pushed through, I noticed something odd about the participants. I turned to look at my mom whose face confirmed my confusion—those were gay men clothed as women.
After coughing up a few laughs, we sneered at the idea of making a Catholic tradition look like a joke. But a more surprising, or rather infuriating, scenario caught us off guard. As most of the parade passed before us, some “gay pride advocates” hoisted streamers that called for the passage of the RH bill. And to add to their detestable acts, they even had the audacity to put the word “pro-gay” on the tarpaulin.
Then there were also topless men wearing angel wings while holding placards that read the same thing. An insult to the children who normally act the role of angels in the procession, these “angels” looked more like devils in disguise. This reminded me of Kevin Spacey’s line from the movie The Usual Suspects (1995), “The greatest trick the devil ever made was convincing that they don’t exist.”
These so-called gay advocates should learn that the RH bill is not pro-gay, nor will it ever become one and that the purpose of the bill is to curb the country’s population growth. How can they actually say that the bill is “pro-gay?” It looks to me like they are only calling for the bill’s passage to satiate their carnal gratification. If by some divine providence they are able to procreate with the same sex, then them supporting the bill could be much more sensible.
On the other hand, like it is not enough that others have already infiltrated the realm of advertisements and other shenanigans to get the message of the “good side” of RH bill across, now they just have to use—more like lambaste—the Church for their own self-serving interests. Has Carlos Celdran formed a bandwagon of supporters who use the consecrated affairs and traditions of the Church to promote the bill, when unbeknownst to them that they are only exposing the wretchedness of RH bill to its core? It is quite galling to see that people have the gull to desecrate Catholic traditions for an insidious ploy of promoting a cause that is an anathema to the Church.
Going back to the story, as they continued to parade their fat behinds on the street while intrepidly shouting that the birth-control bill is “pro-gay,” what followed was a more exasperating scene. Trailing a muscular “Reyna Elena” was—lo and behold—a truck covered with logos of contraceptive brands like Frenzy condoms and EZ Lubricants. It seems like these companies have, too, joined the campaign in supporting the bill, which will obviously be enough to benefit them should it become a law. It is not rocket science to figure that out as the Varsitarian has always pointed out the RH bill lobby is capitalist-funded and imperialist-driven.
With billions of pesos costing the bill, these companies must probably be fighting tooth and nail to have it enacted.
And the bill’s myriad promises—backed by intellectuals from the academe and statesmen—are now rapidly brainwashing more and more people to think that it is a panacea to the country’s dire problems. Should this become a trend, in time the Church will soon enough become a hard sell to the Filipino people.
But the Church is just too strong to be toppled by shock tactics and desperate acts like these. Unlike the self-proclaimed “pro-choice” advocates who attack ad hominem every time the Church voices out its sentiments, pro-life supporters keep their composure and only assail the bill for what it really is—an abomination to life and a burden to tax payers.
There is nothing wrong in taking sides in an issue, but people should be sensitive and rational in promoting their stand. But sensitivity may be the least to be expected from those supporting an anti-life, anti-reason measure like RH.
