Manila Times, Mar. 28, 2019, Otso Diretso's Sacrilegious Campaign Graphic.pdf

Otso Diretso's sacrilegious campaign graphic

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Otso Diretso's sacrilegious campaign graphic So, even ifopinion polls are designed to show their top senatorial prefercnces, voters are supposed to disregard their own preferences, as

indicated by scientifically crafted suweln, and vote for those who are not their dominant choices. One cannot recall in any election over the past decade or more when election officials and Catholic prelates gave this advice They certainly did not tell voten to set aside suweyleading candidates in the last three elections. So, why now?

One suspects it's because administration candidates dominate the latest voter suwqn, while the Otso Diretso line-up ofthe opposition Liberal Party (LP) has just one

take the place of the lette$ "O" and "1". Cod has been turned into letters in a campaign graphic.

the crucifix and the Eucharist into font designs remains sacrilegious. The Liberal Party and its can-

prelates of receiving luxury spons

As a journalist, this writer would normally have run a picture of the sacrilegious poster. But as a devout Catholic, one is so offended by this unprecedented misuse of God's images

didates should denounce the

That was utterly false, but Aqui no let his sweepstakes maven Margaret Juico publicly malign

ice

-

for partisan politics, thatone cannotbearto see it rcproduced and disseminated in a daily paper.

Scour the countless election campaigns in Christian countries,

The CBCP should denounce

if

this

bad as, not wdtse than, say, candidates as

If the misused

cohorts have now resorted to sacrilege

in an aggressive effort

Now spreading online is

images were Islamic, there would surely be a nationwide outcry ftom Muslims, considering how deadly fatwas were declared against cartoons satirizing the Prophet Mohamed.

But many Catholics don't

to sway the faithful. a

poster that aims to harness the religious vote for Otso Diretso. And in the propaganda graphic there are three ofthe holiest images of lesus Chris! the Second Person ofthe divine BlessedTrinity, used in place ofletters in the

word "CAIHOLIC."

Christ crucified replaces the letter "T", while pictures of the Blessed Sacrament "- the consecrated host and the host and chal-

graphic, and institute steps for vetting cainpaign materials. Religious imagery shor.ild be totally avoided. As the Inrd said. render to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God

Defensor-Santiago came to the prelates' defense, and it emerged thatPCSO funds were used to buy mostly used vans and pickups for Church charity projects all perfectly lawful for non-govemment organizations aidiag the poor. The bigger affront to heaven

Defenders of Otso Diretso's campaign graphic may point to Prcsident Rodrigo Duterte as committing far graver offenses against the Church, with his cussing against God and Pope Francis,.as well as

don't speak up, then their silence gives license for other religious imagery to be exploited for political propaganda.

That faction or its LP campaign

what she labeled as "Pajero bishops." Thankfully, Senators Juan

political campaigning.

drugs and his tirades against clergy and Christianity, the anti- Duterte faction in the Church seems set on

Using God's images in vain

devout Catholics. The.LP should also strongly reprimand those who conceived and designed the

A record of LP sacrilege

being ponrayed as fesus, Mary or popular saints. If the bishops

big boost.

to God and offense to

Body and Blood of Christ, and His redemptive sacrifice on Calvary for

at odds with President Rodrigo Duterte over his bloody war on

a

disrespect

what is God's.

sacrilege, which is at least

givingrhe LP

graphic, and apologize for the

and one will not find a similar misappropriation of the divine

candidate seauely in the Magic 12 winning circle for the Senate contest And with the Catholic Church

seem bothered by Christ crucified as the letter T and His Body and Blood as O and L When the . graphic appeared in a chat group for alumni of a Catholic school, there were even thumbs-up icons posted in response.

utilityvehicles from PCSO during the Anoyb administration.

Ponce Enrile and the late Miriam

-

came during the deliberations on the reproductive health bill in Congress. Aquino called on legislators to vote according to their conscience which is the voice of God in their souls. But when voting came in December 2012, solons were told to approve the contmceptive measure ol lose their pork barrel. Thus, mammon was used to induce lawmakers to disobey God's inner promptings.

-

his invectives and even threats against bishops and pdests

criticiz-

ing his war on drugs.

Those presidential excesses certainly deserve to be denounced by Catholics, but they do not at all excuse or justify exploiting the Passion and Death.of Chdst and His Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist for partisan campaigning. What's worse, the LP seeking to hamess the Catholic vote also

Whether most believers are scandalized or not, Church leadeN must stand up for this lack of respect for saoed images of Gdd Himself. It may not be as bad as

committed $ave offenses alainst the bishops and even God Himself (http s :f/ www. m an i I atime s. net/pre sident- dutene -vs - go d - a l mighty-w hos-winningl4 9 2 4 1 5/). Then President Benigno Aquino 3rd did his own bishop-bashing and even went so far as undermining the voiie of God Himself. Early in his'rule, his appointed head of the Philippine Charity

calling God stupid, but turning

Sweepstakes Office accused eight

And in January 2015, dght in the ofvisiting Pope Francis, Aquino falsely claimed that bishops criticiz-

face

.

ing his regime were silent during his predecessor Gloria Anoyo's rule In fact, the CBCP used stronger language in her timq even lamenting: "We look at our landscape and see darkness everywhere. "

Now this political party wants to get Catholic votes misusing sacred images of God in its election propaganda, with the eager help ofsome prelates, priests and laity. May Cod enlighten all political stalwarts 10 see and repent oftheir offenses against Him, His Church,

and His ministers.