IN WHAT may be the most brain-melting and logic-defying argument supporting the revival of the death penalty, brawler-turned-legislator Manny Pacquiao expressed backing the return of capital punishment by saying that “even Jesus Christ was sentenced to death.”
“Even Jesus Christ nga na-sentensyahan ng kamatayan dahil ang government nag-i-impose talaga ng death penalty but we’re not talking about individually. The Bible says: ‘Thou shall not kill.’ Meaning, kung nagkasala ka sa akin, hind ko pwedeng ilagay ang batas sa kamay ko, patayin kita,” he stressed ridiculously, contradicting his own statement.
The professional punching bag from General Santos City employed similar Bible thumping in the confirmation hearing of Environment secretary Gina Lopez, who valiantly shuttered, after a months-long audit, 23 mining operations that threatened to encroach on watersheds.
“For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land — a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys of hills… a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills,” heralded Pacquiao, citing Deutronomy 8: 7-9 as proof that even the Great Creator encourages “responsible mining.”
“We have to taking (sic) care of the Earth, the nature, the environment because we are connected. Our lives are connected with nature, with the environment because when God created human, he didn’t create it by magic,” followed up the boxer turned legislator turned Christian born-again pastor, once more seemingly disagreeing with himself.
Yet when President Rodrigo Duterte had the gall to say that God is “stupid,” Pacquiao was quick to downplay the fiery remark saying: “Dito sa atin, iba-iba ang paniniwala natin. Nirerespeto natin ang bawat isa, ang bawat paniniwala. At kung anuman ‘yung malalim na dahilan ay hindi natin alam, kaya hindi tayo puwede magbigay ng comment.”
Time and time again, the PacMan has turned to the Bible for guidance in his legislative duties – often taking the good book’s verses literally – and over and over again failing to realize how his opinions and decision habitually contradict themselves.
A Bible-clutching podium preacher claiming to be pro-life yet is in favor of the death penalty and the war on drugs – does he not see the irreconcilable contradiction?
This is of course rich coming from a self-confessed former drug user and someone who’s vote against the Reproductive Health Law was influenced by the divine intervention of a sucker punch from Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012.
“In the dying seconds of the sixth round of my fight against Marquez, a single punch knocked me out. What happened in Vegas strengthened my already firm belief in the sanctity of life, on whether a person’s right to live in this world should be put in the hands of his fellow man. Only God has the right over this,” he said in the Lower House back when he was still a congressman, he then advocated for death by hanging – “Sisipain lang po yung upuan,” he remarked laughing at the Senate.
Since the newbie senator seems to be taking hints from the archaic Bible for his policies and bills, I’ve decided to do him a favor and help the fighter turned statesman scour the centuries-old book for potential legislation.
Since, he’s against the RH Law and women getting proper health care, why not suggest a “Pull Out Bill” advocating coitus interruptus instead of modern contraception.
Pacquiao can easily cite Genesis 38:9 that recounts: “But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother.”
Why stop at hanging, when stoning to death is the preferred punishment for heretics and other unclean filth in the Bible? And why just death for drug offenses, when Leviticus clearly mandates a horrible macabre demise for anyone who “curses his father or mother” and “commits adultery with another man’s wife”?
And of course, the Bible has plenty of material supporting the return of legalized slavery and the silencing of women – “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. (1 Peter 2:18)” and “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man. She must be quiet (1 Timothy 2:12 ).”
Why not file bills for such worthy causes?
Pacquiao needs to realize the hypocrisy of his ways, bending the words of the Bible or interpreting them literally to suit any and all of his political aspirations.
Even Pope Francis himself has chastised those who interpret the words of the Lord literally and by their own understanding, characterizing this as fundamentalism, upholding belief in the strict, literal interpretation of scripture.
“Fundamentalism is a sickness that is in all religions,” said the Pontiff. “We Catholics have some – and not some, many – who believe they possess the absolute truth and go ahead dirtying the other with calumny, with disinformation, and doing evil. They do evil. I say this because it is my Church.”
“We have to combat it,” he added. “Religious fundamentalism is not religious, because it lacks God. It is idolatry, like the idolatry of money.”
Listen up PacMan, you and your hypocritical ways just got knock out by the Pope./PN
