Viewpoints: A modern, understanding church

BY ABP. OSCAR CRUZ

TIMES have changed. People are different. Their value system is updated. Their traditions are new. Their customs are in accord with the signs of the times.

Their creed is reasonable. Their thinking is modern. Their feeling is novel. Their behavior is liberated. They are a distinct breed with innovative options. They are free and independent, unfettered or unshackled.

They need a new thinking mode, a new acting framework, a new church they will feel at ease with, comfortable in, i.e. “at home” with.

This new church has to be not only updated but also “modern” and “understanding” in particular. Any old church is already irrelevant and wherefore ridiculous to take into serious consideration.

This new church has to consider liberated human behavior and new social relations. People should find consolation from their church instead of censure and scourge, irrespective of what they want and they do so.

This new church has to take into concrete and serious account what has become the customary in the Philippines as the new normal therein such as customary graft and corrupt practices, killing and stealing unlimited and the like.

To give the people total freedom and unlimited hope, self-determination and unbridled option, this “New, Modern and Understanding Church” subscribes to and observes but three fundamental mandates – in place of long since existing churches (religions, sects, movements) with practically a thousand and one norms of do and don’t:

* 1st Mandate: Do what you want.

There is wherefore but one instead of the standard Ten Commandments.

* 2nd Mandate: You have no neighbors.

You only have yourself to attend to, to love and care for.

* 3rd Mandate: There are 10 gods.

When there is but one, this becomes too busy to attend to many.

There are certain matters worth taking into serious account: Whoever puts up such a church is assured of many members, specially from elected public officials.

Whoever establishes the said church is ascertained of abundant and continuous donations particularly from graft and corruption practitioners, from cheats, thieves and murderers.

Whoever comes up with such a church is likewise assured of a distinct hot place in hell for all eternity.

Any self-assigned founder?/PN