THE “Divine Being” by whatever name or identity you choose to believe seems to be taking a more active role in the Philippines lately. No, this is not thoughts on the All Saints’ Day holiday and traditions.
Back in May after the elections, President Duterte raised some eyebrows by saying, “For the record, I believe in God, but I do not believe in religion, period.” While every person is entitled to her own personal views in a country that enshrines the freedom of thought, Philippine presidents have always had a more conciliatory relationship with organized religion.
One losing senatorial candidate in the last election had “no hard feelings” about losing, since “it was the will of God”. By the same token, Sen. Manny D. Pacquiao invoked the will of the Supreme Deity on several occasions, and referred to Duterte as “the anointed one” and that “God put him there for a reason”.
However, apparently “god” speaks different things to different people. In an opinion piece in another newspaper, a Filipino lawyer—based in the United States since 1981—wrote that Duterte is “but a leader full of demons”.
While the President was in Indonesia earlier this month, protesters from the Indonesian Drugs User Network (a group opposed to drug use but equally opposed to government policies against drug use) went even farther. They carried signs reading: “Duterte…Stop playing God!”
Perhaps, the last entry of God into the Philippine political scene was by the President himself. “If you don’t stop epithets, I will bring this plane down now,” a voice to which Duterte responded, “And I said, ‘Who is this?’ So, of course, ‘it’s God.’”
One vocal critic of the President had her response also, “When God talks to us, it is schizophrenia.” Everyone has her own opinion. But that seems to make most of the thousands of Catholic saints in need of mental help. This includes Mother Teresa, who wrote that she was riding in a train when she said, “Christ spoke to her and told her to abandon teaching to work in the slums of Calcutta aiding the city’s poorest and sickest people.” Apparently, the Missionaries of Charity was created because of a severe mental disorder.
A letter to the editor published by a leading newspaper accused Duterte of steering the Philippines to “godless communism”. One prominent politician said the President’s move toward nontraditional allies and criticism of the United State, by default, makes him a communist most probably of the “godless” variety.
But it is not just in politics where Divine Intervention appears. The Philippine Weightlifting Association president emeritus said an act of God led to Hidilyn Diaz’s silver medal at the Rio Olympics.
Unlike these many others, we do not presume to speak for or interpret the will and thoughts of the Almighty. We hold that religious belief or nonbelief is a personal matter. But, from a human perspective, if we were the “Architect of the Universe”, we would be exceedingly annoyed at all these people using God to further their own personal agendas.