I've come to terms with the fact that I have no legal background to speak of so I would have the right to wave about cases, laws, ordinances; I'm not a Doctor/Obstetrician that I can freely give medical information about the body or how the reproductive cycle goes; and finally I have no religious nor political affiliations that I seek to promulgate. I am a private citizen who has a stance, a voice, using this post as a platform acting like a megaphone for all who would care to hear.
I am Pro-RH Bill. But I hope, even if you are on the opposing side, you wouldn't stop at that sentence in the spirit of give and take of information and understanding what you may have thought of as 'the dark side' as well.
The debate has not ceased, it has even generated a better, wider audience. And even those who have not even heard or seen the actual bill draft have preconceived notions and prejudices already, whether it's from a religious, political, or personal (mix of the two?) standpoint. And those are all we are entitled to have.
Maybe I made this post after all the confusing mix of articles, comments, legislation drafts, what my parents said, what our leaders replied has finally caught up with me. It's so easy to question anything: You read so and so article, does that article even have credibility? You said so and so's stance is this and that, what makes you think he is an expert? You believe in this and that organized political/religious groups, what makes you think what they think is right?
In these times, I have been left to my own devices, much like everyone I know in the face of these contradicting but at the same time very profound ideas. In the end, it all boils down to ourselves, we side with what we truly value in life, and what we want to uphold.
They say "You can be the change that you want to see in the world", and at this point, I want those who view otherwise to know that being Pro-Contraception does not mean you are automatically an evil person who wants to kill off an unborn child, who wants women to mutilate their bodies and put cancer inside them by getting on the Pill. Who thinks a couple who has sex without procreation in mind is going to have their names marked in the list of people going straight to hell.
I do not want to kill a child. On a personal level, I love babies, I love children, I adore my nieces and nephews, I once worked for an NGO Child Care Crisis Center. But I am completely Pro-Contraception. Does that mean I wished for these children to have never been born in the first place? I hope anyone won't go that low to insult me or to those that share the same sentiments as I do. I am Pro-Contraception because I have seen the ways it wounds a child to be unprotected, unsheltered or living low in love because the parents were not ready to shoulder a grave responsibility or add another head to their abundant family; or how a bright, young one is scarred for life when he or she is considered--as it is commonly termed in an untactful society--an "unwanted child".
I am not saying that Contraception is the only answer to stop having unwanted children, because it is not. My point remains that here is a bridging correlation between preventing pregnancy and contraceptives. Core point is: you, or with a partner, mutually chose to not have children yet but still enjoy the benefits of a loving union.
Now, the case that Catholics have is the notion, taken from various Dogmas and other holy documents, pertaining to the primal end of marriage and sexual activities. Both are made for procreation. It is something that I personally agree with in the Judeo-Christian tradition that: Sex is unitive and procreative in nature. (Of course it is, not unless you are unable to bear due to medical reasons, which is an entire can of worms altogether.) Now that Artificial Birth Control methods have long been laid out on the table and the fact that there is a new proposed bill to strengthen the campaign, it clashes violently with the Natural Family Planning that the Church approves of as they see that only the Unitive nature of sex is being upholded, which gave rise to the notions such as: "Birth control enables us to use our spouses as objects for pleasure, without the potential for self-sacrificial life-giving love". Given that we can now use sex for pleasure only, it makes the Catholic Tradition that God designed sex for Procreation null, causing the uproar and moral reprehension of those that support the bill.
Admittedly, it's hard for me to follow through with a lot of religious blogs that banner these statements because they only cover those who are under their wing, the pious dominant. But what about us, the margin, who do not follow their Dogma? The religious may call me morally corrupted, atheist, evil, but who are they to say that? Yes, the Philippines is predominantly Christian, but don't immediately rule out other religions as well, not everyone is a Christian or a Catholic.
It's your God and your beliefs, as I have mine. But I am not shoving my own God to your face and calling you evil and morally corrupt just because you don't follow my God. You only have a Catholic Viewpoint, and this viewpoint, as mine, is limited in scope and breadth, it only covers those who share it. Please do not impose on me your rules which I believe do not apply to me. Yes, you are entitled to your ideas, but you are not entitled to shove it to my face and call me names if I don't accept yours as my own.
NOTE: This note was not meant to alienate or anger anyone, I have tried to sound impartial as I wrote this in a calm, even though sleepy, manner. It's 3:22 AM and I have to go to work early, but this is something I can't just shake off with one sleep. If you have any comment to add, reactions that you want me to read, please comment below or mail me at its.the.crazy.country.air@gmail.com !
Thank you for reading.
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