Church warns Aquino over birth control policy

[Prometheus Bound]

Source: AFP

Church warns Aquino over birth control policy
1 hour ago

MANILA — Catholic bishops in the Philippines on Tuesday warned they would support protests against President Benigno Aquino if he pushed through with his plan to promote contraception.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines said it was offended by Aquino's statement on Monday in which he said his government would provide artificial birth control methods to the poor.

<snip>

The Catholic church, which counts more than 80 percent of the Philippine population as followers, remains opposed to any promotion of artificial birth control.

<snip>

On Monday he said that his government would provide contraceptives to poor couples, to curb the Philippines' high birth rate.

<snip>

The bishops wield considerable influence in the Philippines, where they often lock horns with officials who promote contraceptives.

But a survey conducted by a research group in January found that as many as 68 percent of voters believed that government should provide couples with all legal means of family planning.

The Philippines estimates its 2010 population at 94.01 million, up from 76.5 million in the 2000 census, making it the 12th most populous nation in the world.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hB8TbSe7lsCw2Yecj555bnLQ_xQw?docId=CNG.bf57684dba4b5bc4d7503b36b06a8e30.6f1

---

The Catholic Church bears a large portion of the responsibility for the vast poverty in the Philippines.

[WillParkinson]

1. :LIGHTBULB:

Let the freaking church pay for the children.

[Prometheus Bound]

2. It's time someone stood up to them.

Condemning tens of millions of people to perpetual poverty through this ban on birth control is obscene.

[Le Taz Hot]

6. The Catholic Church

taking over the care of unwanted children. What could happen?

[saigon68]

9. More victims for the pedophile Clergy

[Le Taz Hot]

10. You know I was being a smart-ass,

right? :hi:

[saigon68]

21. Nope

I appreciate your humor

[whathehell]

16. I agree completely. n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

19. Are you crazy!

We don't need to give the Vatican more children to molest!

You know, there is something incredibly sick about the fact that there are priests who refuse to marry, but demand that women keep on having children that continue to get abused by priests.

Something just very sick about that whole cycle.

[Douglas Carpenter]

3. 1980 population of the Philippnes: 48,098,460 -- --2010 population of the Philippines: 94,013,200

1960 27,087.685
1970 36,684,948
1975 42,070,660
1980 48,098,460
1990 60,703,206
1995 68,616,536
2000 76,504,077

http://blog.cathcath.com/total-population-of-the-philippines-and-the-growth-rates-7198.html

2010 94,013,200

http://www.census.gov.ph/data/sectordata/popproj_tab4r.html


This has got to be one of the craziest and most irresponsible things about the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines and elsewhere. There are already lots of other social forces at work in the Philippines and other developing countries like concern for who will take care of the parents when they are old and a kind of idolization of children and parenthood that makes convincing people to use birth control difficult enough - but when Roman Catholic leaders in country that is roughly 80% Roman Catholic - in a deeply, deeply religious country push against any reasonable policy on birth control - this is irresponsible beyond imagination.

[skepticscott]

4. But didn't you know?

god will provide. Sorta.

[saigon68]

22. Its one of the most violent places I have ever been to

Every man carries a Clone 1911 Colt .45 auto under his Barong Tagalog

[Douglas Carpenter]

24. that's a bit of an exaggeration - but I would agree that the rate of violent crime is very high -

especially around Metro-Manila. However, out in Nueva Ecija, - in Central Luzon where I own a house and live part of the year - things are very quiet and violent crime is minuscule,

[Prometheus Bound]

5. Philippines birth rate: 1.96% per year.

India: 1.55%
Indonesia: 1.14%
China: .66%

Of PI's 90 million people, 40% are aged 14 years old and below.

Advantages?: big labor pool
Disadvantages: no jobs, not enough food

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/LG21Ae01.html

[SemperEadem]

7. does the church pay taxes in the Phillippines?

didn't think so.

[Prometheus Bound]

8. Catholic groups gear up vs Aquino policy on contraceptives

Catholic groups gear up vs Aquino policy on contraceptives
By Jocelyn Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:09:00 09/28/2010

MANILA, Philippines—A network of Catholic lay organizations across the country is gearing up for protest actions after President Benigno Aquino signified his government might provide assistance to couples who want to limit their children even with the use of contraceptives or other means of their choice.

....."We have to react no matter how we respect the President because this is a serious matter... it is the Filipino family at stake here," he added.

During a satellite television interview with members of Filipino communities around the world while in San Francisco on Monday, Aquino declared that he may provide contraceptives to poor Filipino couples who want to limit the number of their children through their method of choice, including contraceptives.

Such statement "deeply hurt" the Catholic Church, which firmly opposes artificial means of family planning, such as the use of condoms and birth pills. It prefers the so-called natural method, such as the rhythm and abstinence.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100928-294822/Catholic-groups-gear-up-vs-Aquino-policy-on-contraceptives

[Botany]

11. so old men who claim not to have a sex life want to tell others ...

.... what they should do?



The Catholic Church spreading hate, terror, and stupidity for 100s of years.

[Odin2005]

12. The men in white dresses and funny hats should STFU.

[ehrnst]

13. So say the unmarried, childless men who live in expensive enclaves. (nt)

[and-justice-for-all]

14. Their President is correct and as usual the church is dead wrong..

The Human population needs to be controlled, because it is out of control.

[ensho]

15. the pope and the church is out of control

not the people who have been brainwashed to be scared of not listening to the priests.

[loudsue]

17. We already have about 4 billion people too many in the world.

Especially the authoritarian personality sort. Waaay too many of them.

[Arugula Latte]

18. Must stay in medieval times, mustn't we?

:eyes:

I wish people would just stop putting asses in the pews of these messed up institutions.

[COLGATE4]

20. They much prefer that their priests don't use condoms.

[Prometheus Bound]

23. Aquino faces threat of excommunication

Aquino faces threat of excommunication
By Philip Tubeza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:01:00 10/01/2010

MANILA, Philippines — Raising the ante in their conflict over birth control, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Thursday said President Benigno Aquino III could be “excommunicated” if he actively promoted the distribution of artificial contraceptives to Filipino couples.

Mr. Aquino, a practising Catholic, recently signified support for couples who would want to limit the number of their children by using contraceptives. His statement has been taken to mean he would favor government distribution of contraceptives to them.

“Being the President of all, you must consider the position of the Catholic Church because we are approaching this issue from the moral aspect,” the CBCP president, Bishop Nereo Odchimar, said on Church-run Radio Veritas.

“Abortion is a grave crime. Excommunication is attached to those. That is an issue of gravity, that is a violation of God’s commandment,” he stressed.

Asked if Mr. Aquino could be excommunicated if he promoted the distribution of contraceptives, the CBCP president said: “That is a possibility.”

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20101001-295320/Aquino-faces-threat-of-excommunication

[Prometheus Bound]

25. IN THE KNOW: Excommunication

IN THE KNOW: Excommunication
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:03:00 10/01/2010

MANILA, Philippines—Excommunication refers to the exclusion of a person from the community of the Church for misconduct. It is the most severe penalty that the Catholic Church may inflict on an erring member.

While an excommunicated person does not cease to be a member of the Church, he or she may not participate in the Holy Mass and is deprived of the benefits of the Holy Sacraments.

Moreover, an excommunicated person is not included anymore in the prayers of the entire Catholic community during Masses and in the liturgy.

Excommunication is either “ferendae sententiae” (imposed as the sentence of an ecclesiastical court or by a bishop) or “latae sententiae” (incurred at the moment the offensive act takes place).

Grounds

The most common grounds for excommunication are abortion and being a direct or indirect agent for its commission, breaking the seal of confession, and physically striking the Pope.

In 2000, Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, then spokesperson of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said automatic excommunication awaited women who take the “morning after” birth control pill mifepristone or RU 486. He said the drug was not only an abortifacient (induces abortion), but abortion itself.

In 2008, then CBCP President Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said those who supported abortion, even though not committing the act directly, “become accessories who motivate the people to commit sin.”

Accomplices

Citing Canon Law 1398, Lagdameo said that a person who actually performs an abortion may automatically be excommunicated.

He also quoted another provision which said that “in the case of an penalty of excommunication attached on an offense, accomplices, even though not mentioned in the law or precept, incur the same penalty if, without their assistance, the crime would not have been committed.”

Heads of states have been excommunicated in the past.

In 1955, Argentinian president Juan Peron was excommunicated after an anticlerical campaign that involved the expulsion of bishops and the legalization of abortion and prostitution.

In 1962, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro was excommunicated by Pope John XXIII on the basis of a 1949 decree by Pope Pius XII prohibiting Catholics from supporting communist governments.

Lawrence de Guzman, Inquirer Research
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20101001-295321/IN-THE-KNOW-Excommunication

[defendandprotect]

36. Pedophile priests however aren't "excommunicated" .... !!!

This is what they fear -- abortion being made available in Philippines --

and presume there is an illegal method of gaining abortions there?

Plus self-inflicted abortions?

Catholic women have abortions at the same rate as any other women --

that's why the church must try to regain control of the women of the church

by influencing government!

[defendandprotect]

26. What the RCC is doing in Phillipines is immoral - and criminal ....

But a survey conducted by a research group in January found that as many as 68 percent of voters believed that government should provide couples with all legal means of family planning.

No one -- especially a male-supremacist church -- should have control over reproduction or

normal human sexuality .... over than the individuals involved!!


ALSO ... keep in mind that Catholic women and families everywhere will use artificial birth

control when they can get access to it. The Church is simply trying to keep control over these

women and families by influencing government!!

Catholic women everywhere have just as many abortions as any other women!!

This is a crumbing church -- still trying to retain control over women and reproduction!!

[defendandprotect]

27. Btw, is President Aquino assured that there is no priestly sexual abuse of children ....

in the Phillipines?

Is it mandatory that any such sexual abuse should be reported to civilian authorities --

or is this another situation where the church can keep it hidden?

Maybe Philippines simply has no priest sexual abusers???

Maybe someone should ask???

[Prometheus Bound]

29. 200 sex abusers out of 7000 priests.

At least that's what they admitted to. I suspect it's much more.

Monday, 8 July, 2002, 13:57 GMT 14:57 UK
Philippines Church apologises for sex abuse

The Philippines Catholic Church has apologised for sexual abuse by hundreds of its priests over the last 20 years.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines said on Monday that it was now drafting guidelines on how to deal with such offences by its clergy.

When sexual scandals involving Catholic priests in the US came to light earlier this year, the Philippines media began reporting on abuses by local priests.

Monday's statement was the first official response from the Church in the Philippines, where at least 85% of the 76 million-strong population is Catholic.

Hundreds suspected

According to the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, about 200 of the country's 7,000 priests may have committed "sexual misconduct" - including child abuse, homosexuality and affairs - over the past two decades.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/2116154.stm

[saigon68]

32. Bending little boys over and savaging their rectums

That's the ticket </sarcasm>

[defendandprotect]

34. And destroying the lives of children is so less important than preserving sperm/egg ... !!!

[defendandprotect]

33. That's an '02 report -- and what I've found even more shocking is new info on Belgium ...

child abuse cases where much of it has taken place in just the last ten years!!

None of this should have happened -- Italians say it's been going on 2000 years since

the Church's inception --

but to have these reports of this stuff continuing in the last ten years to me shouts

out for new action --

[Prometheus Bound]

38. Here are just a few cases listed on "Bishop-accountability.org"

Molokai Priest Removed for Alleged Abuse in Philippines (2003)
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news3/2003_01_28_Mary_MolokaiPriest_Roberto_Batoon_2.htm

Girl Recalls First Time Priest 'Raped' Her (2006)
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2006/05_06/2006_05_03_SunStar_GirlRecalls.htm

Philippines Shocked over Bishop in Sex Scandal (2003)
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2003_01_06/2003_06_09_SunStar_PhilippinesShocked.htm

Parish Priest Defended, Hit (2006)
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2006/01_02/2006_02_14_SunStar_ParishPriest.htm

Priest in Sex Scandal Urged to Surface (2007)
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2007/03_04/2007_04_18_GMANews_PriestIn.htm

Priest Faces Rape Charges (2007)
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2007/01_02/2007_02_22_DailyStar_PriestFaces.htm

US Seminarian Kicked out for Sexual Misconduct Now a Priest in Rp: Report (2010)
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2010/03_04/2010_04_15_AbsCbn_USSeminarian.htm

Dark Clouds Loom over the Philippines As Sex Scandals Plunge the Catholic Church into Crisis (2003)
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2003_01_06/2003_06_30_Vitug_ABurden.htm

Accused of Sexual Abusing Boys in 1998, Saysaya Later Fled to Philippines (2004)
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news13/2004_12_09_GrandForksHerald_ArticlesOn_Fernando-Sayasaya_6.htm

UN Digs into Priests’ Sexual Abuses in RP (2005)
The Washington-based Catholics for a Free Choice has found that because of the policy of secrecy in the Roman Catholic Church, erring men of the cloth are practically untouchable, at least in the Philippines.

Standard has obtained a copy of the 27-page report that details a dozen cases of sexual abuse involving local and foreign priests in the Philippines.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2005_01_06/2005_02_28_Herrera_UNDigs.htm
http://bishop-accountability.org/abuse2005archives/009659.html

Archdiocese Didn't Publicize Priest's Abuse Cases, Group Says (2009)
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2009/09_10/2009_10_26_Warikoo_ArchdioceseDidnt.htm

Filipino Public Defender Helps San Mateo County Priest Seek Pardon for Molesting Girl (2009)
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2009/01_02/2009_02_13_Pfeffer_FilipinoPublic.htm

Bishop in Sex Scandal Quits after Uproar (2003)
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2003_07_12/2003_11_26_Age_BishopIn.htm

Priest Accused of Rapes Finds Prominence (2005)
Filipino church leaders welcome Garcia despite incidents with altar boys
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news/2005_03_16_Egerton_PriestAccused.htm

Catholic Priests Continue to Sexually Abuse Children (2008)
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2008/11_12/2008_11_12_EthicsSoup_CatholicPriests.htm

Too many others to list

[defendandprotect]

42. Didn't know there was such a website ...

Holy See’s role

"The Philippine government, as State party to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), should hold the Catholic Church in the Philippines and the Holy See accountable for clergy abuse of minors that happen within the Philippines," the report noted.

In May and September 2002, CfFC submitted reports to the UNCRC that presented the worldwide problem of sexual abuse of children and adolescents by Catholic clergy and religious. As a result, CfFC was asked to submit a more detailed information on the topic. Since then, the CfFC, with partners in Canada, Germany, France and Austria, have submitted NGO reports to the committee on the dangers these countries face in complying with the Convention, due to the status and role of the laws of the Holy See.

"Pray for the children" is right!!

Thanks for the info -- are you really in China?

Native of China?

[Prometheus Bound]

43. Hi D and P

I'm Canadian born and raised, but have been living in China for 18 years and travel a lot to both the Philippines and Canada.

[defendandprotect]

44. Hi PB

Interesting --

Thanks for the response -- :)

[KakistocracyHater]

28. again why does a purported religion have an obsession with the body?

what special thing are you supposed to get, besides children & poverty, if you don't use bc? How many women want to be the mother of eight? twelve? seventeen, like Queen Anne? how many men want to work(at more than one job)to support that many children?

[CatholicEdHead]

30. The Church is 500yrs in the past

and they still want birth rates of a few centuries ago when extra family members could either "donate" a child to the church (priesthood, brother, sister, etc...) and more importantly when disease wiped out a large percentage of a large family, only a few would survive to adulthood, unlike today.

[defendandprotect]

35. Organized patriarchal religion is about control of women --

that's the primary issue --

Controlling women -- weakening their authority in society -- also makes it easier for

these men to ABUSE CHILDREN!

It also, as you note, indirectly is a control on male lives --

and on all normal human sexuality which this male-supremacist church has perverted!

[JerseygirlCT]

40. Particular focus on controlling women's bodies... nt

[cowcommander]

31. I'm so glad my parents immigrated to the U.S.

To put it bluntly, the Philippines is FUCKED. Too many problems with class divisions, poverty, the Catholic Church fucking things up even more, and the inherent conservative culture of Filipinos who don't want to change at all. The Church isn't just the problem, the problem is that Filipino culture values having as many kids as possible. Family is EXTREMELY important there, more than anything else in the world that's what Filipino society revolves around on. And the more kids you have, the happier they say you'll be.

I have 5 aunts and 2 uncles from my mother's side alone. Each of them had at least 3 children, and 10 of them are already married and have at least two children already. I'm the only one out of all my cousins who isn't married. And they're very proud of having that many kids. It's a fucked-up situation, and Filipinos are extremely hard-headed and will not listen to anyone lecture them. :(

[defendandprotect]

37. Do you have any knowledge of what the spiritual beliefs were -- pre-RCC....????

[JerseygirlCT]

39. Oh good grief. Let them get really, really, mad. And hold their breath

til they turn blue. Maybe stamp their little Prada-clad feet.

And ignore them, as any smart person ignores a childish temper tantrum.

[Prometheus Bound]

41. Oh great! A Muslim group has joined the opposition to birth control pills and condoms.

Muslim group joins protest vs artificial contraception
10/02/2010 | 08:35 AM

A Muslim group has joined the opposition to President Benigno Aquino III’s open policy towards the use of artificial contraceptives for family planning.

The Imam Council of the Philippines (ICP) said it is against the use of birth control pills and condoms even among married couples.

"We do not favor contraceptives to control the Philippine population. Islam is against contraception because that will be underestimating God’s wisdom."

Moxir added the Islam community is one with the Catholic hierarchy in opposing the passage of the Reproductive Health bill.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/202450/muslim-group-joins-protest-vs-artificial-contraception

[Prometheus Bound]

45. Bishops say condoms and pills undermine the family, induce abortion & promote a "culture of death".

CBCP exec to govt: Give poor Pinoys jobs, not contraceptives
ANDREO C. CALONZO, GMANews.TV
10/02/2010

The administration of President Benigno Aquino III should prioritize providing employment and education to poor Filipinos rather than giving them artificial contraceptives, an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said Saturday.

Fr. Melvin Castro, head of the CBCP’s Commission on Family Life, said that the government should focus on giving Filipinos means of living instead of promoting a “culture of death."

“We are not accusing anyone. We respect the leaders of our government, that’s why we pray for them. But what the poor need are jobs and education opportunities, not artificial contraceptives," Castro said in a talk before pro-life advocates in Manila on Saturday.

Castro likewise criticized the government’s “informed choice" stance on reproductive health issues, saying that the public is not being informed on what the pro-life camp views as bad effects of contraceptive use.

"We are not fighting the government. What we are opposed to is a culture, a lifestyle —the culture of death… They talk about informed choice, but do they inform the public about the side effects of these contraceptives?" he said.

The CBCP official maintained that artificial contraceptives, such as condoms and pills, are “abortifacients" or substances that induce abortion.

“What these contraceptives undermine is the Filipino family and the people’s faith," he said

The priest’s statements came days after President Aquino expressed support for artificial contraception, saying that Filipino couples should be given the right to choose what family planning methods they prefer to use.

Castro was the same CBCP official who claimed that Aquino’s stance on contraceptives has something to do with the $434-million grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation the President received during his visit to the United States last week.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/202492/cbcp-exec-to-govt-give-poor-pinoys-jobs-not-contraceptives