Religion and Society

RELIGION AND SOCIETY

                All these talks of ours regarding the theme “Desert” which arose because of the preceding gospel readings we dealt with at length for the Sundays and weekdays of Advent, lead us to a more important and practical conclusion concerning the vital relationship that exists between religion and  society.

                The importance that the desert, and all the other places in the world which may be equivalent to it, such as remote and isolated forests, mountain retreats, or lonely seashores, has played towards the growth and development of religion, including all religious thoughts, sentiments and experiences, among and in people of all races cannot be ignored.

                The relationship between the desert, which has served and provided many people a place to experience new religious ideas, and the society within which they move and exist and have their being, is the matter which we want to reflect seriously and deeply in order to concretize our homilies for all the Sunday and weekdays readings for Advent.

                Deserts have, for all times in the history of human civilization, served as favorable places of refuge for many people when their present social life, their social relationship with other people and their institutions, has become abnormal for them since they can no longer adjust or it is becoming impossible for them to adjust. Normal people life in society is getting hard for them; hence they escape to some deserted places to look for some peace and a quiet place for their souls.

                The desert, therefore, becomes a better environment for some discontented people, when life in society is adverse for normal individual growth. When society itself is hostile and uncivil to the individual, then he seeks to escape the inhostility and incivility of his society in order to pursue his life I the hostile environment of the desert.

                When one realizes that his society is supported by corrupt, defective and insincere individuals, and that both the internal and external forces for a change in society is impossible to apply for the renewal of society itself to take place, then one is forced to take refuge in some desert (or deserted places) to seek for a place to organize his perspective of life regarding his present and future prospects for the renewed and vigorous existence he so requires.

                The purpose then for going into the desert is very clear. It is to seek renewal both internal and external, a renewal which is both inside and outside of the individual. The inside change he seeks is brought about by some religious experience and ideas which he may have and is deeply sharpened when he is all alone by himself in the desert. Here he has all the time to visualize all his ideals in life, past, present and future, and to nurture without obstacle or disturbance his religious sentiments until he arrives at a very clear synthesis of his beliefs, which is the purpose of his present sojourn in the desert.

                The second change which he also seeks in his defective society is only possible when one is able to arrive very successfully at the first change, that is, the internal renewal, or interior change. Let us remember that all this escaping thing was brought about because of the individual’s deep discontent with his society, which has so affected his normal existence and which he wants to change now. Once he is clear about what change he wants to carry out and implement in his society, through and interior religious enlightenment, then he automatically receives the force, or interior conviction, and the arm of reason to address his problems. He is now therefore ready to leave the desert and to go back to his society, which he left temporarily in order to assess his strength, to start his actual battle for the renewed relationship with other people and their institutions. All these have happened because of the desert.

                What then, is the direct relationship between religion and society?

                Besides what we have said above that the desert has provided a person discontented with society a situs to nurture his religious convictions and beliefs which will serve as an immediate preparation for him to launch his battle to renew and change society itself. Whether his method of change will be a violent or non-violent one will depend upon many factors at his disposal or upon what form suits his situation best. But when we talk about a religious renewal, it can always involve a more or less peaceful means if the religious reformer is faithful to the heavenly source of his religious reform and not upon the erratic ways of his earthly temperament.

                We shall now show how the religion and his beliefs and convictions of the religious reformer has a direct bearing upon his society so as to capture its civility and its civilized ways.

                From facts of modern history and human sociology, we know that religion has had a role to play in society. The relationship between religion and society can be shown as one which is an inverse and not a direct proportion. According to this proportion, when one element is seen to be on the upgrowth while the other element is on the downgrowth. Applying this to the proportionate relationship between religion and society, we say that when society is on the upgrowth, religion tends to go downwards, and vice versa.

                In order to have a precise picture of this point, let us show it through a mental diagram. In our minds, let us picture the letter “X”. This figure has two ciphers, one from above at the right going down to the bottom to the left, and the other, from the bottom at the right side going up to the apex on the left side. These two ciphers crisscross at the center in the middle part.

                This letter “X” figure, with its two ciphers already described above, will show the indirect or inversely proportional role that religion and society plays in human history. The first cipher of the figure “X” which originates from the upper portion from the right side going down to the bottom of the left side, will be used to represent society. The second cipher of the figure “X”, which originates from the bottom part of the right side going up to the apex of the opposite side, will be used to represent religion, or the role religion plays in society.

By way of interpretation, therefore, of this graph, we show that from the start of human history, society started from a point which is at an apex, while religion started from a nadir point. In the course of human history up to our present times, the representative year of which is the year 2000 C.E., we show this relationship through our graph to be that of society occupying the nadir point at the bottom, while religion is at the apex point in the opposite side. At some point in history, this two lines have crossed each other, meaning that religion and society had been at par with each other and that religion was on the same level as that of society.

Applying this to a more important point which is the renewal that an individual reformer works for society or for a religion, a more important point for us since we are talking about the theme “Desert”, we say that when one experiences a religious renewal which has the force to push religion to its next stage in its development upward, necessarily this new force in religion can trigger a corresponding downward movement in society, until both of them achieve a progressive movement opposite each other and attain an equilibrium until such a time that another renewal or upheaval, either in line with religion or in line of society, happens or is done.

Given this important demonstration of the role which renewal movements play in the role of forming religion and society and the conclusive theory that religion has an important role in the formation and advancement of society and vice versa, we can appreciate very much the fact that deserts and deserted places also have a dominant role to play in this scheme. Let it be said here, for the sake of those who object to this assertion by maintaining a different view from ours who say that renewal can be worked also within the society or religious institutions itself without necessarily escaping and seeking refuge in a desert, then we have this to say to them: as far as our available data from research is concerned, we can demonstrate and show that many religious reformers in other and in our own time started their work of reform and renewal, which had an important impact in the renewal and reform of their societies, in some deserts, and deserted places such as mountain retreats, remote villages and lonely beaches, which are places that are very much a distance away from the society or religion which they seek to renew or reform.

                We cannot go to some details about this now, in order to show that our assertion or theory is conclusive enough because of lack of time or limited space. But, in some other times or occasions, we can do this. We are just mentioning this here now because we want to end this present theme of ours for this season of Advent, by telling you that the place which John the Baptist and Jesus Christ chose to preach and show themselves, which is the wilderness and the desert, are very much in consonance with their work and mission as religious and social reformers. There is no doubt that in the Bible there is direct relationship that exists between our theme “desert” and the work of renewal or reform of both religion and society.

Konklusyon:

An disyerto - sarong lugar na dispaborable laban sa tawo na normal huli ta mainit, mapungaw asin garo mayong kabuhay-buhay na yaon na pwedeng pakinabangan nin mga tawo. Kun kaya, an disyerto parating dinudulagan nin tawo.

Alagad, sa Bibliya, an disyetro sarong espesyal na lugar para sa Dios tanganing diyan darahon niya an mga tawo na saiyang gusting tukdoan dapit sa pagtubod asin pagtiwala sa saiya. Diyan sa disyerto niya man ipinapaabot an saiyang mga mahalagang mensahe para sa kaligtasan nin tawo. Dios an minabugtak nin mga tawo sa disyerto.

Sa disyerto enot na nakanumpong an Dios nin pagtubod ki Abraham. Sa disyerto, diyan man pinatindog nin Dios an saiyang pinaka-enot na iglesia, o asembleya, o kolonya kan mga akin in Dios. Sa disyerto, inamdam ni Juan Bautiosta an sarong dalan para sa pagdatong kan Mesias asin paratubos na si Jesukristo na iyo an nagpatindog liwat kan iglesiang nakatumba sa paagi kan pagtubod kan saiyang dose disipulong nasa pamamayo ni San Pedro. Sa disyerto asin mga apartadong lugar ipanhulit kan mga apostol an tunay na iglesia nin Dios asi pinormar an mga enot na kristyano. Sa disyerto, an Sta. Iglesiang Ina nyato aatamanon sa mga huring aldaw.

An disyertong sinasabi sa Bibliya iyo an sarong lugar na pinapailihan kan mga tawong gusting makanumpong asin gusting mag-adal dapit sa tunay na pagtubod sa Dios. Disyerto an paboritong pagtiripunan kan mga tawong gusting magbago kan sadiri asin kan sosyedad.

An disyertong iyan saindo nang nasumpungan kan kamo manimbagan na itataya nindo an saindong buhay para sa pagbabago kan satong Inang Sta. Iglesias a paagi kan saindong pagtiripon sa mga harong-harong, asin mga lugar na puwera asin mga gilid-gilid tanganing makapadagos nin pag-adal dapit kan mensahe nin kaligtasan na iyo sana an makakabago kan saindong sadiring personal na pagkabuhay. An saindong presenteng pagtiripon iyo an magbutong asin pagbugtak nin Dios sa saindo diyan sa disyerto na parating dinudulagan asin isinisikwal nin mga tawo. An mismong Dios iyo an nagpanungod asin nagboot na kamo makamate kan eskperyensya nin sarong disyerto sa buhay nindo, na kamo makanood kan dalan nin pagtubod, sa paagi kan mga renewal movements na nangyayari ngonia diyan sa laog kan Iglesiang satong nagimatan nin huli ta an Dios komitido na baguhon niya an saiyang Sta. Iglesia. Kamo an inapod nin Dios na makamate nin disyerto sa saindong buhay tanganing makanood kamo na magpakumbaba sa pagtubod nin huli sa sabi ni Papa Juan XXIII kan binuksan niya an konsilyong mabago sa Sta. Iglesia kan 1959, an Konsilyo Vaticano II, na “an pagbabago kan Sta. Iglesia mangayari sana sa paagi kan mga dukha.”

Sa trabahong ini nin Dios na baguhon an saiyang presenteng Iglesia, importante an pagbabago nindong enot kan saindong sadiring pagkabuhay asin pagkatawo. Kaya, sabi sa evangelio ngonian, si San Juan Bautista iyo an “sarong tingog na nagkukurahaw sa disyerto, andama nindo an dalan para sa Kagurangnan…magbakle na kamo kan saindong pagkabuhay tanganing mapatawad nin Dios an saindong mga kasalan”.

Kaya ngani, minahagad man ako saindo nin pagintyende sa parte nindo kun ako masakit na minataram sa saindo nin mga bagay na seguro ngonian pa sana nin do nadadangog asin lubos na nasasabotan. Kun ako masakit sa saindo, iyan nin huli sa pagmalasakit ko sa saindo. Boot ko na kamo an enot na magbago bago magtrabaho kamo para sa pagbabago kan ibang tawo asin kan Sta. Iglesia. Aram ko na kamo nagkakapot nin mga grupo nin tawo asin nagoorganisar asiin nagpopormar nin mga grupong pagbabago. Alagad kun dai kamo mismo an enot na magbago asin an saindong mga dating uroataman na mga bisyo iyo an mahiling kan mga tawong duro-dara pa nindo sagkod ngonian diyan sa saindong pagkatawo, seguro ko na pagpipintasan kamo kan mga tawo kun kamo talikod sa saindo asin masarabi “An tawong ini nagtutukdo samo dapit sa Dios, na gusto kami nin Dios na magbago sa samong mga sala asin maraot n agawe asin paguugali, alagad an tawong ini na nagtutukdo samo dai kaya nin Dios na baguhon diyan sa saiyang sadiring mga bisyo”. Bako dawn a dakulang pag-olog-olog ini sa saindo asin kamo an apektadong gayo kan siring na mga abkong magayon na tataramon kan iba?

Kun ako nagsasambit nin mga sala asin maraot na paguugali, an sakong intension bakong paghusgaran ta kamo kundi tanganing ipamidbid sa saindo an tama sosog sa tataramon nin Dios na satuyang tinutukar asin inaadalan sa evangelio. Kaya, dai man logod nindo ikakulog sa boot kun medyo magabat asin masakit sa pagdangog an mga tataramon na saindong nadadangog hale sako nin huli ta iyan igwa nin katuyuhan na ikapaabot sana sa saindo an puro asin dalisay na tataramon nin Dios o an mensahe nin kaligtasan na mayong halo nin kaputikan o panloloko o panbebentahe sa kapwa.

An gabos na ini igwa nin katuyuhan na magbago sa saindo enot sag abos tanganing pag-nagtrabaho naman kamo para sa pagbabago kan saindong kapwa-tawo, mayong pintas na aakoon an saindo man na mga tataramon nin huli ta iyan gikan sa sarong puro asin dalisay na burabod.

Kasubago palan, nadangog man nyato an saro na naghiras na bako sanang bastante man kita magpara-prayer-meeting sana asin dai kita maggibo nin kontribusiyon para sa karahayan kan satuyang sosyedad. An mga tataramon na idto tibaad masabotan kan iba na dai na kaipuhan na mag-atendir nin mga prayer meeting asin bastante na sana na magtrabaho para sa ikakakontribuir para sa sosyedad.

An sakuyang opinsyon dapit digdi iyo na gibuhon nyato an tamang balance sa duwang ini asin dai nyato pag-aliwalasan an arin man sa duwang ini. Ipaghalimbawa nyato sa sarong gawe nyato na magpainom nin sarong basong tubig sa kapwa. Naghohona kita an may marhay na gibo diyan sa sato kun kita minatangro nin sarong basong tubig na ipapainom sa kapwa kun siya napapaha. Totoo na an gaweng iyan marahay. Alagad, kun an tubig na ilinaog mo diyan sa baso hale sa sarong maating bubon, totoo ngani na nakapainom ka nin kapwa, alagad kun an ipinainom mong tubig sarong hilo asin nakaraot sa saimong kapwa, kun siring, embes na sarong marhay  na gibo an pagtao nin sarong basong tubig, nakaperwisyo asin nakadanyar sa pa logod nin huli ta an tubig na yaon sa laog kan saimong baso maati.

Arog kaini an panalmingan kan relasyon kan prayer meeting asin an kontribusyon na ginigibo nyato para sa sosyedad o sa ibang tawo. An prayer meeting iyo an burabod nin malinig asin purong tubig kun saen ika nagsasakdo na iyo mong ipinapainom sa iba kun ika nagtatrabaho para sa sosyedad. Igwa ka man ngani nin dakulang kontribusyon sa sosyedad, alagad an saimong burabod na pinagkukuahan kan saimong kinokontribuir hale sa saimong sadiri man sanang mgakaisipan asin mga ideya, iyan pwedeng magin sarong bubon na estangkadong tubig, asin bakong hale sa bubon na may tubig na buhay na iyo an tataramon nin Dios. Kaya, kun gusto mong makaseguro baa b ipinapainom mo sa iba sarong tubig na buhay, kun siring mag-adal ka muna kan mga tataramon nin Dios sa paagi kan prayer meeting. Saka ka na magluwas asin mag-isip na magtabang sa sosyedad asin seguro na an pagtabang mong iyan hale sa puro asin dalisay na pagtabang sosog sa Dios asin bakong hale sa saimong sadiring mga interes personal asin kagustuhan.

An talagang pinakadireksyon kan satuyang mga pag-adal sa Bibliya asin prayer meeting iyo na ngapit makapag-kontribuwir kita kan satuyang sadiri para sa pagbabago kan Sta. Iglesia enot sag abos asin an ikaduwa, kan satuyang sosyedad humana. An prayer meeting nagaandam kan satuyang sadiri para sa pinaorog na trabahong ini. Kun baga, antes na nagbutwa si Jesukristo na iyo an totoong nagpatindog liwat kan Sta. Iglesia, naenot muna an pag-andam na ginibo ni Juan Bautista sa mga tawo.

An trabahong ini kan pagbabago kan Sta. Iglesia iyo an sarong dakulang trabaho nin Dios ngonian na itinatangro niya saindo bilang mga katabang o kasangkapan. An tinatangro sa saindo nin Dios iyo an sarong gaweng pagka-heroe na pwede nindong tayaan kan saindong bilog na pagkabuhay digdi sa daga, tanganing ngapit sa ikaduwang buhay makamtan asin itao sa saindo nin Dios an daing katapusan na buhay.

Sa ngonian pa sana, pinupunan  na nindo an pagka-heroe kan itinaya nindo an saindong buhay para sa trabaho nin pagbabago, enot kan saiindong sadiri sosog sa pangangapodan kan tataramon nin Dios na “tanosa nindo an dalan para sa Kagurangnan, an mga bikong dalan tanoson, an mga bako-bako saramahon, an mga bulod patagon, an mga kababan pantayon”, na an mga ini nagpapahayagkan pagkakarhay kan satong mga maraot na pag-uugali na bakong sa kristyano.

Ikaduwa , an saindong pagtiripon sa mga harong-harong tanganing maghanap kamo kan mga buhay na tanda nin pagtubod na dai na nahihiling sa mga institusyon nin relihiyon nin huli ta sinda may pagtubod na. Nin huli ta kamo naghahanap pa sana nin tunay na pagtubod kaya kamo nasa luwas kan disyerto tanganing mag-adal kun paano an pagtubod asin lubos na pagtiwala asin pagsunod sa tataramon nin Dios. Bako dawn a ini saro nang heroismo sa parte nindo na nagpapakasakit asin nagmamate na kamo nin mga pagtios asin ikumbenyensya kan disyerto alang-alang kan saindong pagsunod sa Dios.

Magpadagos man logod kamong magsarig asin pusog sa saindong pagtubod na an saindong desisyon na magpadagos sa dalan nin pagbabago kan saindong sadiring buhay asin kan Inang Sta. Iglesiang namomotan asin padangat nin Dios.

Kasubago, isinabi man sa sharing na an mga ginigibo nyato dapat na may supervision kan mga opisyal kan simbahan. Para sako, an tataramon na ini bakong tama. Balikan nyato sa isip ta an disyerto. Sa disyerto daw igwa nin mga lehe, reglamento asin mga ordinansa? Bako daw na an mga ini aplikable sana sa mga lugar nin mga tawo? Sa disyerto an lehe na nageepekto iyo an lehe nin Dios asin bako kan mga tawo. Kun mapasakop kita sa mga opisyal kan simbahan, kun siring an mga lehe kan mga tawong ini iyo an ipapasunod asin bakong an sa Dios.

An dahelan kun tano ta binubutong asin dinadara kita nin Dios sa disyerto iyo na tanganing dai kita maribaraw kan mga lehe na gibo nin tawo sana asin bakong sa Dios. Boot nin Dios na kun nasa disyerto kita an mga pagboot asin lehe sana Nya iyo an pagsusundon ta. Kaya nganin dinara kita nin Dios sa disyerto nin huli ta hale n akita sa pagpasakop sa mga lehe kan mga hade o mga lider political na nagkakapot kan relihiyon asin ini nagin nang natural na relihiyon nin huli ta ini pinatindog asin pinuproteksyonan kan opisyal na paganong gobyerno.

Kun siring, bakong tama na magpasubaybay pa kita sa mga lider kan natural na relihiyon, kun gusto nyatong maotob an plano nin Dios para sa pagbabago kan saiyang Sta. Iglesia na enot na pinatindog sa disyerto. (Ipaliwanag man an kaibahan kan Iglesia Instutusyonal asin an Iglesia Karismatika.)