Mensahe ni Bishop David–Isang Bible Scholar Kay Sen. Pacquiao
.
.
“Don’t use Bible to justify death penalty”
BY: Bishop David
SOURCE: Rappler.com
“Don’t use Bible to justify death penalty”
BY: Bishop David
Mahirap makipag-usap tungkol sa Bibliya sa mga fundamentalista, ‘yung tipong kukuha ng isang linya sa Bibliya pero hindi na papansinin ang ibang linya na salungat sa binanggit.
Ang Salita ng Diyos ay unti-unting nabunyag sa atin mula sa Lumang Tipan hanggang sa Bagong Tipan, hanggang sa magkatawang-tao ang mismong salita ng Diyos kay Kristo. Para tayong mga bata na unti-unting nag-mature. Kay Hesus natin dapat makita ang pinakamataas na antas ng maturity ng ating pagkatao. Siya ang pamantayan natin sa pagbasa sa Bibliya bilang salita ng Diyos.
Kung gagamitin lang natin ang Bibliya bilang depensa o para lang igiit ang mga pansarili nating opinyon, e ‘di ibalik na rin natin ang pang-aalipin (slavery), ang mababang pagtingin sa mga babae, ang death penalty para sa mga bakla, ang mga sinaunang batas tungkol sa malinis at maduming pagkatao? Kasi nasa Bibliya din ang mga iyan? Marami nang gumamit ng Bibliya para sa hindi makataong mga layunin.
Kung sa personal na opinyon ni Senador Pacquiao, ang death penalty ay makatutulong sa pagsugpo ng kriminalidad, karapatan niyang ipahayag ang personal niyang opinyon. Sa demokrasya, irerespeto naman talaga natin ang personal na opinyon ng isa’t isa. Pero sana huwag na lang niyang gamitin ang Bibliya bilang justification.
Kung sang-ayon sa death penalty si Kristo, e ‘di sana binato na rin niya ang babaeng nahuling nakikiapid? E ‘di sana imbes na mamatay para sa mga makasalanan e pinagpapatay na lang niya ang mga makasalanan? ‘Di ba favorite passage ng mga Evangelicals ang John 3:16: “For God so loved the world…? God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save it!”
Willing akong makipag-discuss na personal sa butihing senador tungkol sa Bibliya kung willing din siya at sincere sa pagsusumikap na unawain ang Bibliya bilang salita ng Diyos.
Bishop David’s statement in English:
It is difficult to discuss the Bible with fundamentalists, the type who would quote a verse or two from the Scriptures and not mind the other passages that may not be supportive of their opinion.
The Word of God was gradually revealed to us from the Old Testament to the New Testament, culminating with the incarnation of God’s Word in Jesus Christ. We were like children who matured in stages. In Jesus we’re supposed to see the highest level of maturity of our humanity. He is our criterion and standard for reading the Bible as Word of God.
If we use the Bible as a mere justification for our personal opinions (such as on death penalty) then we might as well return to the morality of slavery, misogyny, death penalty for homosexuals and the ancient laws of purity and impurity, just because we also have them in the Bible. The Bible has been used much too often to justify even the most inhuman and ungodly things.
If Senator Pacquiao is convinced that the death penalty is a useful deterrent for criminality, he is entitled to his personal opinion. His right to express it will be protected in a democracy. But I just wish he didn’t have to justify it using the Bible.
If Christ were in favor of death penalty, perhaps he would have been the first to cast a stone at the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11. Instead of dying for sinners, he would have just killed them all instead.
But isn’t John 3:16 a favorite of Evangelicals? “For God so loved the world he gave us his only Son so that all who believe might not perish but might have eternal life. God did not send his Son to the world to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through him.”
I am willing to have a discussion with the good senator about the Bible if he is willing and sincere in his effort to understand the Bible as Word of God.
