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The word withdrawal conjures up images of people in
various professions. Three types immediately come to mind: bankers,
politicians and priests. They have different interpretations of the
word withdrawal.
When bankers talk of withdrawal,
they mean money drawn from the bank. When politicians talk of
withdrawal, they mean losing voter support. When Roman Catholic
priests talk about withdrawal, they are referring to sex.
In fact, priests talk a lot about
sex nowadays. Please bear in mind it’s all talk because they
don’t teach by example. They simply encourage couples to have sex
without using the condom or the pill. They said those who promote
the use of contraceptives are abortionists.
Priests point accusing fingers at
politicians, who back measures in Congress and in local governments,
giving people access to condoms, pills, injections and intra-uterine
devices. Politicians are a hindrance to procreation, the priests
said.
Skillful in deflecting blame and
ducking the accusing fingers, the politicians look behind their
shoulders and put on quizzical expressions. You know the
are-you-referring-to-me look. But the priests insist: “Yes,
you.”
Of course, the politicians deny
they are pro-abortionists. In fact, they claim they are pro-life.
They want to help couples from resorting to abortion because they
cannot afford another child. The politicians argue that their
intention is to help try control runaway population growth.
But the priests are shaking their
heads. “We know who you are. We will not give you communion.”
The priests said use of
contraceptives is a sin because it promotes abortion and it defies
the teachings of the Church. They (politicians) are sinful and
should not be allowed to receive communion, the priests said.
It’s not often that you see
politicians cowering in fear and blabbing like discredited witnesses
in a Senate investigation. Courting a blacklist by the Church is
like committing political suicide. Is the issue on the manner of
having sex worth the risk of being banned from receiving communion
and possible excommunication?
A few politicians speak up, and
we admire their courage. But many people suspect they are either
retiring from politics, or they are non-Catholics. Non-Catholics
have nothing to lose. If you offer them communion, they will say:
“No, thanks.”
The pro-abortion label is
apparently a convenient tag used with great skill to put the enemies
of the Church at a disadvantage. There is strong argument against
ballooning population, which is expected to hit 90 million this
year.
Priests: What’s the problem
with having a big population?
Politician: It’s the main cause
of widespread poverty.
Priest: No. It’s corruption in
government that causes poverty.
The priests say the politicians
should not tamper with creation and let nature take its course.
Babies are born, but people die as well. The politicians should not
stop people from having babies. If people want to stop, they should
do it the natural way: stop having sex, or ask the man to pull out
before the climax, which is the technical description of the
withdrawal method.
You can avoid sex if you push it
out of your mind, which is not easy, especially if the lovely wife
keeps smiling at you and she suddenly remembers all your un-kept
promises. Still abstinence is possible, the priests say. “If we
can do it, you can do it.”
If you can no longer resist the
wife, go ahead. The priests do not object. But remember withdrawal
is difficult. It requires perfect timing, mental and physical
strength to delay the rushing tide and to pull out just in time.
(For many people it’s next to impossible. They say it’s like
being forced to go up into the ring to mix it up against Manny
Pacquiao).
Don’t ask the priests for
guidance about withdrawal. If you insist, they will also look behind
their shoulders and put on quizzical expressions, you know the
are-you-asking-me look. (Should you also tell them: “Yes, you?)
In reality, many men say they
don’t need politicians to tell them to use the condom, the pill
and the other devices. The fear of a communion ban is unnecessary,
they say. How would the priests know unless we tell them?
When a priest is around, you use
codes. Don’t say withdrawal; say go to the bank. Don’t say
condom; say use an umbrella. And don’t say pill, say cure for
headache.
If the priest insists on knowing,
you can tell him you have to leave to go to the bank.
palaciosjp@sss.gov.ph
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