Statement from members and friends of the Catholic Biblical Association of the Philippines (CBAP), Bible and Social Engagement (BASE) Interest Group
For a PDF version, please click on
CBAP STATEMENT (PDF)
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THE
SIN OF HISTORICAL DENIALISM
KUNG WALANG PAG-AMIN SA
KASALANAN, WALANG PAGPAPATAWAD.
Ito ang itinuturo ng
Biblia. Makikita natin ito sa mga panalangin ng pagsisisi kung saan ang
binibigyang-diin ay ang pag-amin sa kasalanan:
·
“Inaamin ko pong nagkasala kami sa inyo, ako
at ang aking mga ninuno” (Nehemiah 1:6).
·
“Nagkasala po kami at nagpakasama” (Daniel
9:5).
·
At si David di lamang umamin kundi laging
alaala ang salang ginawa: “Mga pagkakasala ko'y kinikilala, di ko malilimutan,
laging alaala” (Awit 51:3).
Maliwanag na itinuturo ng
Biblia ang kahalagahan ng pag-amin sa kasalanan o confession of sins. Gaya ng sinasabi
1 Juan 1:9 (PV): “kung kino-confess natin sa Diyos ang mga kasalanan natin,
papatawarin nya ang ating mga kasalanan …”
KASAMA SA PAG-AMIN ANG
PAGBABALIK NG NINAKAW, PANANAGUTAN, AT PAGSISISI:
IBALIK ANG NINAKAW! Ang
taong nagnakaw, dapat ibalik ang ninakaw. Ganito ang utos ng Diyos para sa
taong nagnakaw: “Sinumang magtaksil kay Yahweh at makagawa ng masama sa kanyang
kapwa ay dapat umamin sa kasalanang kanyang nagawa, pagbabayaran niya ito nang
buo maliban pa sa dagdag na ikalimang bahagi nito …” (Mga Bilang 5:6-7). Si
Zachaeus nang magsisi, ay nagsabi nang ganito: “Panginoon, ipamimigay ko po sa
mahihirap ang kalahati ng aking kayamanan. At kung ako’y may nadayang sinuman,
isasauli ko ito sa kanya nang maka-apat na beses” (Lucas 19:8).
MANAGOT!
Maliwanag na napatunayan na sa mga korte na nagnakaw, lumabag sa
karapatang-pantao, at nagkasala si Ferdinand Marcos at ang kanyang asawang si
Imelda. Iba't iba ang pagtingin ng tao sa mga pangyayari, ngunit ang karanasan
ng mga naapi, nagdusa, nayurakan ang karapatang pantao ay HINDI pwedeng takpan
ng kabulaanan. Dapat aminin, dapat kilalanin ang nagawang kasalanan. Dapat
ibalik ang ninakaw sa bayan.
MAGSISI! Sa
kabila ng mga napatunayang pagnanakaw at paglabag sa karapatang-pantao, wala pa
ring pag-amin ang mga Marcoses. Sa halip, pilit pang binabago ang kasaysayan.
Paano nga naman aaminin ang mga pandarayang ginawa kung tingin nila'y
wala silang nagawang mali? Paano bubuksan ang mga matang nabulag or
nagbubulag-bulagan? Paano makikinig ang taingang nagbibingi-bingihan?
Bilang mga tagapagturo at
iskolar ng Biblia,
mariin naming tinututulan ang historical denialism. Binabalewala nito ang
pagnanakaw. Tinatakpan ang pagyurak sa mga karapatan. Minsan nang nagkasala sa
ating bayan ang mga Marcoses. Huwag na nating hayaang doblehen pa ang
kanilang pandaraya!
MAGWASTO. MAGING TAPAT.
IPAGLABAN ANG DAPAT. Lahat tayo ay may pananagutan sa kasaysayan ng pagkaalipin
sa ilalim ng diktador. Ang pagwawasto ay pananagutan at responsibilidad nating
lahat. Bahagi ng pananagutan natin ngayon ay ang tapat na pagpalaganap ng
katotohanan. Sinuman na sumusuporta sa mga kasinungalingan ay kasama
rin sa pandaraya. Sila din ay nagkakasala. Sinasabi ng Salita ng Diyos: “Kung
alam na ng isang tao ang tama na dapat nyang gawin, pero hindi nya ginagawa
yun, nagkakasala sya” (Santiago 4:17, Pinoy Version). Huwag na tayong magkasala! Gawin na ang dapat
at ang tama!
#Never forget. #Never
again.
adoremus, restituto, ruta
Chairman,
Hesed Adonai Foundation, Inc.
CPA
Alejandrino, Miriam Recreo, OSB
Board
of Trustee, CBAP
Davao City
Arevalo, Rhoneil Mendoza
Translation
Consultant, Philippine
Bible Society
Baisas, Bienvenido Quesada, OFM
Friar,
Order of Friars Minor (OFM)
CAMAYA,
JOEL NAVARRO, SDB
Rector,
Don Bosco College, Canlubang
Carreon, Anthony, Quilala
Parish
Administrator, Claretian Missionaries
Co, Maria Anicia Bation, RVM
Board
of Trustee, CBAP
Spokesperson, RVM
DAVID, PABLO VIRGLIO Bishop of the Diocese of Caloocan
Dianzon, Bernardita Dolores, FSP
Corporate
Secretary, CBAP
Daughters of Saint Paul
Fadul, Francis Eugene Adefuin
Parish
Priest, San Isidro Labrador Parish
Diocese of San Pablo (Laguna)
Flores, Randolf, SVD
Parish
Priest, Rector
Sacred
Heart Parish-Shrine
Divine Word School of Theology, Tagaytay City
GACAYAN,
FR. ULRICH RCJ
Member, CBAP
GOBRIN,
ALEJANDRO OCHIA, Claretian
Local
Superior, Claretian Theologate
Guanzon, Fr Zenon Ares
Seminary
Formator and Professor
Ibita, ma. marilou
Board
of Trustee, CBAP
Ibita, Maricel
Board
of Trustee, CBAP
MALABUYOC, DEN MARK OSJ SSL
Malit, Jesus Mendoza
Associate
Priest, Sta Cruz Parish, Manila
Manaloto, Christian B.
MARQUEZ,
CLARENCE CUEVAS OP
President,
CBAP
Rector, Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Monera, Arnold Tamse
Member, CBAP
Pabillo, Broderick Suncuaco, SDB
Bishop,
Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay
PINE,
CRISTINO ROBLES, OFM
Board
of Trustee, CBAP
Rey, Marites Ricafranca
Member, CBAP
Roxas, Maria Corazon Ruby
Observer,
CBAP
Sabanal, Annelle G.
Research
Center Director
Asian
Theological Seminary
Sorita, Carmelo B.
Graduate
Theological Union
USA
XUAN,
TRAN VU, SVD
Associate, CBAP
Rome
VARGAS, NICETA, MOLINA, OSA
Superior
General
Augustinian
Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation, Inc.
Villanueva, Federico Garcia
Faculty
of Biblical Theology
Loyola School of Theology
-------------------
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
THE
SIN OF HISTORICAL REVISIONISM/DENIALISM
NO ADMISSION OF SIN, NO
FORGIVENESS.
That is what the Bible
teaches. Confession of sins is emphasized in prayers of repentance:
·
“May your ears be attentive, and your eyes
open, to hear the prayer that I, your servant, now offer in your presence day
and night for your servants the Israelites, confessing the sins we have
committed against you, I and my ancestral house included” (Neh 1:6).
·
“We have sinned, been wicked and done evil;
we have rebelled and turned from your commandments and your laws”(Daniel 9:5)
·
David did not only confess his sin but he
always remembered the wrong he had done: “For
I know my transgressions; my sin is always before me” (Psalm 51:5)
It is clear what the Bible teaches: the value
and importance of confession of sins. As the First Letter of John says, “If we
acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse
us from every wrongdoing” (1 John 1:9).
ADMISSION AND CONFESSION OF SIN ENTAIL RESTITUTION (RESTORING WHAT ONE HAS STOLEN), ACCOUNTABILITY, AND REPENTANCE.
RESTORE
WHAT WAS STOLEN! This is what God commands for the person who stole anything: “
… If a man or a woman commits any offense against another person, thus breaking
faith with the LORD, and thereby becomes guilty, that person shall confess the
wrong that has been done, make restitution in full, and in addition give one-fifth of its value to the one that has been wronged” (Num 5:6-7). Zacchaeus
expressed his repentance by saying this, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord,
I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall
repay it four times over” (Luke 19:8).
TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY/BE ACCOUNTABLE. It was proven in courts that Ferdinand Marcos
and his wife Imelda have stolen from the people and violated their human
rights. Though people have different ways of looking at the events that
happened, the experiences of those whose rights were trampled, who were
oppressed and suffered injustices CANNOT BE DENIED. NO LIES can cover their
pains and sufferings. Those who caused these sufferings ought to confess, admit
the sins they did, restore what they stole from the people.
REPENT!
The Marcoses have not owned their sins despite the evidence of stealing and
violation of human rights. Instead, they are making efforts to change history.
How could they admit their deceit, deception, and wrongdoing when in their own
eyes they did nothing wrong? How can they see when they are blind or pretend to
be blind? How can they hear when they are deaf or pretend not to hear?
As teachers and Bible
scholars,
we strongly oppose historical denialism that dismisses their theft of the
country’s coffers and counts for nothing their trampling of human rights. The
Marcoses sinned against our country once, let us not allow them to deceive and
cheat us again.
RECTIFY. BE TRUE. FIGHT FOR
THE RIGHT. All of us are accountable for the history of oppression under the
Marcos dictatorship. To rectify is the responsibility of all of us. Our
responsibility calls us to be faithful in proclaiming the TRUTH! Those who
support their lies are partners to their deception. They too have sinned. The
word of God says, “Anyone, then, who
knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin”
(James 4:17 NRSV). Let us no longer commit sin! Let us do what is right and
just!
#Never
forget. #Never again.
