Why the violations?

Batas Mauricio

IF human rights and social justice are already enshrined under the 1987 Constitution and other laws of the Philippines, how come many Filipinos are still complaining that their human rights, and the benefits that are supposed to be made available to them under social justice principles, still elude them?

This, and a host of other youthful questions, were asked of me by students who listened to a lecture on “human rights and social justice” which I delivered. My answer to that question was that, while the 1987 Constitution and the Civil Code of the Philippines contain ample provisions on human rights and social justice, there is a great disparity between what the laws provide and what the people are actually undergoing even now, under the term of a president who was catapulted to the presidency on a promise of change.

I stressed that for human rights and social justice to become realities in the Philippines and in the world–where these concepts are also more honored in breach than in their fulfillment–Filipinos and the rest of mankind must strive to have the Spirit of God in them.

I argued that human rights and social justice provisions of the Constitution and the law are disregarded wantonly and egregiously everywhere in the world, particularly in the Philippines today, because mankind no longer listens to God, and no longer obeys His commands. As a result, His curses are showered upon us, one of which is suffering and death for many.

Because people no longer listen to the God and no longer obey Him, they no are no longer minded to obey the laws of the country, and are prone to disregard authorities. Because of these, they have become capable of doing even the most despicable and heinous crimes, like peddling shabu and other illegal drugs, slaughtering whole families, steal billions in government funds, and doing other serious crimes.

Indeed, because of this pervasive lawlessness among our people, government leaders, particularly President Duterte, cannot be blamed if they resort to strong-arm tactics in dealing with this lawlessness, especially in battling the scourge of shabu and illegal drugs that proliferated unchecked in the past.

Respect for human rights and social justice, in a milieu such as this, would be the least concern in the fight to restore sanity and to cleanse the country from illegal drugs, criminal syndicates, and corruption and plundering in government. Filipinos can turn around this fight if they go back to God by reading His Bible daily, and obeying Him all the time sincerely.

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CNN’s Eliott C. McLaughlin, Ralph Elis, and Joe Sterling appeared dumbfounded by the heavy rains and severe flooding that Houston and other areas in Texas, USA, experienced when Tropical Storm Harvey roared through the State. They wrote in the CNN website: “…the breadth and intensity of this rainfall are beyond anything experienced before.”

In an article at CNN.com that can be accessed at http://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/27/us/harvey-landfall/index.html, the three wrote further: “Flooding… is overburdening resources… Hopes for an immediate respite from Harvey’s wrath seem unlikely as the National Weather Service calls the flooding `unprecedented’ and warns things may become more dire if a record-breaking 50 inches of rain falls on parts of Texas in coming days…”

This indeed spells trouble for Americans in Texas and nearby areas. Even as this column is being written, frantic residents are frantically posting in social media that a tornado warning has been issued, warning of winds up to 130 kilometers per hour, accompanied by rising floodwaters. Then, on top of these, CNN also reported that nearly 100 tornado warnings have already been issued.

Looking at the videos and photos of  the Texas rains and flooding could become too horrific for many, even for people like Filipinos who have been exposed to severe flooding in the past. The question that immediately comes to mind here is, why is the US and the world experiencing this catastrophic weather conditions at the moment?

Many would readily say it is the result of global warming and climate change, which, unfortunately, is something that is not believed by present-day American leaders. Be that as it may, attributing these natural calamities to global warming and climate change could possess some intrinsic merit in it.

But, truly unfortunate for Americans and the world, however, there seems to be an improper refusal to consider one aspect of this weather aberration that could be a major key to understanding global warming and climate change, and then doing something truly effective to at least minimize the destruction and death that come with them.

This one major angle that seems to be deliberately ignored by many is the fact that both global warming and climate change, and the coming of deadly and destructive rains, floods, and winds, were in reality predicted to happen to the world. The Bible contained these predictions, with stunning accuracy yet.

In its Book of Curses, the Bible warned that global warming and climate change will come. In His discourses among the people of His time, Jesus Christ, our God and Savior, warned that rains, floods, and winds will come. There will be death and destruction from these calamities, yes, but the Bible explained why these aberrations are coming.

The Bible wrote that death and destruction will come from these calamities because people have turned their backs on God, not listening to Him anymore, not obeying His commands anymore. Clearly, if mankind will want to minimize or entirely avoid these death and destruction at least, people should reform, by listening to, and obeying, God all over again. That is a way that we must all try to do at this point!

E-mail: batasmauricio@yahoo.com