Little gods

Ben Contreras

KARL Marx said religion is the opium of the masses or something to that effect. But the masses here refer to the poor who would rather leave their fate to someone above out of desperation. But wait, even the rich can be so devout that they’re willing to donate or give-up a sizable chunk of the wealth to their Church or congregation as if that would cleanse their sins and guarantee their trip to heaven someday.

We are not just a Catholic country. We are a country of diverse beliefs and with a few acknowledged religious leaders organizing groups bordering on cults. Sometimes, they contradict themselves borne out of different interpretations of Bible passages and verses. That is why if you are a peaceful man, do not debate on religious matters. They sometimes kill.

The Catholic Church has many things to hide. The Iglesia ni Cristo just opened a can of worms by some stroke of fate. Which Church is going to be next?

I have nothing against any religion. We all need something to believe in to at least caution us from doing wrong, from committing sins. In fact, we are a family of diverse beliefs. My wife is a Catholic, my children were baptized in a Catholic church but became Protestants. I was once a Catholic turned Protestant but now I don’t even know what I believe in except in one Supreme Being.

Let us not make believers blind followers. Some religious leaders act like little gods and make their followers lose their sanity. We are all mortals, of blood and flesh, not spirit.

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Barangay chairman Jaime Frias sent me a few messages lately. The last one was something else. “That’s it! Among driveway na blocked. Yaw__ kaayo ang Lifestyle. Duha ka sakyanan.”

Lifestyle District has become an attraction for those who love the night life. The young and the aged go there for adventure and thrills. The management couldn’t be more pleased with their success. But with success, there’s also a social responsibility. That responsibility is to see to it that no one has been inconvenienced.

Lifestyle District is situated within a residential area. What used to be the complaint was the noise which seems to have been contained and controlled. Parking is another problem that needs to to be addressed.

Corrales Extension is not a wide road. When vehicles are allowed to park on either side of the road, this two-way road would be reduced to a little bit of more than one lane. That’s when problem the arises.

The worst is when drivers of vehicles, with total disregard and disrespect for others, block driveways of residents nearby.

If you’re driving a new or expensive car, don’t do this because the repercussions could be costly.

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Henry Lazola has many complaints. The police policy on “no plate, no travel” is a farce, he says. I agree. I, too, have seen quite a few of policemen doing this.

As for our traffic lights, he was witness to a violation under the very noses of our RTA enforcers in Carmen. He says there was no action from them.

He asked: Why are our “no loading and unloading” signs wantonly being ignored?

Henry continued: Why is Cogon back to being messy, and why is Hapsay blind to the illegal use of our sidewalks by vulcanizing shops, battery repair shops and others?

Henry is just being concerned, and he is angry.