Not all criticisms are bad
IT’S heartening to see President Rodrigo Duterte and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Archbishop Romulo Valles talking to each other to thresh out recent issues affecting the relationship between himself and the Church. The President, among others, pledged that he would refrain from hurling tirades against the Church.
The President’s attacks singled out the Catholic Church mainly because the priests and bishops stood up against his illegal practices, like the extra-judicial killings (EJKs) and summary executions of suspected wrongdoers.
If the President disagreed with the Christian leaders’ reproaches, he should not have gone to the extent of insulting their religious beliefs and practices and, worst, calling God “stupid.”
Thankfully, President Duterte asked an apology from God but, sadly, not from the Christians who were deeply offended.
The President should not view all criticisms as bad or destructive. Every citizen has the right to freedom of expression.
The spiritual leaders, who are also citizens of the country, have the duty and obligation to speak out and denounce evil and abuses happening in the government and society. This is part of their prophetic role and that’s why the Church’s relationship with the government has always been a “critical collaboration.”
This is not new because even before the time of Christ, the prophets had denounced kings and leaders when they infringed on God’s laws. The prophet John the Baptist denounced King Herod for taking his brother Philip’s wife Herodias as his wife. For this John was beheaded. Incidentally, he was the first man in the gospel to lose his head over a woman!
When there are constructive criticisms — and they will come — President Duterte should not get mad but rather reflect whether there may be some truth in them.
If there is, he should be humble enough to accept his mistake and resolve to make the necessary changes.
If, however, the criticisms are unfounded and malicious, he should brush them aside like pouring water onto the back of a duck.
We are all vulnerable to criticisms, much more so with political leaders, employers, and superiors. Even Jesus Christ was not spared harsh remarks and insults.
“Friend of tax collectors and sinners,” “a glutton,” “possessed by the devil,” “crazy” (read Mk 3:21) are some of those “compliments.” If it could happen to the most perfect Person, it can happen to ordinary mortals like you and me.
As the saying goes: “If you always stop when you meet a barking dog, you’ll never arrive at your destination.”
ASK YOURSELF: When I am the target of detractions, do I get angry, fight back, or justify my fault or mistake? Or should I rather reflect honestly if there may be some truth and take the necessary step to reform where needed?
THE LIGHTER SIDE. Criticism Backfires. An elderly man who was very near-sighted thought of himself as an expert in evaluating art. One day he visited a museum with some friends. He had forgotten his glasses and couldn’t see the pictures clearly. As soon as they walked into the gallery, he began criticizing the various paintings. Stopping before what he thought was a full-length portrait, he began to criticize it. He said, “The frame is altogether out in keeping with the picture. The man is too homely and shabbily dressed. “In fact, it was a great mistake for the artist to select such a shoddy subject for his portrait.”
The old fellow was babbling on and on when his wife pulled him aside and whispered, “My dear, you are looking at yourself in a mirror!”
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As the saying goes: If you always stop when you meet a barking dog, you’ll never arrive at your destination.