Even before Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , or Lady Gaga, set foot on Philippine soil to hold her concert here, nagpahayag na ang ilang religious movements ng kanilang pagtutol sa pag-perform dito ng isang artistang may mga awiting diumano ay lumalapastangan sa pananampalatayang Kristiyano at mga music video which exhibit sensual and other sensitive scenes. Nandiyan ang iba't-ibang uri ng protesta sa kung saan-saan; sa Facebook, sa email, sa text. at may nagsagawa pa nga ng mobilizations. All of them will to cancel the performer's concert in the country.
Which all left me dismayed in one point and disappointed in another. Una sa lahat, even though the Philippines is a predominantly Catholic-Christian country, such a concept of "state religion" doesn't exist here. A de facto religion maybe, which is Catholicism, but it is not the official religion. Id est, walang karapatan ang sinoman na pigilan ang mga ganitong uri ng pagtatanghal just because it offends religious feelings. Indonesia is an Islamic country kaya naipagbawal ang concert doon. Sa loob nga ng bansa kahit kapag walang concert, may heavy metal songs aired on radio na tahasang nagsasabing anti-Christ ang kumakanta (o sumisigaw?). Mayroon ding lantarang offending of religious feelings between two "Christian" sects with seemingly different orientations (in fact, may mga programa ang dalawang grupong ito on air which feature converts from the opposite sides). Marami pang kahalintulad din nito in different forms, pero the question is, why are these still alive kung "kontra" sila sa bastusan ng paniniwala?
Maybe Articles 132 and 133 of the Revised Penal Code (s. 1930) are enough to protect the different beliefs here in the country. Besides, hindi naman nag-concert si Lady Gaga sa loob ng simbahan o sinagoga, ni nanghimok ng mga mananampalataya na manood sa kaniya at makinig while she "insults" Christianity. Her fans went on their own, her concert wasn't even promoted heavily. Kung ang isinisigaw ng mga nagpo-protesta ay hindi nila hahayaang maipamana sa kanilang mga anak ang "imoralidad" ng tinaguriang "Mother Monster", then so be it. If their spiritual and/or biological children (who, presumably, watched the concert) have been deeply rooted in the faith, siguro naman, kahit si Satanas pa mismo ang mag-concert sa SMX, walang magbabago sa pananampalataya ng mga bata. Just like the story of Job in the Old Testament, kahit pinahihina na ng kaniyang mga kaibigan ang kaniyang pagtitiwala sa Diyos, he remained steadfast to his faith and was rewarded. And Our Lord, too, when He was tempted by the devil, naging matibay siya at hindi nagpadala sa tukso, then the angels attended to Him. Siguro this is God's way of testing the faith of the Christians who were there in the concert. And this, too, is His way of building His Church stronger.
Equivocated daw ang mga kanta ni Lady Gaga and one must not simply interpret these songs in plain view. Well as you know, interpretations vary, sa Bible pa nga lang ehh. Kaya from One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, there are now more than 30,000 Christian sects and denominations. So we'd better leave the interpretation to her and her team, besides, sila ang talagang nakakaalam kung ano ang ibig-sabihin ng mga kanta and MV's. Pero if we'd stick to our own interpretations, let the faith be a greater positive number and let the songs and videos be a lesser negative number, para kapag pinagsama, positive pa rin ang result. It's up to the Church and the person himself to make that faith grow more and more each day, mula sa isang maliit na positive number, to perhaps a bigger one than the number before faith got tested.
Lady Gaga is a Catholic at isinusulong ng ilang nagmamarunong that she be excommunicated from the Church. We should leave these things to the Canon Lawyers, the Curia, and to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI himself. Marami pang kailangang pagdaanan ang motion for excommunication. Of course the case must be heard for a number of times with both sides explaining, then proceeding with the verdict. Hindi dahil against siya sa ilang tuntunin at pamantayan ng Santa Iglesia, excommunication na agad. Remember the story of Jesus and the sinful woman who was about to be stoned to death. Remember and reflect before you throw that stone to Lady Gaga.
To end (whoo, finally), I am not a fan of the pop icon neither am I against my Mother, the Church. I just don't see the point, really, why her concert was about to be banned. Just let faith shine stronger than what you call sin. Remain steadfast in what you believe in and let this faith thrive in your children para walang palag ang kung anomang impluwensiya sa kanila.
And to those who think, time and time again, that the whole Church is being an extremist, please do think again, at huwag niyo namang sabihing idiot ang Simbahan sa Bibliyang dahil sa kaniya ay nag-exist. Think twice, thrice... seventy-seven times before you say things on air, online, and in print. Hindi rin divided ang Iglesiya sa bagay na ito, the Church is just too big and we are working on evangelizing each and every one to have the same mindset as ours.
I am a devout Catholic and I love my God, so do I love His Church. I just think beyond the box and hope everyone does the same before commenting on a certain issue.
