FunAtic Wap: "Where's respect?"

Catholic mass was offended by Mideo Cruz’s so called “Polytheism” art exhibit in the Cultural Center of the Philippines last August 4. Strings also attached the non-Catholic sects, probably the whole Christianity who believes that Jesus is God.

Mideo Cruz elaborated that his works explain the Philippine history about “idol worshipping” during the Spanish colonization (where Catholic faith came) up to the time of the American period (where cultural mindset was attained). But what about the sexual symbols? They are symbols of “patriarchy” (where men hold authority over women) and oppression of women, says Cruz.

Actually, Catholics don’t worship many gods. They believe, however, in “Triune God” which means ‘three divine persons in one God’. In the works of Mideo Cruz, it explains the worship of relics and idolatry by Catholic people. The medium he used might be right but his message is wrong. No one worships relics but pagans. Thus, Catholics venerate images as sensual channels to the divine. What Cruz just did is a big insult to the Catholic iconography especially the placing of sexual symbols in the faces of the holy images.

The exhibit was closed but until now, the issue was still on existence. The different sectors took actions by asking Cruz publicly to apologize for the blasphemous exhibit. Is calling for a senate hearing regarding the issue a better idea? For many years, the Catholic faith has received criticisms from different personalities particularly John Lennon who not only spoke that “We’re bigger than Jesus” but who also sang “I don’t believe in Jesus” in his famous piece “God”. Another is when Christopher Hitchens, a Briton, wrote “God is not Great.”. In the sense, it is not only Mideo Cruz who had greatly sinned. The Philippines has a lot of more important issues to be considered by the senate. An apology and penance from Cruz is enough. Let us just leave God the rest decision because we are not saints or God to judge one another.

We all have the freedom to express ourselves. The point is, don’t we have limitations upon ourselves? Mideo Cruz made a wrong move but he is also a creature of God. The importance of his work opened us all up to how we value God in our life as of this moment. Many days now, a lot of unwanted happenings occur and so we’re busy checking on it, without even thinking of the more important matters that includes God.

“Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold—but so does a hard boiled egg.”