Every night for the last year a Catholic church in Gaza has received Pope Francis’ videoconference call. Its objective is to be interested in the situation of the hundreds of Palestinian Christians who have taken refuge in the Church of the Holy Family since the invasion of Gaza began. “It calms our fear and makes us feel that someone cares about us. The Pope gives us his blessings and prays with us if the connection is good,” a retired doctor told the Financial Times. “This is cruelty. This is not a war,” the pontiff stated in his last Christmas message, referring to the destruction of Gaza by the Israeli Army and the death of thousands of children.
The Spanish Catholic hierarchy has also denounced the massacre. “A ceasefire and the release of the hostages are necessary to build a just peace from the condemnation of terrorism and a war with genocidal features. Let us put moral pressure to achieve it,” wrote the president of the Episcopal Conference, Luis Argüello, in November. It was in a tweet and it is difficult not to think that the Spanish Church should have shown a firmer and continuous attitude towards this war, as well as in the fight against poverty, no matter how much the Government could be bothered by this intervention in the to the extent that it questions his optimistic message about the economy. For example, a town in Madrid faces its fifth winter without electricity due to a decision by a company that has received support from the Government of Madrid. 4,500 people live there, of which 1,800 are minors.
What happens is that the hierarchy is always faster when it comes to defending religious symbolism from alleged attacks that are called blasphemous. Not that you have to like them, but it’s not too much to ask that you put them in the right context. For example, the Christian faith is not defended in the courts when extreme right-wing organizations try to turn them into a propaganda operation in favor of their economic and ideological interests. They are not good traveling companions for the Church, but the hierarchy does not think the same.
The display of a picture of the heifer from the ‘Grand Prix’ program – including the heart of Jesus – on TVE’s bells has provoked the now usual threat of lawsuits by these far-right organizations. It is supposed to be directed against ‘Lalachus’, David Broncano and RTVE. For now, it is in line with some statements by ecclesiastical leaders. “How long will they take advantage of our patience?”said the Archbishop of Seville, José Ángel Saiz. And what will happen when their patience runs out? Are your religious beliefs so weak that you feel disturbed by wild humor or a simple image? Aren’t there other issues in society that should make you more outraged?
The Minister of the Presidency was as fast as the archbishop. Félix Bolaños promised that the Government will promote this year “the reform of the crime of religious offenses to guarantee freedom of expression and creation.” This is a promise that was made several times in the previous legislature and that was never fulfilled, perhaps because it was in a package that may or may not include offenses to the king. Now we are in the same situation and those accused will depend on it not falling into the hands of a judge eager to create headlines.
The truth is that almost all courts have rejected these types of complaints with the argument that there must be a genuine and demonstrable intention to offend religious feelings. The argument that someone was offended is not valid. That would introduce an element of subjectivity that the Law should not accept. If the legal standard were that someone feels offended in their beliefs, there would be more people in Spain in prison than outside.
The supposed controversy fell squarely into the territory of humor at the time when many people showed examples of real characters on social media who they They put the heart of Jesus Christ in them as an extreme form of admiration without causing any scandal. Or idolatry, as some religious fundamentalist would say. That even includes soccer players, which gives the issue a delicious surreal touch. What would Jesus Christ do in the face of such a dilemma? Would you support Messi or Ronaldo?
Speaking of football, another of the ultras who wanted to show their indignation was Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, that has defended that, to be competitive, “You have to have agreements with Saudi Arabia.” In that country there are not many offenses against Christianity because the public practice of that religion is simply prohibited. Maybe that’s the ultimate offense.
A PP councilor in Madrid He also felt offended. Another from the PSOE reminded him that he was not reminded that he was upset when graffiti showed Isabel Díaz Ayuso in his same district as a virgin with a halo. as “Saint Elizabeth, protector of the family.” Since the person honored in such an eccentric way was the boss, it didn’t even occur to her to open her mouth.
“Once again, banality surrounds us,” Archbishop Luis Argüello regrets regretfully. The same banality that reacts with more pain and speed to a satirical image than in the face of the scandal of pedophilia in the Church.
The recommended reading for all of them is not article 525 of the Penal Codebut Matthew 23: 27-28: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and hypocritical Pharisees, who are like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside, but full within of dead men’s bones and rottenness! So do you: you pretend to be righteous in front of people, but your insides are full of hypocrisy and evil.”
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