Noynoy, Manny, Erap and King David

from My Ad Hoc by Rene Q. Bas (The Manila Times)
http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/opinion/10212-noynoy-manny-erap-and-king-david-

(This ad hoc column only appears whenever a scheduled column does not reach The Times before deadline.)

Former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada is absolutely right. Both current presidential frontrunner and runner-up should answer the conflict-of-interest and property-value overpricing accusations against them. This is from the perspective of ethics.

Former President Joseph Estrada is absolutely wrong. Both Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Cojuangco Aquino 3rd and Sen. Manuel
“Manny” Villar Jr. should ignore the accusations. Giving an answer would only prolong the currency of the accusations. This is from the amoral, Machiavellian perspective of a prince of politics whose goal is to win, be the boss, the most powerful.

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This makes me think of Matthew 6:24.

"No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon.”

This is from the Douay-Rheims Bible.

Mammon was an old Chaldean or Syrian word that meant “material things, like money, and everything that a person was attached to or put his trust in instead of God.”

Matthew personified “mammon” (which some scholars think is better spelled with one “m”) and used a capital M—suggesting thereby a being, a substitute for God.

But modern versions of the Bible have used the word “money” instead of Mammon—“You cannot serve both God and money.” I think “money” ruins the rhythm of the sound and the imagery. The translator had to add “both” to restore the sound rhythm and other editors have spelled “money” with a capital M in an attempt to restore the original power of Matthew’s imagery in contrasting two beings, “God” and “Mammon.”

Some other modern versions use “wealth” or “riches” instead of “money.” They still fail to convey the original sense of the human heart giving itself to a false god—Mammon—instead of to the One True God.

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Now, will both Sen. Aquino and Sen. Villar be serving God instead of Mammon if they both—honestly and completely—bare the facts about the allegations of their overpricing and manipulation to jack up the cost of their respective pieces of property to the government?

Maybe.

But serving God instead of Mammon would entail from them what spiritual directors call “purity of intention.”

Or, as T. S. Eliot wrote, “The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason.”

What would be their objective in finally coming forward with the truth? Would it merely be to save their presidential campaign by minimizing the damage that their continued silence could do? Or would their aim be the greater glory of God by being an example of honesty and making a sacrifice of confessing that they did something wrong? Confessing would plant the seed of truthfulness in Philippine politics.

If their objective is the latter then they would have “purity of intention.” That would make their stay in Purgatory shorter. But it could spell the end of their presidential ambitions.

Yet, it could also be the way they can perfect and purify their political work.

They could put themselves totally in God’s hands. They could each say to God, “I will tell the truth for your greater glory, Lord.
And I now put my candidacy for president in your hands. If by doing this, by telling the complete truth, this other fellow, or Erap, Gibo, Dick, Brother Eddie, JC, or Nick gets elected, I would abide by your will and help the new president become an effective one.”

They could each be as contrite as King David of Israel was—and win God’s forgiveness and blessing. David the Psalmist and Killer of Goliath.

David’s sin was graver than overpricing land for the government to buy. King David’s sin was adultery and murder. He coveted and cohabited with, Bathsheba, the wife of his loyal Hittite officer, Uriah. King David murdered Uriah by sending him to do battle where he would surely be killed. David realized the evil he had done. Repentant David’s contrition moved God to forgive him. And he continued reigning as the king of Israel for many more years.

Even his son by Bathsheba, Solomon, became the great, wise and powerful third king of the united monarchy of Israel. (But, later, Solomon also sinned—he became an idol-worshipper and turned away from God, though he too repented. Solomon’s sinfulness later, during the reign of his son, Rehoboam, caused the break-up of the kingdom.)

Wouldn’t it be great if both Noynoy and Manny, heeding Erap’s urgings—but also their consciences, did a King David?