The editorial also mentions the breakdown of negotiations in the parliamentary probe of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) that were investigating allegations that the NIS interfered in last December’s presidential elections. Many in society see the interference as an illegal maneuver by the government agency, and want this acknowledged, while the government wants to ignore the issue.
Recently, the NIS has uncovered a plot by members of Congress who have
purportedly aligned themselves with the North against the South. The
news media in the South does not make it easy to learn the facts of
issues facing the country, but in this instance it diverted attention
away from the issue of interference with the elections last year and the
reasons for the public's opposition to the NIS.
The
editorial attempts to show that in times such as ours, when government
cannot be trusted to always act for the benefit of its people, the
Church has good reasons to become involved in society, and not silently
and uncritically repeat the mantra of Church and State separation. It
does require prudence, but when we see amorality within government,
there is a need to expose it. Popes have given us examples in recent
history, and now Pope Francis is showing us the present need of helping
the poor by getting more involved in society.
The
editorial ends with a plea for better and more frequent dialogue
between the contenting factions within the Church. The unity of the
Church and Christian fellowship demands that we work toward more
fruitful debate, it emphasized, for continuing health of the Church, and
added that this can be best achieved if more Christians were to take a
more active role in learning what issues are currently being debated.
