The First Stone

It is so easy to criticize what people do and who they are from the sidelines of life, and from the safety and comfort of our own conceptions of the world. Many of us — peering into other people’s lives through rose-colored glasses or whatever filter of preference we use — vehemently transform ourselves from couch potatoes into armchair critics the moment we see a headline printed on the newspaper, hear a report blasted on the nightly news, or scroll into a post on social media that affects and offends our sensibilities. We then go up in arms, and sound off on how this guy should have done this, or this person shouldn’t have said that, or so-and-so could have made this decision instead. We analyze, conjecture, and postulate until we are satisfied that we have said our piece on the matter. 

Oh, if only we were privy to the internal workings of each person’s mind and the behind-the-scenes progression of events in their lives, then perhaps, to some degree, we might actually be justified in our critique on how other people conduct their affairs. 

One of my favorite passages in the Bible, found in 1 Corinthians 13, says “We don’t see things yet clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it as clearly as God sees us, knowing Him directly just as He knows us!” (v.12) Although the main context of this verse is about the seeing and discerning of spiritual matters, I believe the principle applies to all knowledge, understanding, and wisdom in the physical realm.

Standing on the principle of this Bible verse, I believe that while we remain as the earthbound, flesh-and-blood creatures that we are at the moment, there will always be a limit to what we know and what we are able to understand. Even with the proliferation of the Internet and the accessibility of global information, man’s knowledge and his grasp of it will always be incomplete, inadequate, and — because of both — biased.

We only see in part.

We only know in part.

We only understand in part.

Sadly, not everyone in the human race believes this flaw exists in each one of us. Hence the reason we are quick to pick up a proverbial stone, aim it at the current media fodder, ready and eager to enforce our own brand of justice and righteousness. These days, with the ease of self-expression provided by social media, it seems no one is exempt from a virtual stoning at the online town square: not government leaders; not even spiritual ceremonial figures. If a particular public official is controversial, divisive, unpolished, occasionally foul-mouthed, and not cowed by the media or traditional politicians, the clamor for swift retribution becomes more intensified. . . and the masses often, and quickly, come out with their knives and pitchforks.

Such is the case brought forth by many Filipinos against our current chief executive, Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

For most of his four-year service as our president, there has always been vocal opposition to his ascendance to the highest seat of our nation — a fact that was evident from the time he started campaigning for the position. Given that Mr. Duterte was unlike most of the other presidential candidates of 2016, it was understandable why many didn’t like him from the get go: he was clearly unconventional; he did not wear what the ‘cool kids’ were wearing; he did not play the game of thrones; and, to put it mildly, he did not mince his words — something that the many of the upper class minority severely frowned upon.

To top it all off, his public service resume was smeared by, among other things, rumors of a secretly-sanctioned elite group of hitmen that carried out his supposed dirty work of eliminating the criminal elements of Davao City, where he held office as its mayor for a cumulative period of over two decades. This hearsay issue would then become a favorite hot button topic that opposers of the Philippine president would now-and-again push in their ongoing desire and effort to remove Mr. Duterte from office.

Even when the President started producing good results (dealt with the nationwide drug problem; improved the salaries of police officers; started breaking down systemic bureaucracy in the government) within his first 100 days in office, the naysayers and critics would still manage to find other things to throw at him. Among these are his oftentimes undiplomatic candor (read: colorful language) with which he talks to reporters and addresses other heads of state: he just does not seem to care about being popular as much as he does about being transparent and effective at his job. This seems to have become the norm in the so-far four-year tenure of Mr. Duterte as president.

I am not by any means a politically-inclined person, and I, more often that not, eschew conversations on government-related issues. I have no affiliations when it comes to politics and I don’t make it a habit to keep tabs on the daily minutia of the President. It’s just not my cup of tea. The extent of my political involvement is only in the form of prayers for government officials, as instructed by Paul in 1 Timothy 2.

However, I do get exasperated when the President — who seems to be doing all he can for his country — is put on the crucible of public opinion just because he said something controversial or, again, rumors of his death squad resurface and made the focal point of the news. I was particularly frustrated a few weeks ago when Mr. Duterte addressed quarantine-related concerns and just happened to use some poor choice of words in some his answers. People’s knee-jerk reaction was to then call for the ouster of the President.

It frustrated me because, firstly, we already know our chief executive doesn’t have a politician’s tongue: he says what he wants to say when he wants to say it. That doesn’t mean it’s right or exemplary but what president or public official doesn’t have flaws? Secondly, if profanity and crass language is our basis for judging one’s character or eligibility for public position, hey, let’s point a finger to ourselves first because all of us have used our mouths for some form of evil at certain points of our lives. Let’s not act like we’re so pure of speech when we, too, have our share of making poor choices with our words. And if that were the basis for judging our character and eligibility for whatever profession we have, then we’d all be guilty… and all out of our jobs. Thirdly… and seriously?! You’re going to oust the President for his speech debacles, supposed corruption, and secret hitmen? What? Like we know every detail of his life and political career? Do we really have all the facts on the President’s movements or are we just relying on second- or third-hand hearsay?

We only see in part but nobody wants to admit that.

We only know in part but most of us pretend like we know it all.

We only understand in part but pride keeps us from admitting that we do not truly comprehend every political circumstance. Heck! We don’t even understand some of the circumstances in our own personal lives.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is far from the perfect chief executive this country could ever have. He is far from being the perfect person to have ever existed on the earth. He is just like you and me: human, flawed, weak, limited. But he seems to be doing all that he can do for our country as a father would do all that he could do for his children. It would be remiss if we dishonor our father.

For sure, there are things that could have been done better in the Duterte administration; thoughts that could have been said better; decisions that could have been made instead. But now is not the time for intellectual political discourse because politics is not the solution to our current crisis. Now is not the time to criticize the President because criticism will not improve our chances of surviving the corona virus pandemic.

But if you insist on dragging the President’s name down in the dirt and judge him for every perceived wrong he’s made, just remember that neither you nor I know all there is to know, see all there is to see, or understand all that needs to be understood.

And make sure you’ve first taken stock of your own life, character, choice of words, shortcomings, and your contribution to mankind.

Then feel free to cast the first stone.