Thursday, June 8, 2023
manilastandard.net
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
manilastandard.net
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion Columns

Divergent groups and ideas

Jude AcidrebyJude Acidre
January 24, 2022, 12:10 am
in Columns, Opinion, The Fifth Gospel by Jude Acidre
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Email

“The propensity to group ourselves according to similar beliefs, persuasions and ideals continues.”

Judea during the time of Jesus was replete with sects and factions, each with their own expression of the Jewish faith. Notable in the Bible are two: the Pharisees who had the reputation of being the most precise in their interpretation of the Jewish law and practice and, the Sadducees, the conservative faction of the priestly and aristocratic class.

There were other groups too who were known to exist at the same time: the radical Essenes who decided to withdraw from Jerusalem to in order to their own hermetical enclaves near the Dead Sea, and of course, the unscrupulous Zealot revolutionaries who were just too eager to drive the Roman occupiers out of Judea.

But the differences between these groups were not simply religious, but social and political as well. The Sadducees willingly collaborated with the Romans, a desperate act on their part to preserve the status quo at the temple of Jerusalem. The Pharisees criticized the priests and aristocrats for working with the Romans, because after all, they discreetly detested the occupation. The Essenes, on the other hand, appeared to have detached themselves not only from the Jerusalem temple, but from the social mainstream of their time. Needless to say, the Zealots were just on the watch for the next revolution that they hoped would put an end to the Roman occupation.

Our human tendency to identify ourselves with like-minded individuals and groups is a fact as old as the birth of human communities. When we are drawn to a particular thought, practice or culture, we tend to connect with these groups on a more or less stable basis. This human phenomenon is very much innate in our own nature, and thus the anthropological basis for the emergence of groups and factions in every aspect of societal life.

So even today, this propensity to group ourselves according to similar beliefs, persuasions and ideals continues. Even in the political sphere, there is a group for every shade of the political spectrum—from the socialist red, to the conservative blue. It would be impossible for us to grow as a political community, and still force everyone to think and act in the same manner, or even to simply dichotomize ourselves into predetermined political groupings. There will always be that differing factor that would make a particular strand of socialism different from the rest. After all, politics should tend more closely to inclusivity than exclusivity, accommodating each and every mode of thinking into an ever growing diversity of ideas and ideals.

The same could be said about partisan politics today. There has been talk about our country reverting to former “two party system”—a political system where there two dominant political parties, one acting as the government or administration, and the other, the opposition. The presumption is that this political form would not only streamline the political process, and consequently remove much of the “noise” and “confusion” of the current multi-party system.

This is where the misunderstanding begins. Proponents of the two-party system believe that this form would be best for our country, as we were better off politically—so they say—before the introduction of the multi-party system. This would allow for a clear delineation of political platforms and principles, and thus afford voters and their constituents a clear cut contrast between the two political parties, in the same way that the US Republican Party has a different political, economic and social standpoint from its rival, the Democratic Party.

That, however, is a too simplistic way of looking at the political scenario. In the first place, having a two-party system does not mean only two parties are allowed to exist. It simply means that at least two dominant political parties would have the ability to run during elections, and the capability to form a government. But it does not diminish the role of third parties—or other smaller parties—to provide a median or an integrated perspective on specific political issues. For example, in the US there exists the Libertarian Party and the Green Party, each having a membership of more than 100,000 each. Another example would be in the United Kingdom where in addition to the more popular Conservative and Labor Parties, one would be surprised to know that there is a third party, the Liberal Democrats whose support was needed by the Conservatives to form a coalition government in 2010 to 2015.

Simply put, a clear cut two party system is near impossible, given the rich diversity of political thought and persuasion in our time. Politicians who inaccurately believe that a two party system is needed or necessary simply do not have a good understanding of how a modern democratic society evolves and grows. It is not the number of parties that matter—but rather, the quality of political leadership within the party, and its rootedness in their own political platform and agenda.

Our politicians should stop nitpicking on the prevailing multi-party system for all the deficiencies of our political structure. In fact, the necessity of having a vibrant and inclusive democratic space should consequently require the creation and growth of several political parties, one as necessary for each and every shade of the political spectrum.

The problem is in the quality, not the number of our political parties. The deficiency is rooted in the leadership of our political parties, and their institutional maturity. Difficult and demanding reforms are necessary for us to achieve a truly inclusive Filipino democracy.

As in Judea during the time of Jesus, the existence of the different sects and factions contributed to the emergence of a strong Jewish identity. They may have disagreed significantly, but they sure agreed on the essentials, a sure and certain antidote to political and social polarization. Perhaps, this is a lesson that we could learn from them, that our differing ways of looking at things could all provide us a much richer understanding of the same truth. Same too with the politics in our time—to disagree does not mean one side is right, and the other is wrong. But instead, the divergence of ideas would enable us to have a more balanced and accurate understanding of existing political and social realities around us.

Tags: BibleJewishPhariseesSadducees
ADVERTISEMENT
Jude Acidre

Jude Acidre

Related Posts

The challenges on his screen

byManila Standard
June 8, 2023, 12:15 am
0
8
The challenges on his screen

Many will be watching the full swing and listening to the statements of Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro, named...

Read more

Development, not just welfare

byLito Banayo
June 8, 2023, 12:10 am
0
8
A crisis president

"Dynamism has come to an oft-looked down agency of government with an image of being a mere ‘ayuda’ distributor, hogging...

Read more

Speaking ex-cathedra

byFlorencio Fianza
June 8, 2023, 12:05 am
0
8
Money matters

"Diokno will now have a lot of explaining to do for contradicting what PBBM said and putting him on the...

Read more

Networking has expanded beyond traditional face-to-face interactions

byHeracles Lord Bernardo A. Cabie
June 8, 2023, 12:00 am
0
8
RSA: Mr. Malasakit, the environmentalist

"Networking is the art of building and nurturing relationships with individuals who share common interests or goals" In the dynamic...

Read more

Mayon’s increasing unrest

byManila Standard
June 7, 2023, 12:15 am
0
8
Mayon’s increasing unrest

It is comforting that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has notified pilots to avoid the vicinity of Mayon...

Read more

NBDB scores major hit with 1st Philippine Book Festival

byJenny Ortuoste
June 7, 2023, 12:10 am
0
8

"Kudos to NBDB, its leadership, and its working teams for all the work ‘para sa panitikan at para sa bayan!’"...

Read more

Print Edition

View More

Recent Posts

  • Raise your flag to freedom with Jed Madela
  • Get Ready to Shop, Donate, and Save at MR.DIY!
  • A million-dollar search for the empowered women
  • Globe At Home, Samsung partner to give Pinoys an elevated digital home experience 
  • Sparkle artists partner with well-known nail salon
  • BDO Foundation builds blood center in Butuan
  • People …are talking about ‘Eat Bulaga!’
  • Embracing queer club culture

Advertisement

Latest News

BDO Foundation builds blood center in Butuan

byManila Standard
June 8, 2023, 6:37 pm
0
8
BDO Foundation builds blood center in Butuan

The Philippine Red Cross blood center built by BDO Foundation in Butuan will enable the humanitarian organization to accommodate more...

Read more

People …are talking about ‘Eat Bulaga!’

byManila Standard
June 8, 2023, 6:30 pm
0
8
People …are talking about ‘Eat Bulaga!’

From the departure of TVJ (Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey De Leon) and Dabarkads to having new hosts for...

Read more

Embracing queer club culture

byManila Standard Lifestyle
June 8, 2023, 6:20 pm
0
8
Essential etiquette for filming TikTok videos in public

Each collaborator's design embodies their creativity and individuality, ideal for celebrating Pride Month By supporting LGBTQIA+ communities globally, COS aims...

Read more

Why outing someone is no fun

byKate Adajar
June 8, 2023, 6:10 pm
0
8
Essential etiquette for filming TikTok videos in public

Have you ever found yourself making comments like “That’s so gay!” or bragging about having an accurate “gaydar” or ranting...

Read more

Essential etiquette for filming TikTok videos in public

byNickie Wang
June 8, 2023, 6:00 pm
0
8
Essential etiquette for filming TikTok videos in public

The growing popularity of TikTok has led to an increase in people filming videos in public spaces. While many TikTok...

Read more

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

ABOUT US

Manila Standard

Manila Standard website (manilastandard.net), launched in August 2002, extends the newspaper’s reach beyond its traditional readers and makes its brand of Philippine news and opinion available to a much wider and geographically diverse readership here and overseas.

Digital Edition

In tone and content, the online edition mirrors the editorial thrust of the newspaper. While hewing to the traditional precepts of fairness and objectivity, MS believes the news of the day need not be staid, overly long or dry. Stories are succinct, readable and written in a lively style that has become a hallmark of the newspaper.

Download – Today’s Paper

Search

No Result
View All Result

6th Floor Universal Re Bldg., 106 Paseo De Roxas cor. Perea Street, Legaspi Village, 1226 Makati City Philippines

Trunklines: 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Pop.Life
    • Newsmakers
    • Hangouts
    • A-Pop
    • Post Its
    • Performances
    • Malls & Bazaars
    • Hobbies & Collections
  • Technology
    • Gadgets
    • Computers
    • Business
    • Tech Plus
  • MS ON THE ROAD
    • Sedan
    • SUV
    • Truck
    • Bike
    • Accessories
    • Motoring Plus
    • Commuter’s Corner
  • Home & Design
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Construction
    • Interior
  • Spotlight
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Events
    • Seminars
    • Exhibits
    • Community
  • Biyahero
    • Travel Features
    • Travel Reels
    • Travel Logs
  • Pets
  • Advertise with Us

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Install Manila Standard Web App

Install App