Is everything ought to be religious or secular?

Is everything ought to be religious or secular?

Last week, we heard about news on the students of St. Theresa's College in Cebu being barred from getting graduated all because of a minor action taken: posing in bikinis in the internet.

It is quite weird to think why to bar these students involved away from getting graduated? Yes, to others it may be ridiculous to see these girls wearing bikinis and enjoying the summer heat and one of them carrying liquor and cigarette; but does not mean that they should be barred from the ceremony regardless of what they achieved like having grades passed and considered to be graduated.

However, on the other hand, there are clauses that involve school and religious policy.  One commentator said that it is a school policy to impose morals even those from outside such as social media, and disobeisance to the said policy would affect student's record such as those students being barred from entering the ceremony.

Obviously, this controversy done weeks ago perhaps involved questioning free will and morality; it may also involve which morality ought to be observed, is it Judeo-Christian or Secular morality? Since the Philippines is a secular state that obviously controlled by established religion though tradition and morals, it is quite useless to think that there is freedom of thought and action to the extent of showing their summer life via bathing themselves in bikinis or whatsoever is against morals said so by the school. In fact, it makes no sense at all that the photos may affect their grades and class standing like the way these people on high would make their high grades in Science and Math null and void?

Well, this writer made him think that the ones involved in that matter were simply enjoying their last days as high school students by enjoying summer. It was even their free will to take pictures and post it in their sites for their friends to look in it; but to overlook their personal matters in the name of morality and school-related matters is simply invading their lives as well-especially in a non-curricular, non-religious medium such as Facebook.

That, UP College of Law's Raul Pangalanan assessed the matter as invasive:

“… under the Family Code, the school exercises ‘special parental authority’ only during school activities. The mother says that the bikini shot was taken at a ‘family or private social activity [that] does not involve the school’s supervision and control’ and ‘was not connected with the school curriculum.’ The school cannot install itself as moral watchdog over a student’s entire life."

“Three, the school actually intruded into the student’s privacy. The photograph was apparently posted on the girl’s Facebook account whose privacy settings allowed access only to her friends. The school officials were not her Facebook friends, and were kibitzers into the child’s zone of privacy. Indeed, if indeed the girl’s privacy settings gave access only to her friends, the girl’s Facebook posts are technically hearsay vis-à-vis the school officials because they were not privy to her posts.”

In other words, they (the STC administrators), despite doing their actions in the name of morality, was simply invading private matters that is protected under secular law; that matter isn't even involve drugs nor any illegal substance, they (the students involved) were simply enjoying alcohol socially and even enjoying summer though bikinis, that somehow isn't even bad at all! Others may think of it "what's wrong in wearing bikinis and enjoy summer? Does it mean excommunication in the pretext of disobeying morality even in a democratic state that espouses secular, laicist law?"

"The problem is that not all girls want to be St. Theresa." As what Marie Yuvienco said in a writeup in TV5's Umaksyon.

However, one commentator tried to justify the actions taken in a conservative standpoint:

"On one hand, the school states explicitly in their handbook that “posing and uploading pictures on the Internet that entail ample body exposure” is a violation. My take on this is that if you are in an organization(STC in this case), you are bound to follow their rules, no matter how dumb or illogical they are. STC is a catholic school and needless to say, is more on the conservative side. They want to uphold their reputation as such."

Kinda right to say that kind of standing that STC is doing their actions in the name of morality and observance to School Rules, but that matter, as what Atty. Pangalanan said "Is outside of School henceforth not a School matter to be discussed."

Another even tend to say that it is imposing "Discipline" as one reason why STC administrators tend to "teach these students a lesson" by barring them from the ceremony under the pretext of violating School policies.

Quite confusing though to see such comments as using "freedom" or "morality", "School rules" and the "Civil code," obviously to the radical minded it means religion dominating secular matter as everyone sees of it and ask "Why to get involve in such activities like going to the beach and enjoy summer?" or "why to interfere these people being young, wild and free?"

And speaking of religious matters, this writer would say that Jesus Christ loves unique people. He had followers consists of poor, sick, destitute, his companion was once a prostitute, and he himself died on the cross, acting as a sacrifice as he, trying to purify the faith of his forefathers and the society ridden by corruption and repression, perhaps most rather forgot their faith's humble yet meaningful beginnings.

Been an observant in regards to both sectarian and non sectarian matters, it is much likely to think that this matter ought to be minor not because of the administrators overlooked and justify their actions in the name of morality that undermines academic work that served as foundations of their standing. And as expected further, that matter also questions which is to be observed, especially in regards to outside-school matters: Is it from the school these students studying and now finished after four years of burning their midnight oils all over? Or the state whose rights are been protected under the constitution?

This means Sectarian, if not Religious Dogma over Secularism so to think of- and obviously, this writer may disagree about the school's action taken, but religion over secular matters? This means confusion which is to be observed-especially that the preamble speaks of Almighty God. In fact, invading secular matters made Mustafa Kemal Ataturk disband the Caliphate (under the house of Osman) and depoliticize religious matters in Turkey during his rule-that includes emancipating women and the right to wear western clothing and enjoy pleasures as equals of men or the sublime paralytic Apolinario Mabini, in his efforts to overturn Paterno's plea of making Catholicism the Philippines' "National Religion" and insist separation of Church and State.

Is everyting ought to be religious or secular? That is the question. But then, in the end, as one commentator said:

"You may think that having a good morals is the most important thing, but at the end of the day, it’s all about competing in the job market. Speaking of which, the country couldn’t even fix the skyrocketing unemployment rate."

True to say so that in the end most rather deal on how to have a good-paying job as graduates after College.

And at least those photos aren't made "for sake" like those who artlessly and unreasonable posing in bikinis in front of the mirror and describing themselves all of their lives in their posts as "Delicious", "Yummy", or any other narcissistic idea in pursuit of describing themselves as "eye candy" or what,  and somehow that is obviously immoral  and gone too far than those who enjoy their last days of school and of the starting days of summer.

Sources:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/170523/deped-to-look-into-private-school%E2%80%99s-manual-internet-rules
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/28639/marie-yuvienco-they-werent-afraid-to-come-out-of-the-water
http://www.opawtech.com/random/girl-banned-from-graduation-rites-over-bikini-photo.html