Either you go totally for God or you don't

By Uncle Dick or rliong in Tsinoy.com, a Chinese-Filipino site.

Many thought that the Da Vinci Code is anti-Opus Dei but the fact is: it is anti-Christ. Mixing some facts with fiction with the aim of selling a book and making piles of money. But I am digressing.

Opus Dei means many things to many people. For some, it is a sneaking Catholic secret society. For others, it is a group of fanatics - the predecessors of the El Shaddai. Still for some, it is a group of snobbish, elitist, holier-than-thou conservative Catholics. For those who know them well - including myself - it is a Catholic organization trying to spread Christ's gospel and to help people to get into heaven in their own disciplined way.

Who is right? It depends on which side you are in when looking into the Opus Dei. Since it is an organization of men - and not everyone is perfect - it is not perfect with a few snobbish, elitist members. As for being fanatics and ultra-conservative, well, either you go totally for God or you don't. It is not whether you are conservative or progressive. There is only one Catholic Church teaching, you either follow it or not. (I was tempted to take the easy way out many times - to be a born-again following the bible in the way I want to interpret it and following my own conscience, the way I was brought up.)

Luckily, I met this group with an unbiased mind when there were no bad publicity surfacing yet. I was able to see it as it was - a religious group just like any other with its positive and not-so-positive sides. I believe that there is no such thing as "negative sides" in an institutions approved by our Catholic Church. It is more of a matter of more positive or less positive. The "negatives" belong to the "dark side."

I saw many dedicated priests and members. Like any institution, it has its share of "ex-members", its friends and foes, for many different reasons. For the same reason, there are people who hate and campaign against Mother Teresa and her works too.

What I simply know is this: St. Josemaria helps me when I asked for his intercession and he will surely help the institution that he had founded. Look at the "good apples" in the barrel and let those "bad ones" rot.

No, I am not a member and not everyone in the Opus Dei is my friend.