Blessed Pope John Paul II in his book Memory and Identity, analysing what he calls the Lessons of Recent History, writes that strong anti-evangelical currents “strike at the very foundations of human morality, influencing the family and promoting a morally permissive outlook: divorce, free love, abortion, contraception, the fight against life in its initial phases and its final phase, the manipulation of life”.
He goes on to ask whether, after the fall of totalitarian regimes sustained by communism and fascism, we are facing “another form of totalitarianism, concealed under the appearance of democracy” and he states: “It is legitimate and even necessary to ask whether this is not the work of another ideology of evil more subtle and hidden, perhaps, intent upon exploiting human rights themselves against man and against the family.”
Malta is not immune from these currents, and a wave of this permissive outlook has reached our shores through the referendum held on the introduction of divorce which, in the quote above, is the first item mentioned by the late Pope. Will other waves hit us as has happened in most countries?
We have just gone through the democratic experience of a consultative referendum on the introduction of divorce in Malta which clearly endorsed the proposal. The question now is whether Members of Parliament are under an obligation to vote for the enactment of a law introducing divorce.
The last two referendums held in Malta dealt with two major political developments.
The people were asked to approve the proposed Constitution for Independence and Malta’s accession to the European Union. In both referendums there was a clear majority for the two proposals. Yet the Labour Party MPs continued to oppose both proposals notwithstanding the positive referendum results on those two eminently political issues.
It is worth recalling that as Prime Minister in 2003, faced with that stand by the Labour Party, I opted to advise the President to dissolve Parliament forthwith and call a fresh election in which accession to the European Union was the main issue.
I have always maintained that moral issues should not be decided on the principle of democratic majorities but, rather, on the principle of what is morally right.
As a Christian I believe, on the authority of none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that divorce is morally wrong and therefore wrong for society.
Should one change this view because a democratic majority decides otherwise? Definitely not.
It is now up to Members of Parliament to stand up and be counted when they come to vote on a divorce Bill that will now inevitably come up for debate in Parliament. This will put to the test each member’s credibility on moral issues that will leave a permanent effect on the well-being of society.
Dr Fenech Adami is Emeritus President and former Prime Minister.