Utter Ungratefulness or Lack of Gratitude

“Gratitude is one of the great human accomplishments and ingratitude one of the great human failings,” says Rex E. Lee in his speech delivered at the Brigham Young University sometime in 1994.

He was talking about the insufficient of gratitude to those who would be benefited from the USA government humanitarian efforts of helping those who are sick by providing them the needed vaccines for the epidemic. Why he said that those recipients of the vaccines would sue the US government if they won’t be treated of their sickness. He pointed out that they lack the gratitude to give thanks the government in return.

He said doing the “Good Samaritan generosity” would put you in hot water or you would end up in jail. It is too disgusting and ingrateful indeed. Isn’t it? The intention is good but those who are dissatisfied. Are they happy? Wouldn’t they complain?

In the Philippine Setting

In similar situation, this is what actually happening in the Philippines on the non-publicized burial of President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Those who went down to the streets to dramatize their opposition to the said burial are not all victims of Marcos regime’s atrocities. Some of them were exploited.

For 20 years when Marcos was the President of the Philippines, there were a lot of great improvement in the Philippines especially the raising of the standard of living of the People. Economically speaking, the value of peso at that time is 1 is to 1. That is one peso to a dollar. Now it is roughly Php48 to a dollar.

I remember the title which the status of the country before. It is so named as New Society. Infrastructure projects have covered the entire Philippines from Aparri to Jolo. Teachers and government employees were benefited much due to the increase of their salaries, added bonuses and other monetary benefits. And there are so many I couldn’t mention them here. But look what had happened? Just a snap of a finger or a wink of eye, Marcos has become the traitor, the thief and his government regime has been deleted in the history books distributed in the Philippine schools.

Now by a mere burial of the President Marcos has need to be opposed, need to be curtailed. This is really indeed the true spirit of ungratefulness. I may use the analogy of Jesus’ ministry here on earth. While He was doing his preaching all over the places where He visited many people were converted. He had done series of miracles. But those people who believed in Him and also those people who shouted to crucify Him. That is why, ungratefulness is the sin of all ages.

The lack of gratitude is never exemplified. The hatred has overcome the attitude of those who advocate the staunch of disallowing Marcos’ burial. Now they’ve not stopped it. What are they going to do is to exhume it? There they would be violating some health code for that matter. It would be another problem for them and they have to face the court for that.

Now, Are They Ungrateful?

I may borrow the statement of LDS second counselor in the First Presidency, President Marion G. Romney from his talk, “Gratitude and Thanksgiving” in which he cited the meaning of “ungrateful man”. He quoted, “an ungrateful man is like a hog under a tree eating acorns, but never looking up to see where they come from.” (Timothy Dexter, The New Dictionary of Thoughts, Garden City, N.Y.: Standard Book Co., 1961, p. 308.)

I may repeat this is what actually is happening in the Philippines. There are “ungrateful” groups of people. The highest court itself has hinted that their decision for allowing the burial of Marcos is geared towards “national healing and reconciliation”. Those who are nurturing grudges and cursing in their hearts won’t be living for peace if they don’t give peace a chance to rule themselves. For what they sow is what they reap. Well, if they want it, they can have it for love begets love. So be it.