Defending the Pope

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Yes, prudence is a Christian virtue and it dictates that we do not unneccessarily place our life in danger, because life is a precious gift from God.

God works through instrumental causes, so perhaps providing the Pope with a bulletproof car is God’s way of protecting him.

We need our Popes to stay alive as long as they can and not foolishly place themselves in danger - otherwise, the Church would descend into chaos with non-stop papal elections.
 
alias235 said:
So I was searching through facebook, and this came up:
quiterly.com/2529/avoiding-heaven-as-long-as-possible

Is there anyway to defend the Pope from this?
Or better yet the idea of why the Pope would even need a car with bulletproof glass to protect himself when His faith in God should protect him?
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He has faith that God will provide protection. So God provides him with the common sense to use a bullet-proof car. God will provide. Just don’t assume his method will be obviously supernatural.
 
alias235 said:
So I was searching through facebook, and this came up:
quiterly.com/2529/avoiding-heaven-as-long-as-possible

Is there anyway to defend the Pope from this?
Or better yet the idea of why the Pope would even need a car with bulletproof glass to protect himself when His faith in God should protect him?
Click to expand...
2264 Love toward oneself remains a fundamental principle of morality. Therefore it is legitimate to insist on respect for one’s own right to life. Someone who defends his life is not guilty of murder even if he is forced to deal his aggressor a lethal blow:
If a man in self-defense uses more than necessary violence, it will be unlawful: whereas if he repels force with moderation, his defense will be lawful… Nor is it necessary for salvation that a man omit the act of moderate self-defense to avoid killing the other man, since one is bound to take more care of one’s own life than of another’s.[65]
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2265 Legitimate defense can be not only a right but a grave duty for someone responsible for another’s life. Preserving the common good requires rendering the unjust aggressor unable to inflict harm. To this end, those holding legitimate authority have the right to repel by armed force aggressors against the civil community entrusted to their charge.[66]
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I kind of like that our Pope is alive long enough to be able to teach something. It also is negligent to not acknowledge that the Pope spends a lot of time out in public unprotected. I’m sure the security protecting him pulls their hair out sometimes.
 
alias235 said:
So I was searching through facebook, and this came up:
quiterly.com/2529/avoiding-heaven-as-long-as-possible

Is there anyway to defend the Pope from this?
Or better yet the idea of why the Pope would even need a car with bulletproof glass to protect himself when His faith in God should protect him?
Click to expand...
As others have already mentioned, this could very well be God’s way of protecting the Holy Father.

I mean, I don’t like the Popemobile either but I could see why it is necessary.

Plus, the Holy Father is also the sovereign of a Nation. The Papal State needs to protect her leader just as Obama needs bulletproof windows to protect him. Leaders need protection. Not to mention, the Holy Father doesn’t even use the glass all that much. Mostly on foreign visits but while within the borders of the Papal State, His Holiness will use some other mode of transportation.

~ Pius :knight1:
 
alias235 said:
Is there anyway to defend the Pope from this?
Click to expand...
Defend him from what? Rampant stupidity?
alias235 said:
Or better yet the idea of why the Pope would even need a car with bulletproof glass to protect himself
Click to expand...
Uh, because the world is full of nut jobs and evil people, such as the terrorist who shot John Paul II.
alias235 said:
His faith in God should protect him?
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Hmmm, is that Catholic teaching?

I think not.
 
alias235 said:
So I was searching through facebook, and this came up:
quiterly.com/2529/avoiding-heaven-as-long-as-possible

Is there anyway to defend the Pope from this?
Or better yet the idea of why the Pope would even need a car with bulletproof glass to protect himself when His faith in God should protect him?
Click to expand...
I don’t think it is stated in scripture or in any Catholic teaching that having faith in God will prevent someone from being killed. And having faith in God doesn’t mean you abandon all protection.
 
Having faith in God has nothing to do with protecting you from an assassin. The assassin has free will, just like you and I. If I have faith in God, it does not mean that God takes away the free will of the assassin who wants to kill me.

Having faith in God has never meant that we are somehow immune from evil.
 
I would take a somewhat different approach to the matter.

The Pope uses this vehicle out of Love…Not fear…

It works like this.
The Holy Father did not order this Pope mobile - those around him did. Those who love him did. Those around him and those responsible for his safety felt that this was needed.
So - the intent of those who ordered the vehicle was Love for the Holy Father.
The Holy Father uses it in order to put at ease the minds of his body guards and indeed all of the faithful.
In all likelihood, the Holy Father would be just as content in an open vehicle.
But he uses this out of Love.

It’s all about Loving ones fellow man.

Peace
James
 
alias235 said:
So I was searching through facebook, and this came up:
quiterly.com/2529/avoiding-heaven-as-long-as-possible

Is there anyway to defend the Pope from this?
Or better yet the idea of why the Pope would even need a car with bulletproof glass to protect himself when His faith in God should protect him?
Click to expand...
So if you are driving your car on a highway do you think its okay to drive without holding the steering wheel. Your thought process would suggest that it should be okay to do that because you have faith in God and trust he will not let you crash.
 
I think a bulletproof car is just following the old advice:

Pray as if everything depended upon God, then act as if everything depended on you.

The Holy Father enjoys Infallibility, not Invincibility.

And if he travels through Roman traffic, the Popemobile isn’t a good choice; he really needs a tank. 😃
 
alias235 said:
So I was searching through facebook, and this came up:
quiterly.com/2529/avoiding-heaven-as-long-as-possible

Is there anyway to defend the Pope from this?
Or better yet the idea of why the Pope would even need a car with bulletproof glass to protect himself when His faith in God should protect him?
Click to expand...
Jesus said to the Devil in the desert, “It has been written ‘thou shalt not put the Lord thy God to the test.’” Assuming that one’s faith in God removes the need to take reasonable precautions sounds like putting God to the test to me.
 
AlltheRoses said:
Jesus said to the Devil in the desert, “It has been written ‘thou shalt not put the Lord thy God to the test.’” Assuming that one’s faith in God removes the need to take reasonable precautions sounds like putting God to the test to me.
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This is one way to look at it.
On the other hand, “not putting God to the test”, could just mean not worrying about it one way or the other…
In other words, don’t go looking for danger, but on the other hand, don’t shrink from it either…

I honestly think that the Pope is less concerned about the matter than we are. As I said in my earlier post, we Love him and want to protect him. He loves us and lest us protect him so that we feel happier. It’s a Love thing…

Peace
James
 
alias235 said:
So I was searching through facebook, and this came up:
quiterly.com/2529/avoiding-heaven-as-long-as-possible

Is there anyway to defend the Pope from this?
Or better yet the idea of why the Pope would even need a car with bulletproof glass to protect himself when His faith in God should protect him?
Click to expand...
The Pope was shot.

The surgeon who operated on him said that the bullet followed a zig-zag path through his abdomen and avoided all vital organs.

Blessed Pope John Paul II had been consecrated to Mary early in his priesthood, and always maintained that it was the hand of Mary which guided the bullet.

-Tim-
 
JRKH said:
This is one way to look at it.
On the other hand, “not putting God to the test”, could just mean not worrying about it one way or the other…
In other words, don’t go looking for danger, but on the other hand, don’t shrink from it either…

I honestly think that the Pope is less concerned about the matter than we are. As I said in my earlier post, we Love him and want to protect him. He loves us and lest us protect him so that we feel happier. It’s a Love thing…

Peace
James
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Very true.
 
Marocchino said:
God works through instrumental causes, so perhaps providing the Pope with a bulletproof car is God’s way of protecting him.
Click to expand...
Boudreaux was trying to convince Thibodaux to evacuate his home before a severe hurricane hit. But Thibodaux said: “No, I have faith, God will protect me.”

So Boudreaux left his friend behind and a few hours later the sheriff stopped by in his SUV to help those who still hadn’t evacuated get out of the area before it was too late to which Thibodaux said: “No, I have faith, God will protect me.”

As the water began to rise threatening to enter his home a man in a Boat came by and offered to take him to higher ground but again Thibodaux said: “No, I have faith, God will protect me.”

As the water rose Thibodaux sat on the roof of his home and a rescue Helicopter offered to lift him to safety but again Thibodaux said: “No, I have faith, God will protect me.”

And then Thibodaux drowned.

When he stood before Jesus, Thibodaux ask. “Lord I had faith, why didn’t you protect me.”

To which Jesus replied: “I sent your friend Boudreaux, an SUV, a Boat and a Helicopter, what more did you want?”

Chuck
 
alias235 said:
So I was searching through facebook, and this came up:
quiterly.com/2529/avoiding-heaven-as-long-as-possible

Is there anyway to defend the Pope from this?
Or better yet the idea of why the Pope would even need a car with bulletproof glass to protect himself when His faith in God should protect him?
Click to expand...
Well…do you have car insurance? liability insurance? health insurance? home insurance?

Why do you need this different insurance plans?

Now ask yourself…if you have indeed have a very strong faith in God…why do you need insurance?
 
Has any heard this?

A major storm was coming to a town… One of the citizens, a devout, prayerful man said " God will protect me!" He prayed… Then, someone with a car, came by and said " C’mon, I can get you a ride!" Yet the man said " I will stay here, because my God will rescue me!" Then the water kept going up… Next a ship, then a plane… Same thing happened…
Afterward, he drowned from the flood… He said to God : Why did you not save me? God said… I sent you a car, boat and plane… I gave you many chances!"

The moral of the story is… God will provide, using human means! 😃
 
JRKH said:
This is one way to look at it.
On the other hand, “not putting God to the test”, could just mean not worrying about it one way or the other…
In other words, don’t go looking for danger, but on the other hand, don’t shrink from it either…

I honestly think that the Pope is less concerned about the matter than we are. As I said in my earlier post, we Love him and want to protect him. He loves us and lest us protect him so that we feel happier. It’s a Love thing…

Peace
James
Click to expand...
Good point. The safety precautions also show the Pope’s love and concern for those around him - think of the fear, chaos and panic that would ensue…
 
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