Is it ok to kill?

[Ender]

If one is a postition of protecting others, it is a wrong not to kill someone, if killing that person is necessary for the protection of innocent third party.

It is important to distinguish between the rights and responsibilities of an individual and the rights and responsibilities of the state and our duty to others. We are taught to turn to other cheek when we ourselves are attacked but we are not taught to ignore attacks on others, in fact just the opposite.

(Aquinas): *"The good bear with the wicked by enduring patiently, and in due manner, the wrongs they themselves receive from them: but they do not bear with them as to endure the wrongs they inflict on God and their neighbor. For Crysostom says: “It is praiseworthy to be patient under our own wrongs, but to overlook God’s wrongs is most wicked.”

*The catechism gives a clear description of the duty of the state:

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.”

Ender

 

[Brendan]

It

The catechism gives a clear description of the duty of the state:

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.”

Ender

The Chruch does not recognize that right exclusively to the State, but to all that are responsible for the lives of others. That would include parents and other care givers.

See *Evangelium Vitae *para 55

Moreover, “legitimate defence can be not only a right but a grave duty for someone responsible for another’s life, the common good **of the family **or of the State”. Unfortunately it happens that the need to render the aggressor incapable of causing harm sometimes involves taking his life. In this case, the fatal outcome is attributable to the aggressor whose action brought it about, even though he may not be morally responsible because of a lack of the use of reason.

 

[Writer]

It is important to distinguish between the rights and responsibilities of an individual and the rights and responsibilities of the state and our duty to others. We are taught to turn to other cheek when we ourselves are attacked but we are not taught to ignore attacks on others, in fact just the opposite.

(Aquinas): *"*The good bear with the wicked by enduring patiently, and in due manner, the wrongs they themselves receive from them: but they do not bear with them as to endure the wrongs they inflict on God and their neighbor. For Crysostom says: “It is praiseworthy to be patient under our own wrongs, but to overlook God’s wrongs is most wicked.”

The catechism gives a clear description of the duty of the state:

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.”

Ender

Right… In Chesterton’s *Everlasting Man, *he also makes the interesting observation that Christ usually seems to have been welcomed more by the Roman soldiers than the Jews themselves, and He never said anything against war itself.

 

[The_Chicken]

Very interesting inquisition posts.