Ok, in the eyes of the pope, they weren’t officially idols. But it in the observed worship type behavior of others, they obviously were.
‘If God did not repel some people by means of others, many monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, where God’s name is much invoked, would have been destroyed. God is sure to help those who help His cause- God is strong and mighty.’ (Al-Haj: 40).
“The end does not justify the means.” Many people, and unfortunately that includes you, often state that principle incorrectly. The true dictum is, “The end does not always justify the means.” In the present case, the end changed the formal character of the act, and so it is justified.
You can’t get rid of heresies just by destroying mosques. Besides, God did not tell us to get rid of idols worshipped by idolaters in their own temples, nor to destroy their temples. By giving the first commandment, He effectively told us not to join them or worship their idols. That is why their idols should not be in our churches.
Exactly!
In this case, it is formally murder. Although the remote end of the act is to avoid having suicide thoughts, the proximate end of the act is the killing of an innocent child, which is objectively and intrinsically evil.
I agree, opening an old wound for a bad reason isn’t prudent. But exposing a sexual abuse that was suppressed and kept hidden for years is not being done for a bad reason. This is being done to cleanse the church of internal corruption and to give justice to the victims of sexual abuse.
Considering the vitriolic reaction, many do think it is equivalent to “an intrinsically evil act”, since its viewed as an act of “heresy” against new modernist “religious doctrines” of diversity, tolerance, inclusivity and environmentalism.
If someone were to put a pro-LGBT sign in the Vatican, naturally it would be taken down and thrown away. The same can be said for a pro-abortion poster being placed in a devout pro-life Catholic’s car. Or someone putting less-than modest pictures of celebrities in a local Church. In these cases, would disposal of these be stealing? If you still believe it is in these cases, is it wrong? The question becomes, why should it be any different for idols? Should they just be left there?
@AlbMagno I really appreciate your effort in engaging these folks. But matter of fact is: the Austrians who claim to have pulled that stunt weren’t invited, it was nothing of their business.
There actually is canon. It goes all the way back to Moses. It’s called the first commandment. Have you ever read the Book of Ezekiel? God was very angry His people put idols in His house. So angry He left Israel and came back with Babylon to get his things.
NOW this is the part were you distinguish a man of great culture and intellect!! Most esteemed @AlbMagno, at the press conference the Vatican itself had to short-cut the issue (because the Indians had said it was "Our Lady of the Amazon) just as to move forward and avoid any further speculation.
:They are cultural symbols of motherhood as a God given gift.