Should Catholics be opposed to war?

[littlesoul]

I’m not sure how I feel, but are we supposed to be opposed to war?
Should we be proud of America and all that?
I’m unsure. You know with
“Thou shalt not kill” and all…
Should we proud when our sons/daughters wish to join the army?
I’m just unsure what the teaching is on this. Going to check the catechism now

 

[bzkoss236]

We should be opposed to UNJUST war

 

[littlesoul]

We should be opposed to UNJUST war

What is an unjust war?

 

[Chuck1]

Google just war theory by saint Tomas aqinus a criteria that makes war just and if one thing doesn’t fulfill the criteria it’s not just . So far no wars have been just

 

[littlesoul]

Google just war theory by saint Tomas aqinus a criteria that makes war just and if one thing doesn’t fulfill the criteria it’s not just . So far no wars have been just

Ok, thanks, I will. So if wars have been unjust all this time, should we not encourage our children to join the army? I guess people should think carefully before joining the army I suppose.

 

[littlesoul]

Ok… I see…

**"First, war must occur for a good and just purpose rather than for self-gain (for example, “in the nation’s interest” is not just) or as an exercise of power.

Second, just war must be waged by a properly instituted authority such as the state.

Third, peace must be a central motive even in the midst of violence."**

 

[sedonaman]

… So far no wars have been just

Why not the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, or either WWs? I can see why Korea, Vietnam, and now Iraq and Pakistan might not be, but why not the others?

 

[garn9173]

Google just war theory by saint Tomas aqinus a criteria that makes war just and if one thing doesn’t fulfill the criteria it’s not just . So far no wars have been just

Tell that to those who landed on Omaha Beach and liberated Europe from Hitler.

 

[jediliz]

if Catholics in the colonies had opposed the Revolutionary war, would we still be under English rule? There was only ONE Catholic who signed the Declaration of Independence - Charles Carroll.

We do oppose the war on the unborn AKA Abortion.

 

[mymamamary]

We are supposed to be opposed to UNJUST war.

Look at St. Thomas Aquinas’s just war theory

There is a time for peace, and a time for war…

 

[Chrish1975]

I’m not sure how I feel, but are we supposed to be opposed to war?
Should we be proud of America and all that?
I’m unsure. You know with
“Thou shalt not kill” and all…
Should we proud when our sons/daughters wish to join the army?
I’m just unsure what the teaching is on this. Going to check the catechism now

Thou shall not murder. The Church has a just war doctrine that allows for war in certain circumstances and calls for the avoidance of civilian killing. But war is part of the human experience and will always be with us as Jesus talked about in the gospels.

 

[bilop]

Google just war theory by saint Tomas aqinus a criteria that makes war just and if one thing doesn’t fulfill the criteria it’s not just . So far no wars have been just

Not true. Almost any war fought in self-defense (i.e. by an attacked country) is just.

Here are the conditions of just war from the Catechism.

1. the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;
2. all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;
3. there must be serious prospects of success;
4. the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power as well as the precision of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.

Please explain how the U.S failed any of those conditions?

That does not mean that all the actions of the U.S. in the war were just, but the war itself was just.

God Bless

 

[someperson555]

ofcourse! you cant call yourself pro life yet support illegal wars for oil at the same time. i do not intend to cast judgement, but people who join the US army today are committing sin. since they are basically mercinaries who fight wars of aggression.

 

[garn9173]

ofcourse! you cant call yourself pro life yet support illegal wars for oil at the same time. i do not intend to cast judgement,** but people who join the US army today are committing sin**. since they are basically mercinaries who fight wars of aggression.

No offense, but I sure hope you are not an American because I don’t know how any American can say that 2 days after Veterans Day.

 

[St_Francis]

Google just war theory by saint Tomas aqinus a criteria that makes war just and if one thing doesn’t fulfill the criteria it’s not just . So far no wars have been just

Wars are just only on one side. If Ruritania invades Caline, Caline is permitted, in fact possibly obligated, to defend itself against Ruritania. Thus Caline is fighting justly, *but the starting of the war, the invasion by Ruritania, is unjust. *

Thus, “a war” cannot be said to be just, because an unjustice preceded it and thus one or more of the fighting nations acted unjustly. Both sides cannot be justly involved in the war.

 

[someperson555]

No offense, but I sure hope you are not an American because I don’t know how any American can say that 2 days after Veterans Day.

i will walk up to a veteran and tell him to his face that he has a very good chance of being in mortal sin. volunteering to fight in a war of aggression for money is basically being a hitman. so far in the 20th century america has not fought a single war which meets the catholic requirments for “just war”.
and if there are any catholics who support ANY of the wars in this century, i suggest they take a deep study of the catechism.
btw, im an American.

 

[garn9173]

i will walk up to a veteran and tell him to his face that he has a very good chance of being in moral sin. volunteering to fight in a war of aggression for money is basically being a hitman. so far in the 20th century america has not fought a single war which meets the catholic requirments for “just war”.
and if there are any catholics who support ANY of the wars in this century, i suggest they take a deep study of the catechism.

Thank God you live in a country were men and women HAVE DIED for you to have the right to utter sunch nonsense.

 

[St_Francis]

ofcourse! you cant call yourself pro life yet support illegal wars for oil at the same time.

You may *disagree *about the justice of a particular war, but you would need to back that up. I haven’t noticed our benefiting oil-wise from the wars, and Bush specifically excluded that, so I cannot imagine what you are talking about.

i do not intend to cast judgement, but people who join the US army today are committing sin.

What? How can you say that you are not intending to cast judgement, and then do so? That is like someone’s saying, I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, but you are incredibly ugly.

since they are basically mercinaries who fight wars of aggression.

Those who volunteer to join the military generally do so out of a desire to serve their country, to defend their nation. This is salutory, not condemnable.

They are also putting their lives at risk in order to protect you. I would suggest a little respect on your part. If you want to cast judgement, do so on those who are responsible for the decisions, not on those who are risking their lives.

 

[someperson555]

Thank God you live in a country were men and women HAVE DIED for you to have the right to utter sunch nonsense.

oh really? just what is so nonsensical about what i said? every word of it is true. in the past 20th century not ONE war met the requirments for a just war. those poor misguided soldiers died for the international plutocrats. not our freedoms, sorry

 

[edwest2]

i will walk up to a veteran and tell him to his face that he has a very good chance of being in moral sin. volunteering to fight in a war of aggression for money is basically being a hitman. so far in the 20th century america has not fought a single war which meets the catholic requirments for “just war”.
and if there are any catholics who support ANY of the wars in this century, i suggest they take a deep study of the catechism.
btw, im an American.

You should study history as well. Make a list of who invaded who and under what conditions. If you don’t know and understand the reasons then studying the Catechism will not answer any questions you have.

No one wants to put their lives on the line. As an American, do you want to be sent to a foreign country knowing that other people want you dead? Your question makes little sense if you lack an understanding for the motivations for war.

amazon.com/Serving-God-Country-Military-Chaplains/dp/0425247864

Peace,
Ed