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Pope Francis calls for abolishing death penalty and life imprisonment
catholicnews.com ^ | Oct-23-2014 | Francis X. Rocca

Posted on 10/23/2014 1:37:07 PM PDT by Gamecock

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To: Bettyprob

“Many countries do not have life imprisonment. Mexico, for example, is 30 years maximum.”

So we will get our Marine back eventually. Great.


121 posted on 10/23/2014 3:20:48 PM PDT by CrazyIvan (I lost my phased plasma rifle in a tragic hovercraft accident.)
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To: trisham

I think that when we take the position that these isssues don’t deserve very serious consideration, we’re saying, “So and so doesn’t deserve forgiveness.” Well, I don’t deserve forgiveness. None of us deserves forgiveness, none of us earns salvation.

What is there other than unmerited mercy from God?


122 posted on 10/23/2014 3:26:18 PM PDT by Tax-chick (Feeling fine about the end of the world!)
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To: Dutchboy88
I am on the teaching team for our parish RCIA program -- you'll hear Catholics talk about that, it's religious ed for adult converts. Over the past 5 years our parish has had a total about 60 -70, at least in the English program. I don't know about the Spanish.

What I can say is, our adults are for the most part longtime Christians, educated, have already pretty much decided they want to be Catholic, stick with it even though they have to go through 9 months of instruction, already get that the Catholic Church was founded by Christ, and therefore want the Catholic Church to be Catholic.

(You undoubtedly think they're wrong from the git-go, but that's not my point.)

My point is, I worry that they'll get freaked by apparent Episcopalian-type conflicts within the household of the Faith, on basic doctrines like the indissolubility of marriage. That doctrine ain't going away, never in a million years, but just creating the appearance that it might, is baffling to them and a real morale-buster.

That's why I say --- sardonically, but there's some truth in it --- that "confusion is mightier than the catechism."

I once debated Frances Kissling on the radio. She was he longtime head of "Catholics for Choice." She is not even a nominal Christian, never went to Mass, rejected the Faith and Morals which have come down to us from the Apostles and all the rest of it --- a total fake, really. But she was full of pseud-scholarly argle-bargle about the history of Canon Law, which she completely misconstrued. As in, lied about.

She openly admitted to me (away from the microphones) that she realized that the Church would never, ever, ever say abortion was OK, but no matter: she just had to introduce the idea that this moral law was debatable. That it was dubious. That it was up in the air. That there could be some merit on both sides.

I did a lot of debating way back when, and faced all kinds of abortion supporters, scores of them I suppose, but there were only two that I thought were intentionally, knowingly, consistently lying: Bill Baird and Frances Kissling.

Creating doubt, creating confusion is their whole strategy.

That's why I think this run-up to the 2015 Family Synod was a disaster. No change of doctrine of course. Won't happen. But creating the impression that it's up for grabs gets the devil's job done nicely.

I have to say that for this, Pope Francis is responsible --- or he's irresponsible.

I understand that the smackdown of Cardinal Kasper and his clique on October 16 was pretty muscular, and indicates that the doctrinally strong Bishops will have time to organize, now that the "wolves in shepherds' clothing" are pretty much unmasked. Thank God for Africa.

Evil won't win but --- as usual --- the good have to get in there and fight.

123 posted on 10/23/2014 3:30:33 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o (Most of us know more from being old, than from being told.)
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To: morphing libertarian
"What is moral about letting someone who takes an innocent life not forfeit their own?"

Nothing, according to Scripture. Here in Virginia, it seems we've lost the fortitude to prescribe the death penalty. It's rarely used anymore. Earlier this year, a local man beat his elderly mother-in-law to death because she wouldn't give him money. He was sentenced to 35 years.

I'm sticking with this:

"And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.

“Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind."

Genesis 9.

124 posted on 10/23/2014 3:34:06 PM PDT by CatherineofAragon ((Support Christian white males---the architects of the jewel known as Western Civilization.))
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To: NKP_Vet

I’m not anti Catholic, I just think the things espoused of late are weird.


125 posted on 10/23/2014 3:35:43 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: mc5cents
"The Church has always been against murder, remember it is one of God's top ten things we can not do, and whether it is done by the state or an individual it can not be condoned. As for imprisonment there is no Godly sanction against it and the Pope is wrong in my opinion to limit it in any way."

There is a difference between killing and murder. Killing is justified homicide. Murder is unjustified homicide.

The execution of murderers is justified homicide. There is no Godly sanction against it---in fact, He demands it. Genesis 9.

126 posted on 10/23/2014 3:37:11 PM PDT by CatherineofAragon ((Support Christian white males---the architects of the jewel known as Western Civilization.))
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To: Tax-chick

There were eternal souls at stake in the Old Testament as well as the New. If the Law given by God to Moses was just and good, then the state has every right to use the death penalty AS PUNISHMENT. Why? Because it is JUST! God said so, Himself.

Who is the Pope to refute God?


127 posted on 10/23/2014 3:37:31 PM PDT by Mr Rogers
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To: Mr Rogers

Should every woman who has had an abortion be executed?


128 posted on 10/23/2014 3:39:07 PM PDT by Tax-chick (Feeling fine about the end of the world!)
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To: Tax-chick

“Should every woman who has had an abortion be executed?”

If the state set that as a punishment for killing the unborn, in what sense would it be unjust?


129 posted on 10/23/2014 3:42:50 PM PDT by Mr Rogers
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To: Mr Rogers

I was asking you to make a global moral commitment, rather than a nuanced, “What’s the letter of the law?” quibble.

But let’s ask a different question. Should every kid who cusses out his parents in a fit of temper over losing the car keys be executed?


130 posted on 10/23/2014 3:44:43 PM PDT by Tax-chick (Feeling fine about the end of the world!)
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To: Mrs. Don-o

Fair response. And, you are correct about me believing the Scriptures do not support the view that the Roman Catholic Church was founded by Christ. But, it is very interesting to me that you (and most Catholics) hold to what you believe is in the Scriptures when you wish to contest what is coming from your organization. That is, you point to “...on this rock...” as the proof positive that Rome is the “church”, but now dislike what is publicly being promulgated and reject the “Vicar of Christ’s” opinions. A novel idea and probably useful if this pope begins to wander as far from Scripture as, say, John XII.


131 posted on 10/23/2014 3:45:31 PM PDT by Dutchboy88
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To: Tax-chick

What does God think is just? Hmmm?

Yes, the state has the right to set levels of punishment. When God set them, He took cussing out your parents very seriously. He took killing others very seriously. He took homosexual acts very seriously.

That we do not reflects our immorality, not our goodness.


132 posted on 10/23/2014 3:47:25 PM PDT by Mr Rogers
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To: Gamecock

Pope must have also been a community organizer.

Shameful person he is.


133 posted on 10/23/2014 3:48:20 PM PDT by dforest
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To: Mr Rogers

Are you saying that everyone who disrespects his parents, commits sodomy, worships false gods, or commits adultery should be executed?


134 posted on 10/23/2014 3:48:44 PM PDT by Tax-chick (Feeling fine about the end of the world!)
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To: Tax-chick
I think that when we take the position that these isssues don’t deserve very serious consideration, we’re saying, “So and so doesn’t deserve forgiveness.” Well, I don’t deserve forgiveness. None of us deserves forgiveness, none of us earns salvation. What is there other than unmerited mercy from God?

***************************

It is only God that forgives us.

We can make our own beliefs known, and we can try to convince ourselves and others that forgiveness is ours, but at the end, only God can forgive us.
It is His mercy that we require.

135 posted on 10/23/2014 3:49:05 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Tax-chick

God said certain crimes were serious enough to justify killing the criminal.

Do YOU think God was unjust? Unrealistic?

Do you believe the God of the Old Testament was a Mean Old Man, and the Jesus came and changed God into a sweet, anything goes person? Or did Jesus banish the God of the Old Testament to the attic, where He is now hiding until the end of time?

What is YOUR theology?

Did God change between 1000 BC, 33 AD and 2014 AD?


136 posted on 10/23/2014 3:52:38 PM PDT by Mr Rogers
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To: trisham

The more I know that I need mercy, the more I think others should receive mercy from me. Maybe I’m wrong, but I have nothing to live on but unmerited mercy.

As I’ve said above, I’m not making decisions about death penalties. I have a vote, but what effect it has on anything past the City Sewer Board level, I’m sure I don’t know.

I was on the jury panel once for a capital murder case, but the judge told me I was a smartass, thanked me for the amusement value, and said I was “dismissed for cause.”


137 posted on 10/23/2014 3:53:11 PM PDT by Tax-chick (Feeling fine about the end of the world!)
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To: Mr Rogers

It’s as if you’re not answering my questions, but just proposing other questions. Good evening, happy Thursday, and all that.


138 posted on 10/23/2014 3:53:52 PM PDT by Tax-chick (Feeling fine about the end of the world!)
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To: truth_seeker

Not exactly. The Catechism states that it may be necessary in rare cases.


139 posted on 10/23/2014 3:57:01 PM PDT by Phillyred
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To: Vendome

I agree.


140 posted on 10/23/2014 3:58:11 PM PDT by NKP_Vet ("PRO FIDE, PRO UTILITATE HOMINUM")
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