They Didn't Hit the Vatican

Whatever one thinks of an upcoming war on Iraq, one thing is becoming abundantly clear: Vatican officials are curiously slouching toward favoring a one-world government—a world that is ruled by the United Nations.

As recently reported by a number of Catholic journals, in relation to a possible war with Iraq, Cardinal Ratzinger opined that that a unilateral military attack by the United States against Iraq would not be justifiable. Ratzinger stated: "Decisions like this should be made by the community of nations, by the UN, and not by an individual power." What the Catholic press has neglected to mention is that Cardinal Ratzinger's comments do not even remotely reflect classical Catholic just war theory.

Hidden in Ratzinger's comments is the fact that he does think that military action might be justifiable, but that "unilateral" military action would not be justifiable. Therefore, his statement goes right to the issue of authority, which Ratzinger seems to deny outright.

In contrast to Cardinal Ratzinger, St. Thomas teaches that, for a war to be just, "the authority of the sovereign by whose command the war is to be waged" must be present. In other words, the one who declares war must possess the authority of a leader.

Therefore, according to classical Catholic just war theory, the United States has the authority to declare war on any country. That does not mean that any war would be just—indeed, any war may fail the Catholic "just war" litmus test for other reasons, but the authority of the United States to declare war would never be questioned by any serious student of Catholic war theory.

Furthermore, contrary to Cardinal Ratzinger's musings, the United Nations does not have the authority to declare war on Iraq. From a Catholic theological standpoint, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, possesses no authority. His "authority" is a legal fiction. From a Thomistic standpoint, he does not have the power to declare war because he is neither a sovereign, nor does he have care of any community.

The sad fact about Cardinal Ratzinger's comments is that not only are they out of line with Catholic tradition, but they deny the sovereignty of a single nation in favor of a group of nations. To make matters worse, Ratzinger has essentially stated that the only entity that possesses the power to declare war is the United Nations.

The fact that Cardinal Ratzinger has ruled out national sovereignty in favor of a group of nations would be harmful enough, but to recognize the United Nations over the United States is particularly offensive, not only to Americans, but also to Catholics.

The agenda of the United Nations is unabashedly anti-Catholic, and extremely pro-abortion. The fact that the United Nations promotes genocidal abortion both in principle and in practice cannot be denied. Literally hundreds of cases could be cited to prove this point.

According to The New American, the United Nations Fund for Population Activities gave an award to Communist China's Qian Xinzhong for having "implemented population policies on a massive scale." No doubt he did. The hallmark of China's population policy is one child per family. This includes, of course, forced sterilization and abortion, the murder of children outside their mother's wombs, including lethal injections, drowning, beating babies to death, etc.

A short time ago, the United Nations sought emergency aid for refugees in the Balkans. Flooding with fresh money, the United Nations proceeded to send "aid" to the refugees. Most people would consider "aid" to be in the form of medicine, food, and bandages.

The United Nations Population Fund sent "Emergency Reproductive Health Kits" to Balkan refugee camps. These "care packages" contained abortifacient pills, intrauterine abortive devices, and in the case the woman didn't get the message from these items, the kits also included "manual vacuum aspirators," devices which literally suck the lives out of babies.

It is commonly known that the United Nations sends medical personnel to third world countries who vaccinate women against pregnancy, under the guise of vaccinating them against disease. This is a human-rights abuse par excellence.

Those in the womb aren't the only ones at whom the United Nations would aim. In the Courier, a publication of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the noted oceanographer Jacques Cousteau stated: "In order to stabilize world population, it is necessary to eliminate 350,000 people a day. It is a horrible thing to say, but it's just as bad not to say it."

"Eliminate 350,000 people a day"? Not even Pol Pot or Adolf Hitler had dreams that lofty.

Based purely on the human rights record of the United Nations, the thought that Cardinal Ratzinger would endorse the United Nations as the sole authority in determining whether a war is just defies comment.

In the same interview quoted above, Cardinal Ratzinger stated: "The fact that the United Nations is seeking the way to avoid war, seems to me to demonstrate with enough evidence that the damage would be greater than the values one hopes to save."

Cardinal Ratzinger's comment contains one essential thesis: if the situation were really that bad, then the United Nations would get involved. This comment would be laughable if it weren't so tragic. When the Soviets marched their tanks into Hungary in 1956, Afghanistan in 1979, and many other nations, setting up puppet governments and murdering the citizens, the United Nations did nothing.

When the Khmer Rouge turned Cambodia into a killing field, murdering one million people over the course of a few weeks, the U.N. did nothing. Sixty million people died at the hands of Mao, yet the U.N. did nothing. The official response of the United Nations toward Chinese aggression was to throw the country of Taiwan out of the United Nations.

That is only the beginning. The United Nations has not only done nothing to preserve peace, it has done just the opposite. It has sponsored genocidal maniacs, and helped them remain in power.

Though cases abound, the story of Idi Amin is one of the foremost examples of U.N. idiocy and depravity. Though circumstance prevented him from being the greatest mass-murderer in history, Amin was perhaps one of the most satanic rulers the twentieth century saw. Amin, a militant Moslem who came to rule Uganda by force in 1971, was a genocidal maniac, who murdered three-hundred-thousand Ugandans in the eight years he was in power. He personally murdered many Catholic priests; he murdered and dismembered his first wife. Amin was perhaps the only major ruler in the twentieth century who was a known ritual cannibal—his own son being one of his victims.

According to Paul Johnson's research in Modern Times, the refusal of the United Nations to take action against his regime cost the lives of 200,000 Ugandans. Not only did the United Nations refuse to take action against Amin, but four years into his regime, Amin was invited to speak at the United Nations, at which time he was given standing ovations at the beginning and at the end of his speech. The following day, the UN Secretary-General gave a dinner in Amin's honor. All of this happened at a time when it was well-known that Amin was guilty of genocide.

The fact that this incident doesn't even stand out is a testimony to the evil nature of the United Nations. The United Nations is constantly standing by those rulers who commit atrocities. Cardinal Ratzinger's comment that the United Nations would take action if they deemed it necessary is incomprehensible.

Cardinal Ratzinger's comments elevate the United Nations to a point which should anger not only all Catholics, but also those who seek to preserve Western culture everywhere. The United Nations is looked upon as a greater political entity than any one country. Not only is this legally incorrect, it is dangerous.

I suspect that the current opinions of Cardinal Ratzinger have relatively little to do with just war or unjust war, and very much to do with coddling the disciples of Mohammed. Iraq is predominantly Islamic, and, as the logic goes, we don't want to hurt the good people over there.

In the real world, Christians are referred to by Moslems as infidels and looked upon as potential notches in their AK-47's. This "peaceful" religion of Islam does not view war as evil. In the religion of Islam, war is evangelization by other means.

Before the horrific events of September 11, the Vatican's love affair with Islam was merely nauseating—now it is maddening. It's as if the Vatican has granted "Most Favored Religion" status to Islam. Under the leadership of the Vatican, millions of Catholics have defected to the religion of Islam, while the Vatican has applauded itself and its "new evangelization."

Even Pope John Paul II has repeatedly referred to Moslems as "our brothers in the one true God." He has apologized for Christian "failings in understanding" Moslems, and, on at least one occasion, kissed the Koran, calling it a "holy book." The fact that the Vatican has endorsed Islam and lost Catholics to that religion is at least partially responsible for the violent political situation in the world today.

Debating questions like whether America can declare a just war over a glass of brandy is all fine and good when you're sitting at the Vatican, but the real world is being attacked by Moslems. The fact that Moslems murdered thousands of people in New York and Washington D.C. pales in comparison to what Moslem regimes are doing in other countries, such as Iraq and the Sudan. Sudanese Moslems are killing Catholics in that country by the thousand.

No offense, your Eminence, but no one blew up the Vatican. Thousands of innocent people were murdered in the attacks in New York and Washington D.C. They died at the hands of Moslems (uh, I mean, "our brothers in the one, true God"). Imagine if the Vatican were blown up by Islamic terrorists (an unlikely scenario, I'll grant you, since the Vatican was a major contributor to the mosque in Rome, and they wouldn't want to bite the hand that feeds them).

There has been much written by columnists on both sides of the aisle who decry the fact that the United States has made itself the world's policeman. The fact that the United States has found itself in this position is certainly unfortunate, but it is also undeniable that many people benefit from the presence of a worldwide cop. This applies to the Vatican as well.

Ultimately, the United States stands as the de facto protector of the Vatican State. If the Vatican were ever actually attacked, is it in a position to defend itself?

Being that it could not defend itself, to whom would it appeal? It would not appeal to Moslems; it would not appeal to the United Nations—it would appeal to the United States.

Home | Articles | Letters to the Editor | Assistance Needed Further Reading | Links & Resources -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © Copyright 2002 Seattle Catholic. All rights reserved. To join our mailing list or submit a letter to the editor, send an email to seattlecatholic@hotmail.com.

Compare and contrast with Pope Urban II's famous speech at the Council of Clermont in 1095, which ordered the first Crusade:

"Oh, race of Franks, race from across the mountains, race beloved and chosen by God, - as is clear from many of your works,- set apart from all other nations by the situation of your country as well as by your Catholic faith and the honor which you render to the holy Church: to you our discourse is addressed, and for you our exhortations are intended. We wish you to know what a grievous cause has led us to your country, for it is the imminent peril threatening you and all the faithful which has brought us hither.

From the confines of Jerusalem and from the city of Constantinople a grievous report has gone forth and has -repeatedly been brought to our ears; namely, that a race from the kingdom of the Persians, an accursed race, a race wholly alienated from God, `a generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not steadfast with God,' violently invaded the lands of those Christians and has depopulated them by pillage and fire. They have led away ap art of the captives into their own country, and a part have they have killed by cruel tortures. They have either destroyed the churches of God or appropriated them for the rites of their own religion. They destroy the altars, after having defiled them with their uncleanness....The kingdom of the Greeks is now dismembered by them and has been deprived of territory so vast in extent that it could be traversed in two months' time.

"On whom, therefore, is the labor of avenging these wrongs and of recovering this territory incumbent, if not upon you, you upon whom, above all other nations, God has conferred remarkable glory in arms, great courage, bodily activity, and strength to humble the heads of those who resist you ? Let the deeds of your ancestors encourage you and incite your minds to manly achievements:-the greatness of King Charlemagne, and of his son Louis, and of your other monarchs, who have destroyed the kingdoms of the Turks and have extended the sway of Church over lands previously possessed by the pagan. Let the holy sepulcher of our Lord and Saviour, which is possessed by unclean nations, especially arouse you, and the holy places which are now treated, with ignominy and irreverently polluted with the filth of the unclean. Oh, most valiant soldiers and descendants of invincible ancestors, do not degenerate; our progenitors., but recall the valor of your progenitors.

"But if you are hindered by love of children, parents, or of wife, remember what the Lord says in the Gospel, `He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me', 'Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.' Let none of your possessions retain you, nor solicitude for you, family affairs. For this land which you inhabit, shut in on all sides by the seas and surrounded by the mountain peaks, is too narrow for your large population; nor does it abound in wealth; and it furnishes scarcely food enough for its cultivators. Hence it is that you murder and devour one another, that you wage war, and that very many among you perish in intestine strife.'

"Let those who have formerly been accustomed to contend wickedly in private warfare against the faithful fight against the infidel, and bring to a victorious end the war which ought already to have been begun. Let those who have hitherto been robbers now become soldiers. Let those who have formerly contended against their brothers and relatives now fight against the barbarians as they ought. Let those who have formerly been mercenaries at low wages now gain eternal rewards. Let those who have been exhausting themselves to the detriment both of body and soul now strive for a twofold reward"

"Let hatred therefore depart from among you, let your quarrels end, let wars cease, and let all dissensions and controversies slumber. Enter upon the road to the Holy Sepulcher-, wrest that land from the wicked race, and subject it to yourselves. That land which, as the Scripture says, `floweth with milk and honey' was given by God into the power of the children of Israel. Jerusalem is the center of the earth ; the land is fruitful above all others, like another paradise of delights. This spot the Redeemer of mankind has made illustrious by his advent, has beautified by his sojourn, has consecrated by his passion, has redeemed by his death, has glorified by his burial.

"This royal city, however, situated at the center of the earth, is now held captive by the enemies of Christ and is subjected, by those who do not know God, to the worship the heathen. She seeks, therefore, and desires to be liberated and ceases not to implore you to come to her aid. From you especially she asks succor, because as we have already said, God has conferred upon you above all other nations great glory in arms. Accordingly, undertake this journey eagerly for the remission of your sins, with the assurance of the reward of imperishable glory in the kingdon of heaven.."

When Pope Urban had urbanely said thes and very similar things, he so centered in one purpose the desires all who were present that all cried out, " It is the will of God! I It is the. will of God 1 " When the venerable Roman pontiff heard that, with eyes uplifted to heaven, he gave thanks to God and, commanding silence with his hand, said:

"Most beloved brethren, today is manifest in you what the Lord says in the Gospel, `Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them'; for unless God had been present in your spirits, all of you would not have uttered the same cry; since, although the cry issued from numerous mouths, yet the origin of the cry as one. Therefore I say to you that God, who implanted is in your breasts, has drawn it forth from you. Let that then be your war cry in combats, because it is given to you by God. When an armed attack is made upon the enemy, this one cry be raised by all the soldiers of God: 'It is the will of God! It is the will of God!' [Deus vult! Deus Vult!]

"And ee neither command nor advise that the old or those incapable of bearing arms, undertake this journey. Nor ought women to set out at all without their husbands, or brother, or legal guardians. For such are more of a hindrance than aid, more of a burden than an advantage. Let the rich aid the needy and according to their wealth let them take with them experienced soldiers. The priests and other clerks, whether secular or regulars are not to go without the consent of their bishop; for this journey would profit them nothing if they went without permission. Also, it is not fitting that laymen should enter upon the pilgrimage without the blessing of their priests.

"Whoever, therefore, shall determine upon this holy pilgrimage, and shall make his vow to God to that effect, and shall offer himself to him for sacrifice, as a living victim, holy and acceptable to God, shall wear the sign of the cross of the Lord on his forehead or on his breast. When, indeed, he shall return from his journey, having fulfilled his vow, let him place the cross on his back between his shoulders. Thus shall ye, indeed, by this twofold action, fulfill the precept of the Lord, as lie commands in the Gospel, 'he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."'

What is Ratzinger's rationale? He is against unilateral military action, but if Kofi Anan puts his blessing on it, Ratzinger's all for it.

<> Just War Doctrine is against unilateral military action when it comes to an unnecesary war. Saddam can't prevent a camel from urinating on his side of the Iraq and Kuwait border and we are supposed to think he threatens us? Come on...Remember Bush's "axis of evil speech? He included North Korea as one of the evil countries. They say they have nukes. So, which evil country is most dangerous to its neighbors?<>

The Vatican is clueless about modern warfare, just as it is about capital punishment.

<> The Pope is correct about both.<>

And the American bishops, pontificating about Iraq in their current moral crisis, are laughingstocks.

<> Well, what about the Pope pontificating against war on Iraq? I know he isn't as legitimate as Justice Scalia pontificating about Capital Punishment or Rush Limbaugh pontificating about Iraq, but, shouldn't we pay the Pope a little heed when he pontificates<>

It would be better if they just said nothing.

<> They have the duties to Teach, Sanctify and Rule. Their failures do not render nugatory the correct Christian Doctrine about life and death issues.<>

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.