Sigh . I suppose violence is the answer to nothing. But I can't help it. It must be my bad Irish temper. I would push the button on ISIS and laugh while doing it.
Now my conscience is bothering me. Well I would say a rosary first to check with heaven. It is a hard , hard thing to turn the other cheek.
Padraig my brother, all you have to do is read the Old Testament for your answer. In the Old Testament there is so much war and violence sanctioned by God. For example, Deuteronomy 20 contains Yahweh's instructions about war. If a city does not accept Israel's offer of peace and open its gates, then "when the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it" (verse13). With regard to other cities, the command is (verse 16), "Do not leave anything that breathes." You probably also recall that the walls of Jericho came tumbling down, and then the Israelites "destroyed with the sword every living thing in it - men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, and donkeys" (Joshua 6:21). Sometimes, it's the only thing the "wicked " understand.
Oh I totally agree with you Padraig - ISIS to be taken out, completely uprooted. What's going on in Iraq/Syria for the last year is a disgrace and needs to be dealt with. Personally, I hope the USAF erases them from the face of the earth once and for all.
Yes, but to meet Our Lady is to meet love incarnate. It melts the heart. She is the Mother of the folks in ISIS too. They are her children. Very bad children I know. But still her children and our sisters and brothers too. I would have to check with their Mother first before killing them. I am not sure she would let me. She loves them as much as she loves me and I know she loves me very, very much indeed...as she loves you.
Padraig, I think you are wise to contemplate and to go to Mary with this. But we also have the CCC which has also provided us with direction as follows: 2308 All citizens and all governments are obliged to work for the avoidance of war. However, "as long as the danger of war persists and there is no international authority with the necessary competence and power, governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense, once all peace efforts have failed."106 2309 The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time: - the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain; - all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective; - there must be serious prospects of success; - the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition. These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the "just war" doctrine. The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good. I must say, I'm not a fan of Obama, and while I highly doubt he considered these points of the CCC, I think in this case they are fulfilled. I think back to when Clinton was in office, and he and the world watched about 1 million Rwandans massacred and did nothing. I know these are difficult moral decisions and as the CCC says, we need to make prudential choices with our limited human minds. Yes, these ISIS are sons of God and sons of Mary and we need to love them and pray for them but so are the Christians and other tribal people the same sons and daughters of God who are being slaughtered and I'm really believe we needed to stop it not out if hate of ISIS, but for love of these innocent people.
ISIS is no different than Hitler. Both were/are willing to kill their own women and children countrymen for their ideology/religion. They both torture anyone who does not adhere to their ways. They both work(ed) for Satan. If Pope Pius X and the Holy League of Christian men had not rose to the occasion at Lepanto in 1571 against the Muslim Turks, Christianity would have been wiped out of all Europe then and we would not have the feast of the Rosary on October 7th in honor of Our Lady's great victory over evil. Keep also in mind, the great Catholic Monarch has yet to arise in battle that Catholic prophecy attests to as well. Christians should now bow your head in shame, but be ready if/when to answer the call.
Yes, I would say that the current action by Obama against ISIS is certainly within the Catechism's rules for military action. In fact, I believe this action is probably the first such justified military action since the second world war! It is, of course, ironic that this action follows on policy and actions by Obama that not only created ISIS in the first place but fed it through his support for the rebels in Syria (support which continues to this day!).
I was praying to Our Lady there and she said, 'You ave spoken well of me'. I believe she was touched that I described her as , 'Love incarnate' and said that to see her would cause, 'Cause your heart to melt' . Mothers notice such things. God's ways truly are not our ways , nor His way's ours. But grace, with time, can make it so. View attachment 2150
If you live by the sword you will die by it. You must be ready to die in defense of those needing defending if you pick up the sword. This verse used to bother me so much because I felt it meant we are to love always and be pacifist by not I understand it much better. It is not suggesting to be a pacifist but more of a statement that to pick up the sword and do battle will most likely lead to your own death but this is not the final death for you will never die with Christ in your heart. I think Jesus said this to Peter because it was not Peter's place to pick up the sword and defend Jesus. He did not need or want defending because He had submitted to the will of His Father already just moments before in the garden. Plus Peter had much more work to do for The Lord for the rest of his life and did not need to die in that moment. I have decided if it is God's will for me to indeed pick up the sword and defend those who need defending no matter what the cost even my own life. I can not stand by and watch the terror being done to the innocent who can't defend themselves. Be prepared my brothers and sisters to indeed pick up the sword if called to do so and run toward the battle with complete trust and courage because if it is in your power to do so then God and His angels will be running toward the battle with you. Courage such an interesting and noble thing. It requires complete trust in the will of God. I often think of courage in the image of the fire fighters who were climbing up the burning towers in NYC passing all those who were coming down. These brave individuals run to the danger when their natural instinct tells them to flee. These brave individuals stand by their oaths to protect and not flee. Courage is one of the most Godliest traits because it shows complete surrender of ones selfs natural tendency. It shows complete trust in The Lord. Thankfully we have so many wonderful examples of courage to follow in the many great saints and martyrs as well as The Lord himself who found His in the garden when he proclaimed, "thy will be done!!" We will all be asked to pick up our weapons to fight in the end. For some the weapon will be the rosary and prayer, others it will be swords, guns, hands and feet, and for me and hopefully many others it will be both.
Your words prompted me to find this old clip of Bishop Fulton Sheen - I think a prophet of our era and I hope soon a saint. This is a bit long, but to listen to how describes the Blessed Mother and her role in salvation is just wonderful.
I suppose Andy , we could think of it as a mountain. The mountain is the Will of God and to reach it many of us will take differing paths. All of us are different and all of us at differing stages of our souls journey. The great English convert and writer GK Chesterton compared the Church to a mother with wide skirts under which all her children could shelter. So her teachings on the use of force are so wide as to embrace all her children. Which I guess is another way of saying that there are many paths to climb the same mountain. I would say though that the Marian path is kinder and gentler than most, well kinder and gentler than all. The Mother Of God by William Butler Yeats The threefold terror of love; a fallen flare Through the hollow of an ear; Wings beating about the room; The terror of all terrors that I bore The Heavens in my womb. Had I not found content among the shows Every common woman knows, Chimney corner, garden walk, Or rocky cistern where we tread the clothes And gather all the talk? What is this flesh I purchased with my pains, This fallen star my milk sustains, This love that makes my heart's blood stop Or strikes a Sudden chill into my bones And bids my hair stand up?
Medjugorje Message, June 26, 1986 “Dear children! God is allowing me along with Himself to bring about this oasis of peace. I wish to call on you to protect it and that the oasis always be unspoiled. There are those who by their carelessness are destroying the peace and the prayer. I am inviting you to give witness and by your own life to help to preserve the peace. Thank you for having responded to my call. ”
The saints struggled to outdo each other in their praise of her. The great artists, poets and painters felt helpless to crown her with their art, she whose crown is heaven itself. 'Our poor fallen natures solitary boast' Dante Alighieri. View attachment 2151 Mary spoke but seldom, When she did , All of heaven murmered to a hush, And Creation stilled, To Wisdom's ruling.
Padraig I agree that love is the best course and I would love to be completely love but I don't think I could love someone beheading a child in front of me. I know I would against all odds fight for that child. I will not last long during persecution unless God allows it because I couldn't stand the cries and fears of the innocent children, women, elderly or any who can't fight the evil themselves. If I am able to defend them then I know I would to my last breath.
