So what about this guy? Is he infallibly inspired of God? He has the robes and headgear and everything.
What if he advances to the bonus round and helps elect the next Pope?
Importantly, the bishop needs an education about the value of guns to society. While the church deplores violence as a whole, it is clear that all violence is not equal.
The church stands on firm moral ground when it condemns people for criminally attacking the innocent with violence; but it has no such resolve with the innocent defending themselves from violent criminals.
Importantly, having a gun to defend yourself and others is not the same as using a gun to do so. Surely the church must agree that stopping violence with *just* the threat of violence is not immoral.
Likewise the church is free to hate the crime but love the criminal, wanting to help him find redemption. But redemption can only be found if he is prevented from his crime. If he forfeits his life while intent on violating others, and does not find redemption before death, that is no fault of others.
Yet one final thing is certain. That is, that gun control is exclusively the tool of tyrants. To invite it is to invite tyranny; and such tyranny rarely appreciates the morality of the church.
Protest as you will, bishop, against others defending themselves, and all too soon, you may find yourself powerless to defend yourself and your faith from oppression.
" Father Lombardi does not set policy for the Vatican, or make authoritative statements for the Catholic Church. "
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2980739/posts
Vatican welcomes Obama gun control proposal
AP/cnsnews ^ | January 19, 2013 | Staff
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2979898/posts
Apologia for Church in Vatican Radio gun rights attack rings hollow - (rebuttal to Lawler)
Eaminer.com ^ | January 22, 2013 | David Codrea
Catholic Culture has weighed in on Vatican Radio's editorial endorsing President Obama's "gun control" agenda. Inevitably [the] editorial will be portrayed by careless reporters as an official statement of the Vatican’s position," Catholic World News editor Phil Lawler writes. "It is not; Father Lombardi does not set policy for the Vatican, or make authoritative statements for the Catholic Church."
Oh [papal] bull, and "careless" my eye -- how insulting. The buck stops at the top. The captain is responsible for what the crew does under his command. Especially if it involves his senior officers acting in his and its name.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2981061/posts
Cardinal Dolan finds common ground with Obama on guns
Catholic News Agency ^ | Feb 20, 2013 / 02:00 am | CNS
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2990320/posts
DC Cardinal McCarrick: Church Will Push for Immigration, Gun Safety
Newsmax ^ | Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 07:56 AM
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3001669/posts
Gun control: Church firmly, quietly opposes firearms for civilians
VATICAN CITY – The Catholic Church’s position on gun control is not easy to find; there are dozens of speeches and talks and a few documents that call for much tighter regulation of the global arms trade, but what about private gun ownership?
The answer is resoundingly clear: Firearms in the hands of civilians should be strictly limited and eventually completely eliminated.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2979898/posts?page=118#118