Posted on 06/21/2016 12:32:44 PM PDT by Phillyred
VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis is amplifying his opposition to capital punishment, saying it's an offense to life, contradicts God's plan and serves no purpose for punishment. In a video message to an anti-death penalty congress in Norway, Francis declared: "The commandment 'Thou shalt not kill' has absolute value and applies both to the innocent and to the guilty."
Francis has gone beyond his predecessors and traditional Catholic teaching in saying there is simply no justification for the death penalty today. He said Tuesday that rather than rendering justice, it fosters vengeance. Church teaching allows for recourse to capital punishment when it is the only way to defend lives "effectively" against an aggressor.
Francis said: "It must not be forgotten that the inviolable and God-given right to life also belongs to the criminal."
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
“Then why were all the death penalties in Leviticus and Deuteronomy?”
That’s a bunch of old testament stuff. There is a new covenant now. Who did Jesus say to kill? Adultery was a stoning offense in the old testament. Jesus asked he without sin to throw the first stone.
Pretty damned clear.
Didn’t miss the point. The Reformers fought bitterly over issues as you well know. They couldn’t even agree on the meaning of “is” in “this is my body”.
Francis might as well be a Reformer as far as I am concerned. And if he keeps this up, he should meet the same fate.
This pope is obviously and illiterate wetback.
The Commandment says “THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT MURDER”.
Big difference between killing and murder.
The death penalty does not foster vengeance. It replaces private vengeance and substitutes for the ancient lex talionis of feud and cycles of reprisal.
So were the 10 Commandments, of which he is speaking.
Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Luke 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
I am a Roman Catholic; so excommunicate me.
This sorry excuse for a Pope is nothing but an illiterate, wetback, communist, piece of sh*t.
Makes sense
Benedict, if there WAS some divine plan for your abdication, for the love of Holy Mother Church, speak up now and give courage to the Cardinals.
This Pope is getting every more seriously in the wrong on both theological and moral doctrine.
I cringe every time he opens his mouth.
Pope Francis does not receive much praise in the circles I travel in. Reactions range from “are you REALLY sure they translated him correctly?” to “the guy has absolutely flipped his lid!”
The pope needs to read on.... Either he has not read all of the Bible or is simply lying.
Yep. I am saying the pope is lying. For starters, God does allow for countries to have capitol punishment: Leviticus 24, Exodus 21:12.
“Thou shalt not murder” is actually what the the verse states. Murder is rather different than killing. How many times did Israel go to war?
Hey your popeship, it’s thou shalt not do murder which is malice aforethought. If the law says you will be executed for murder and you do it, well then, who fault is it?
An intellectual struggle over issues is never fatal.
The Pope overlooks the killing of an attacker, the multitudes killed in war by Catholic Popes and Kings, those killed by the church for heresy...the list goes on.
Don’t know where this guy gets his absolutism, but it is really screwing up his thinking.
There is a distinction between a justified killing and murder. Even the Hebrews recognized that in the original language of the 10 Commandments.
So everyone needs to make up their own mind, with no reference to what the Church has taught and proclaimed for 2000 years? But isn’t that exactly what Francis is doing and exactly what everyone here is complaining about?
Mine either. But you’d never know it from the press.
Seems like this is the first absolute he’s been able to find. Wasn’t it just yesterday he was ok with people shacking up?
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.