Cardinal O'Malley: even a just war does not negate the commandment of love
September 22, 2014
Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley has said that while there may be moral grounds for military action against the Islamic State, there is never a justification for hate.
“Sometimes we have to engage in a just war,” the cardinal told a congregation at a Mass for law-enforcement officials; “but if there’s not love for people, the recognition that we’re all one human family, then we’re going to destroy each other.”
When questioned as to whether the threats posed by the Islamic State would justify warfare, the cardinal responded indirectly, saying that every alternative approach should be tried and emphasizing the importance of dialogue. “The responses can’t always be just meeting violence with violence,” he said.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: -
Sep. 23, 2014 11:14 AM ET USA
Only God lives outside of time. To Him there is no past and no future, only present. He can speak as if nothing has happened, as if everthing is currently happening, but Cdl. O'Malley cannot, we cannot. If we find ourselves involved in a just war, then the time for dialogue has passed, and we must fight the war and do whatever is necessary to win it asap. Once the war is forced on us, equivocating only leads to unnecessarily high casualties, unnecessarily high loss of life.
-
Posted by: Defender -
Sep. 23, 2014 10:52 AM ET USA
Doesn't it seem like the cardinal is trying to emulate the pope to the point of "responding indirectly"?
-
Posted by: 1Jn416 -
Sep. 22, 2014 6:45 PM ET USA
Really? Do the Islamic State folks seem like the type to engage in dialogue and negotiation? I find it damages the credibility of a prelate when he refuses to address reality and seems instead to live in a imaginary world where we can all get along if we just talk about it. So, yes, love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us -- while we do what is necessary to protect ourselves!
-
Posted by: jg23753479 -
Sep. 22, 2014 6:38 PM ET USA
Dialogue? With whom exactly and, especially, about what? Islamic State has made its position abundantly clear through both its words and its actions. Pardon my cynicism but, given the concrete circumstances, the cardinal's words here make very little sense to me at all.
