tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34767504.post115921952140319585..comments2023-09-18T04:55:23.825-04:00Comments on Fides Quaerens Intellectum: De Vita HumanaNathaniel M. Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01835009706332559978noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34767504.post-1161296993030341482006-10-19T18:29:00.000-04:002006-10-19T18:29:00.000-04:00I think it's a bad idea to use "pro-life" to inclu...I think it's a bad idea to use "pro-life" to include opposition to capital punishment (and maybe even the use of military force), for several reasons. For one thing, you weaken opposition to abortion by alienating or excluding (from the "pro-life" camp) the very great number of people who are opposed to abortion but somewhat favour capital punishment. For another, you leave us without a good positive-sounding word to use for opposition to abortion. And for another, you add to the general public confusion about Catholic doctrine on these issues. (The Church opposes abortion, of course, but leaves you perfectly free to believe in capital punishment.)<BR/><BR/>Then there's the point that to use force, even deadly force, in defense of the innocent may very well be a positive duty, an act of virtue, and not at all a sin. Christianity has always (rather hesitantly) allowed people to be pacifists, but I don't think you could say that pacifism has ever been really encouraged by the Church.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com