Thou shalt not kill (usually)

Just war?

The infamous convicted felon G. Gordon Liddy once waxed eloquent on his radio program about the best way to kill federal agents. He recommended against torso shots because agents from the federal Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Agency wear body armor: “Go for a head shot; they're going to be wearing bulletproof vests.” That was back in 1994. Back then most people seemed to understand that Liddy was a psychopath (and probably a sociopath, too). These days he might just be mainstream conservatism, given that the right-wing has contracted into a conspiracy-minded rump caucus that sees itself surrounded by the Marxist minions of the Democratic Party (although they insist on saying “Democrat Party” because they are also jerks).

I admit, though, that I hadn't really expected Liddy's rhetoric to pop up on Catholic radio. Sure, EWTN is a right-wing media outlet. It's run by people who regard Alan Keyes as a statesman, Patrick Buchanan as an insightful political analyst, and Peggy Noonan as a deep thinker. There's not much hope for people like that. Nevertheless, perhaps we shouldn't give up entirely on them and their religion-clouded minds. Apparently they're still capable of being shocked, as I discovered when someone in Minnesota decided it was time to call Catholic radio and ask for some pointers on engaging in religiously correct violence.

I was listening to a rerun of Catholic Answers Live when a man named Paul called from Moorhead, Minnesota. (Moorhead is near the state border and close to Fargo, North Dakota. PZ Myers should watch his back, too, since it's not far from Morris.) Paul had a simple question for Patrick Madrid, one of the regular answer-providers for Catholic Answers:

Paul: In the light of the new abortion and hate crime laws that might lead to arrest for speaking freely against the homosexual agenda, what is a just war? When is it not a sin to bear arms against—or kill—men or government workers to preserve our rights and freedoms? When and how shall we prepare for a resistance?

---

Madrid hastened to take Paul down a notch. Although Catholic Answers must have screeners, this one had slipped through.

Patrick Madrid: Anything that would involve violence or attacking other people, or anything like that, we have to avoid that completely. As Catholics we are called not just to love peace but to spread peace. There are many formidable ways to combat unjust laws that involve no violence whatsoever, and I'm strongly encouraging people, do not ever resort to violence.

---

Good answer, Patrick. But Paul gave pause, didn't he? People like Paul think it's okay to call a religion program to find out when it's okay to join the resistance. They think they live in some place like Nazi-occupied France. They're nuts. And consider how much you've inadvertently encouraged them.

Amen.