Some Clown Will Take This out of Context

The Holy father has told scientists, referring to stem-cell research,

"The destruction of even one human life can never be justified in terms of the benefit that it might conceivably bring to another."

One human life - Hitler's, Heydrich's, any enemy soldier's? Not what he meant, of course, but I am waiting for some clown to take this out of context, in order to justify pacifism. Perhaps it has been done already.

I wish he had said, or hope that he said,

"The destruction of even one innocent human life can never be justified in terms of the benefit that it might conceivably bring to another."

That I heartily and loyally accept. If His Holiness's remark applied equally to all killing, including that of the guilty and evil, I would find myself, along with the usual suspects including Saint Joan of Arc, loyally disagreeing with the Pope.

And I have no wish to disagree with him.

A Bedtime Story - Not for Those of a Nervous Disposition

It was seven o'clock on a cold, dark, rainy autumn night. The Gladsome family, Treesgood, the father, Boudicca, the mother, and the six-month old twins were having an ecologically friendly vegan high tea.

Boudicca, sick of tofu, had just gone out to the kitchen for a quick bite at a dolphin steak she had hidden in the refrigerator, when the doorbell rang.

Treesgood answered it, leaving the twins in their high-chairs.

He returned, preceded by a heavily built man brandishing a meat-cleaver.

"Kids!" he bellowed. "Kids! Two kids! Too many kids! Don't think about the environment and all those poor little pandas, dolphins and grizzly bears, do you? Don't you know there are too many people? You need educating!"

"Sorry," murmered Treesgood, "I didn't think...."

"You lot never do! Read this, and you'll understand why it's my public duty to terminate one of your kids."

He handed a pamphlet to Treesgood, who hastily started reading.

At that moment, Boudicca returned from the kitchen, carrying her beloved shotgun. 

She fired, blowing half the man's head off. He fell to the floor, still clutching the meat-cleaver.

"My dear," said Treesgood, "I'm sure we could have resolved this in a reasonable fashion without resorting to violence. The man was entitled to his point of view which is shared by many ecolog... I think I'm going to be sick."

SAINT PETER CUTS OF MALCHUS'S EAR St John's Gospel, 18: 10

Pondering on Saint Nicholas and the blow he (literally) struck for the Truth, I've had just a thought: Jesus must have known that Peter was armed. According to at least one commentary, carrying weapons was prohibited on feast days.

If the Jews of the Old Testament had been pacifist, they would probably have either lost their identity or been exterminated long before the Incarnation.

So would there have been an Incarnation?

Are we so sure that force and violence are always wrong? They seem to have worked in Salvation History.