The Power of the Sword | First Things

First things is a largely conservative magazine aimed at applying principles from religious thought to political and social life. I often disagree with it, but find it mostly well written. In the case of this article, which argues capital punishment is inconsistent with the gospel, I am in full agreement. However read it yourself and see what you think.

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America Magazine Benedict XVI weighs in on "Redistribution"

Paul Ryan should perhaps look at the writings of Benedict and other recent popes on redistribution. they are most definitely teaching redistribution to help the poor, as this America article attests. America Magazine Benedict XVI weighs in on "Redistribution" : 'via Blog this'

Just War and Just a War

One of the thorniest problems man face is when, if every is war justified. The bible says there is a time for war and a time for peace, but that could be just a bow to the inevitability of war in the fallen world. If also says that they will beat there swords into plough shares and study war no more. Dorothy Day, Peter Maurin, William Miller and other Catholic Workers often ascribed to pacifism or near total pacifism face with the near impossibility of every untangling the moral consequences of violence from the ends desired in undertaking it. But St. Augustine, faced with a world where Christians were starting to replace pagans as political leaders and Christians we soldiers in obedience to the leaders tried to come up with criteria by which war could be measured. Augustine knew that the Gospel question on it was complex. One the one hand Jesus told people to turn the other cheek and also told Peter to put away his sword and not defe...

Alone but not Lonely

It seems that I am tied into interlocking conversations with people on all sides of me and with my blog readership. Yesterday I wrote Many Things I Have Been #2 ( http://roominhouseblues.blogspot.com/2011/04/many-things-i-have-been-2.html ) in the morning. . I wrote other things and did the tasks and errands of my day, including job searches. then in the evening I went to a "Mercy Night" a communal penance service (with private confession of course) in my parish. I came home near the end of my roommate Scott's Bible study. Scott goes to Mars Hill, a conservative evangelical youth oriented church, and his perspective on some aspects of the bible is very different than my Catholic one, yet we focus more on what we have in common. After the bible study Scott and KJ, who stayed, got into a conversation on various things. I told them a little of what happened at Mercy Night. Then KJ asked a question. I guess he...

Roomin' House Blues

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