Catholics in the Military
I have decided to rewrite my last article. I am doing this for three reasons: One, I added comments that distracted from the main point of my essay. Two, I oversimplified (and I hate when people do this) historical events, like the causes of WWII. Third, a friend of mine pointed out that I did not develop my arguments sufficiently. These three mistakes, plus my tendency to ramble about many things which leads to confusing posts, have led to rewrite my essay on Christians in the military.
I think that, as a Catholic, I need to first research the Church's official position according to the Catechism. Link
2302 By recalling the commandment, "You shall not kill," our Lord asked for peace of heart and denounced murderous anger and hatred as immoral.
Anger is a desire for revenge. "To desire vengeance in order to do evil to someone who should be punished is illicit," but it is praiseworthy to impose restitution "to correct vices and maintain justice." If anger reaches the point of a deliberate desire to kill or seriously wound a neighbor, it is gravely against charity; it is a mortal sin. The Lord says, "Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment."
As St. Augustine argued, it is also the interior of the person that matters, not only the outwards action. Although Jesus rarely faulted the religious leaders for their devotion to the Law, he did criticize them for being "white washed tombs" and "hypocrites." Their insides were not right, although much of their actions were. Therefore, if a Catholic should become a soldier, he must not become one for revenge against his enemies. Looking at our society (North American) from a post-9/11 period, I cannot imagine people joining the military except at either a) preventing another terrorist attack or 
to revenge themselves on the terrorists.
2303 Deliberate hatred is contrary to charity. Hatred of the neighbor is a sin when one deliberately wishes him evil. Hatred of the neighbor is a grave sin when one deliberately desires him grave harm. "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven."
I think feelings of hatred towards our mutual enemies are prevalent. Not many people in America are feeling a lot of love for Sadaam or Bin Ladin, nor are many Canadian showing much fondness for Bush. I wonder though, if everyone could not learn to forgive those who transgress against us. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
2304 Respect for and development of human life require peace. Peace is not merely the absence of war, and it is not limited to maintaining a balance of powers between adversaries. Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity. Peace is "the tranquility of order." Peace is the work of justice and the effect of charity.
Catholics must consider whether their respective governments are interested primarily in justice and charity. Before any person makes claims on the religious character of their leader, I would like to clarify that I do not believe that is a legitimate reason for waging war. A person could be deceptive in both their actions in private and in their intent. Hitler also claimed to be a devout Christian, although the majority of documents strongly suggest that he had nothing but contempt for Christianity. I am not making any analogy between Hitler and Bush whatsoever. I am cautioning people to consider very carefully their decision.
2305 Earthly peace is the image and fruit of the peace of Christ, the messianic "Prince of Peace." By the blood of his Cross, "in his own person he killed the hostility," he reconciled men with God and made his Church the sacrament of the unity of the human race and of its union with God. "He is our peace." He has declared: "Blessed are the peacemakers."
Peace is an expression of the Triune God. My desire is to become more like Christ, our Lord. Therefore, it is my Christian duty to strive for peace through everything. What is the best way to achieve peace? And does it coincide with the example of our Lord?
2306 Those who renounce violence and bloodshed and, in order to safeguard human rights, make use of those means of defense available to the weakest, bear witness to evangelical charity, provided they do so without harming the rights and obligations of other men and societies. They bear legitimate witness to the gravity of the physical and moral risks of recourse to violence, with all its destruction and death.
"gravity of the physical and moral risks of recourse to violence” I wonder how anyone today can honestly believe that violence solves anything. Vietnam, Ireland, Israel, Iraq, Rwanda, the list goes on and on about the evils that are committed daily. Even "average" people like the jailers in Iraq are committing horrible acts. Why? I do not know, but should Catholics even put themselves in those types of situations?
Avoiding war
2307 The fifth commandment forbids the intentional destruction of human life. Because of the evils and injustices that accompany all war, the Church insistently urges everyone to prayer and to action so that the divine Goodness may free us from the ancient bondage of war.
Ancient bondage, sounds a lot like sin. Pray on, good warriors of the Faith!
2308 All citizens and all governments are obliged to work for the avoidance of war. However, "as long as the danger of war persists and there is no international authority with the necessary competence and power, governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense, once all peace efforts have failed."
Since this article is in response in many ways to Iraq, I remain unconvinced that the American government exhausted every means to peacefully resolve the situation. How many self-proclaimed Christians called for the blood of Sadaam? I am also unconvinced that Iraq could be justified as self-defense.
2309 The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time:
- the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;
- all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;
- there must be serious prospects of success;
- the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modem means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.
These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the "just war" doctrine.
The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good.
Does every war that a country is engaged in meet these criteria? I doubt it, therefore I question if Catholics should be in the military.
2310 Public authorities, in this case, have the right and duty to impose on citizens the obligations necessary for national defense.
Those who are sworn to serve their country in the armed forces are servants of the security and freedom of nations. If they carry out their duty honorably, they truly contribute to the common good of the nation and the maintenance of peace.
I believe in peace, yet, this section begs the question: What is peace? Economic prosperity does not equal peace and I do not think the Church agrees that it does either because that reduces human life to materialism. Economic concerns may not be justified for going to war either. For example, if Iraq was invaded solely for its oil (I am not making this claim here), then I do not see how a Catholic can defend it.
2311 Public authorities should make equitable provision for those who for reasons of conscience refuse to bear arms; these are nonetheless obliged to serve the human community in some other way.
I think most people serve the human community by being human. That's just me though.
2312 The Church and human reason both assert the permanent validity of the moral law during armed conflict. "The mere fact that war has regrettably broken out does not mean that everything becomes licit between the warring parties."
In other words, the various treaties and conventions regarding war are good. If you ignore them, there may be hell to pay. The end does not justify the means.
2313 Non-combatants, wounded soldiers, and prisoners must be respected and treated humanely. Actions deliberately contrary to the law of nations and to its universal principles are crimes, as are the orders that command such actions. Blind obedience does not suffice to excuse those who carry them out. Thus the extermination of a people, nation, or ethnic minority must be condemned as a mortal sin. One is morally bound to resist orders that command genocide.
Someone needs to teach that to those jailers. Although I think some of these militants might want to take these lessons to heart. It is disgusting when the bodies of dead soldiers are dragged through the streets. If the Nazi's taught us anything, it was the capacity of ordinary people to do horrendous things.
2314 "Every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and man, which merits firm and unequivocal condemnation." A danger of modern warfare is that it provides the opportunity to those who possess modern scientific weapons especially atomic, biological, or chemical weapons - to commit such crimes.
The allies in WWII are certainly guilty of this, with the firebombing of Dresden and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Yet, Sadaam is guilty of this too, back in the eighties. To the best of my knowledge though, these weapons were supplied by the US, which makes them culpable too.
2315 The accumulation of arms strikes many as a paradoxically suitable way of deterring potential adversaries from war. They see it as the most effective means of ensuring peace among nations. This method of deterrence gives rise to strong moral reservations. The arms race does not ensure peace. Far from eliminating the causes of war, it risks aggravating them. Spending enormous sums to produce ever-new types of weapons impedes efforts to aid needy populations; it thwarts the development of peoples. Over-armament multiplies reasons for conflict and increases the danger of escalation.
America spends a lot of money on its military.
2316 The production and the sale of arms affect the common good of nations and of the international community. Hence public authorities have the right and duty to regulate them. The short-term pursuit of private or collective interests cannot legitimate undertakings that promote violence and conflict among nations and compromise the international juridical order.
Many countries, including China, Russia, France, Britain, and the US make millions, if not billions, from international arms sales. I think, as citizens, we need to seriously stop this export of arms.
2317 Injustice, excessive economic or social inequalities, envy, distrust, and pride raging among men and nations constantly threaten peace and cause wars. Everything done to overcome these disorders contributes to building up peace and avoiding war:
Insofar as men are sinners, the threat of war hangs over them and will so continue until Christ comes again; but insofar as they can vanquish sin by coming together in charity, violence itself will be vanquished and these words will be fulfilled: "they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
So, rich Western countries should attempt to alleviate the debt, poverty, violence and ignorance in the world? If only Catholics would really listen to the Church, then the world would be a better place.