tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291232.post116750689203580472..comments2024-03-17T19:56:31.931-05:00Comments on Weedon's Blog: Two Kingdoms, Two SwordsWilliam Weedonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01383850332591975790noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291232.post-1168056755388262582007-01-05T22:12:00.000-06:002007-01-05T22:12:00.000-06:00I agree, Eric. Past-elder's description of what h...I agree, Eric. Past-elder's description of what he WAS taught in the RC prior to the Council is preciselly what Lutherans STILL teach. The Council brought so much good, but also so many things that are questionable.William Weedonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01383850332591975790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291232.post-1168019434255285412007-01-05T11:50:00.000-06:002007-01-05T11:50:00.000-06:00In many ways, the RCC has improved its doctrines s...In many ways, the RCC has improved its doctrines since Trent. In other ways, it has debased them. This is an example of the latter.Eric Phillipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00234407421710211220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291232.post-1167667301097802002007-01-01T10:01:00.000-06:002007-01-01T10:01:00.000-06:00Thank you for the clarity in making the distinctio...Thank you for the clarity in making the distinction between the issue of capital punishment itself and its application in a given case.<BR/><BR/>As to the (RC) church's clear postition referenced in the Vatican statement, this was not the position taught to me in the pre Vatican II RC church. Capital punishment, and killing combatants in war, was not held to violate the Fifth Commandment, on the grounds that what it prohibits is the private judgement of one person taking another's life, whereas in capital punishment or war it is a society's deliberated judgement in defence of itself, which unlike a person it is entitled to do.<BR/><BR/>Another example that the current Church of Rome is not your grandfather's Church of Rome, so zu sagen, something we often miss, especially in modifying liturgy to follow suit with its novus ordo rewrite to suit its current identity.Past Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10541968132598367551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291232.post-1167610650631120122006-12-31T18:17:00.000-06:002006-12-31T18:17:00.000-06:00David, I'm quite sure of the government's right to...David, I'm quite sure of the government's right to exercise capital punishment; the Sacred Scriptures are utterly clear on the point. Nevertheless, I am not sure of how wisely the government always exercises that right. What always gnaws at me are the words Tolkein put into Gandalf's mouth:<BR/><BR/>"Deserves to die! I daresay he does. And many that die deserve to live. Can you give that to them? Then be not over eager to deal out death in the name of justice, for not even the very wise can foresee all ends." (Running on memory there, may not be exact)William Weedonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01383850332591975790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291232.post-1167605152383789152006-12-31T16:45:00.000-06:002006-12-31T16:45:00.000-06:00You have articulated this point very well. It is ...You have articulated this point very well. It is tragic when a human life, any human life ends in violence, whether it be in crime or punishment.<BR/><BR/>In the case for Saddam, the tragedy is not necessarily in the carrying out of his death sentence, but in the realization that the sinful nature of humans has led to the need to dispense said justice.<BR/><BR/>Saddam lived by the same sword that ultimately claimed his life. His use of this sword was as you said, abusive and tyrannical. Although I am not a staunch supporter of capital punishment, I would have to agree that, in Saddam’s case, the government’s use of the sword entrusted to it was a fair and appropriate response to evil.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10235511328970565339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291232.post-1167556163225706752006-12-31T03:09:00.000-06:002006-12-31T03:09:00.000-06:00It amazes me that from the world's political left ...It amazes me that from the world's political left we never hear the shout of "separation of church and state" when a church leader articulates a position that agrees with the left, such as opposition to capital punishment or for that matter nuclear or environmental issues. The objection seems reserved only for positions that contradict the left, for example on abortion.<BR/><BR/>Seems to be a politically practical selective use of principle rather than dedication to the principle. And speaking of the principle, what our Constitution speaks of is not "separation of church and state", a phrase that nowhere occurs in our documents, but "establishment of religion", setting up an official state religion and church. Maybe we whose synodical ancestors of the "free churches", which arose to keep the pure faith against the state forced unions with heterodoxy in the state churches of the old countries, are in a good position to articulate what a state church is, what establishment of religion is, why it is bad for both church and state -- and why trotting out the phrase "separation of church and state" when a church leader states a position against a political position is not what that means.Past Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10541968132598367551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291232.post-1167520462048070912006-12-30T17:14:00.000-06:002006-12-30T17:14:00.000-06:00They would certainly do better to lament Saddam's ...They would certainly do better to <I>lament</I> Saddam's death a la Ezekiel 18 rather than to throw a blanket condemnation on the death penalty.OSChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17248627524973812889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291232.post-1167520283018226682006-12-30T17:11:00.000-06:002006-12-30T17:11:00.000-06:00Good stuff.Good stuff.Rev. Paul T. McCainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04846468267196335350noreply@blogger.com