Pacifism

[CatherineM]

[quote name='Extra ecclesiam nulla salus' post='1830244' date='Apr 9 2009, 06:03 PM']I'm having a hard time understanding this.

So I can believe all war is immoral, while at the same time accepting the Just War Theory?

I must be missing something[/quote]

You didn't ask if I thought all war is immoral. You asked if it is okay to be a pacifist. One is about having a personal belief set, and the other is about judging everyone else's actions. The church recognizes that there are times when war, while undesirable, is necessary. You can choose to not take up arms while still recognizing that a war is necessary and sanctioned.

Even Catholics who believe that the death penalty is necessary wouldn't be required to participate in actually pulling the lever. If asked to participate in an execution, I would refuse even if it meant my life was forfeit. Just because my personal beliefs are against the death penalty, doesn't mean I am allowed to say every Catholic who believes in the death penalty is immoral, because the Catechism does allow for the death penalty in very narrow circumstances, just as it does for war.