Go here to read the story. One assumes that the Swiss Guards will now be giving up their firearms. The Pope is like many elites calling for gun control: Well guarded by men wielding guns. The rest of us can go pound sand as far as they are concerned.
I am reminded that the Apostles carried swords (only because guns weren’t invented yet) and to those who might say, “but…” Christ told Peter to “put away” his sword (that salvation might happen) but, he never said, or implied, that Peter should “throw it away”. He had been wearing it all along, obviously.
Oh. and then there’s that “He fashioned a whip” bit, so weapons were fine with Our Lord.
“The Second Amendment didn’t come down from Sinai.” This is a rather strange argument, as the Ten Commandments didn’t come down from Sinai either in the sense that they exist prior to and even irrespective of being written in stone. That is, the Ten Commandments are a reflection of the moral order and natural law that is built into the fabric of reality. While I certainly wouldn’t place the 2nd Amendment on the same level as the 10 Commandments, in that the latter is an explicit act of revelation, in a similar way the 2A enshrines a right that pre-exists its statement in law. So sure, it didn’t come down from Sinai, but Catholic morality isn’t positivism either, so it’s really an irrelevant argument, largely identical to those who argue that X isn’t explicitly in the Bible, therefore Y. The good news, I suppose, is that since the Church’s teaching vis-a-vis sexual perversions is a corollary of one of the Commandments which “did come down from Sinai,” HE will now certainly take a very hardline stance against such perversions.
“The right to bear arms will never be more important than human life.” HE demonstrates that he is clearly immune to irony, as the right to bear arms is predicated on the importance of human life. HE wants children to be protected; excellent- that’s why many parents own guns.
“Our elected officials have a moral duty to protect them.” This is true, but the principal of subsidiarity places the primary locus of moral duty for the protection of children on their parents, and HE seems to want to make this more difficult by disarming them (or at least making it more difficult to be armed).
Well, opinions are like…
As a person who hates shooting, I will defend your right to bear arms to my death anyway.
So far he has pontificated no walls, no guns and mandatory vaccines (which his own words were used against me when applying for exemption).
I think I’ll pass on their opinions.
I would be delighted if the Pope “only” had a Rosary as his sole defense. He can lay off (or age out) the Swiss Guard and donate the Pope mobile to a museum. Ought to save the Vatican a few pennies, and then (more of) Peter’s Pence would go to Papal Good Works as oppose to filing the holes in the Vatican bureaucracy’s budget.
>
May we also talk about that wall that surrounds the Vatican?
*filling the holes
I’d be ok with a restriction of owning a firearm until 21,
IF in addition to alcohol, voting was limited to those 21 and older,, AND there were an exemption (for firearms, alcohol and voting) for those in the Military under 21, vetted and mature.
But I’ll NEVER be in favor of disarming America; millions of children might die as a result. Totalitarianisms’, demagogues and methods, are on the increase. And millions would die if Totalitarians were to succeed.
(Someone should explain to Pope Frankie that a murderer who shoots fourth graders in the face is not going to be detoured by the absence of only one type of weapon. But he could be vetted in time if the age were raised to 21. And millions of children have died due to Tyrants. )
I carry in church. Hope I never have to draw. You’re welcome, Pope Francis.