WHAT GOD WANTS

The "Just War" theory. What is it exactly? This is the question I finally asked myself yesterday and began to research the origins and nature of how this theory has evolved and what it actually says. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find information on said theory that is unclouded or untainted by the opinions of an author? To find it in it's true form and undistorted by the political leanings or motives by those on the left or the right side of the political spectrum who are twisting it to suit their agenda? Well it is possible, and by piecing together dozens of articles on the Just War Theory I have begun composing an outline.

My goal is to not debate the current state of affairs in Iraq or elsewhere, but to simply educate myself on what exactly this JWT really is. I've heard it used by both the left and the right, and as I admittedly lean to the right I am prone to not accepting any of the platitudes by those on the left when they praise JPII for his stance and cite the JWT as his reasoning, when these are the same people who condemned his as "out of touch", etc. for his teachings on abortion and the like pet causes of their immorality.

However, immorality knows no political borders. It is neither a liberal nor a conservative sibling. It does not discriminate but will use whatever veiled means necessary to divide and cause turmoil in the Body of Christ. Such is the nature of evil.

It has caused divisions most recently with myself and other Catholic brothers and sisters as we have been debating this subject back and forth on a Catholic forum. I have found myself taking the attacks on the president I voted for too personally and therefore shutting myself off from what is happening in Iraq that may not fit my views. After all, I voted for him, and if he's evil or stupid as they say (and boy, do they pile on in an almost un-Christian-like manner) what does that make me? Pride is an awful thing, but when you've heard how insignificant we are here in "Fly Over Country" one time too many by the elite snobs on the coasts, your blood begins to boil. I had previously begun to seriously reconsider my Republican leanings anyhow, and in fact am now Independent, but without a viable alternative political party presently I am struggling to discern a direction. I have, however, found myself saying more and more that I am a Catholic first, and an American second; sentiments that I may have flirted with in the past are now appearing with more and more clarity.

The last time I had such an unsettling paradigm shift in my thinking was over fourteen years ago when I was dating my future wife. She was Catholic and pro-life, I was "searching" and what you would consider an uninformed pro-choicer. Because of her patience, my attending Sunday Mass with her, and an increasing awareness of the horrors of abortion, I swallowed my pride and humbled myself to the fact that I had been complacent and promoting a lie of the worst kind. (This would make for an interesting post in an of itself as I was particularly callous and cold in one exchange with pro-lifers...but that's for another day.) So it is understandable that my knees grow a little weak while I look into something that may shake my foundation a bit. Patience and understanding will be appreciated. This is not going to be an easy road on my continuing sojourn...