RE: Atheism & the Death Penalty.
January 23, 2016 at 6:24 pm
(This post was last modified: January 23, 2016 at 6:24 pm by Jehanne.)
Quote:Catholic_Lady
(January 23, 2016 at 3:44 pm)Jehanne Wrote: I'm sorry that you cannot appreciate the difference between the words "should" and "will". (My kids do, by the way.) The Catholic Church's "evolving" position on the death penalty is a perfect example of the Zeitgeist at work, "theologically speaking". But, yes, "Welcome!" I am glad that the Church is on board with respect to this issue at least.
So what exactly is the difference between the 1st edition's teaching and the 2nd, other than the fact that they used a different word that doesn't even change the message? They both say that the DP is only ok if it is the only means to keep a society safe, otherwise the right thing is to take the route that does not kill the person.
With that being said, yes, the teachings do evolve over the course of 2,000 years. The official, doctrinal teachings don't change completely but they evolve and get added on as we come to a better understanding of things. However, on this particular issue, I see no "evolution" between the 1st and 2nd edition's stance. And I still don't understand why you objected to my initial post about this in the first place.
Saying that a person should do something is different than saying that they must do something (as in "authority will limit itself to such means..."). It's a slight-of-hand shift to be sure, but when five of the United States Supreme Court justices are Catholic, such statements from the Magisterium mean something, don't they? (Well, not to Us, at least! )