|
Printer-friendly
version
More
homilies »
Readings
for Sept. 10, 2006
(from US Bishops' site):
• Reading I: Is
50:5-9a
• Responsorial
Psalm: Ps
116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
• Reading
II: Jas
2:14-18
• Gospel:
Mk 8:27-35
Catholic
Teachings on Torture
Researched by Marisa Verstreet
The
foundation of social justice beliefs in the Catholic Church is rooted
in the belief that human beings were created in God's image, and
as such, the Church sees in each person "the living image of
God." (Gaudium
et Spes, no. 27). Each person has inherent human dignity because
they are created in God's image, and as Christians we must respect
this dignity at all times. Nothing can ever take it away, and at
no time is it justifiable to deny it. Torture is an assault on the
inherent dignity of the human person. It dehumanizes the one who
is being tortured, and the one who is inflicting the torture. It
places one or more people in a position above another human being,
and tells this human being that their life, that their pain, that
their dignity, is worthless. We have seen in our world today that
torture is as much about humiliation and mental anguish as it is
about inflicting physical pain. Such actions fail utterly in the
commandment to see the image of God in each and every human being,
including our enemies. It is difficult to see how they can ever
cause anything but great sadness to any Catholic.
The
Church decries torture in general terms in many of her social justice
teachings. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church,
released by the Pontifical Council on Peace and Justice, states
that "In carrying out investigations, the regulation against
the use of torture, even in the case of serious crimes, must be
strictly observed. 'Christ's disciple refuses ever recourse to such
methods, which nothing could justify and in which the dignity of
man is as much debased in his torturer as in the torturer's victim.'"
(Vatican,
5/26/2006, no. 404)
The
Pastoral Constitution "Gaudium et Spes" lists not only
physical and mental torture, but "undue psychological pressures"
and "arbitrary imprisonment" as crimes, and offenses against
dignity and, indeed, life itself saying, "All
these and the like are criminal: they poison civilization."
Other
writings from the church emphasize that torture is a grievous wrong
that is never justified. According to the US Catechism for Adults,
"Some acts, apart from the intention or reason for doing them,
are always wrong because they go against a fundamental or basic
human good that ought never to be compromised. Direct killing of
the innocent, torture, and rape are examples of acts that are always
wrong. Such acts are referred to as intrinsically evil acts, meaning
that they are wrong in themselves, apart from the reason they are
done or the circumstances surrounding them." (pg. 311)
This
view was long something that was understood. There was no debate
on the issue, and no need to further defend the position that torture
is wrong. However, the current climate has changed. We are facing
new threats, and some have used these to argue that torture can
be in the context of today's struggle. But this is not the case!
The Vatican and the USCCB have both stated categorically that torture
is wrong. It is as wrong in today's world as it was at any other
time in our history. Cardinal Renato Marino, head of the Pontifical
Council on Peace and Justice, said there was no justification for
torture. "[Torture] is the humiliation of the human person,
whoever he is," according to Cardinal Marino, and "[T]he
Church does not allow torture as a means to extract the truth."
(USA
Today,12/13/2005)
The
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has written to the
Senate in support of every measure that would end the abuse and
torture of prisoners by the United States. They
stated that, "As pastors and members of a world wide church,
we recognize that the struggle against terrorism remains difficult
and trying. Nevertheless, a respect for the dignity of every person,
ally or enemy, must serve as the foundation of the pursuit of justice
and peace. There can be no compromise on the moral imperative to
protect the basic human rights of any individual incarcerated for
any reason."
In
their letters on this urgent topic they also write that, "In
a time of terrorism and great fear, our individual and collective
obligations to respect basic human dignity and human rights, even
of our worst enemies, gains added importance. … [O]ur nation
must treat our prisoners as we would expect our enemies to treat
our own military personnel."
The
position of the Church is quite clear. There is not now, and never
will be, a justification for torture. This act is one that is intrinsically
evil, and we must condemn it. As important that it is that, in the
Christian way, we love our enemies, and recognize the human dignity
inherent in them, we must also respect our own dignity. We cannot
allow ourselves to be tempted to do evil in the name of good, because
evil actions are never justified, and are never good. By engaging
in such acts we diminish ourselves. "The best way to grow in
freedom is to perform good acts. Good deeds help to make us free…
. The road to loss of freedom is through evil acts." (US Catechism,
pg. 311)
|
