Religion: Moral Absentees

But I say unto you that ye resist not evil. . .

-Matthew 5:39

On these and other words of Jesus some Christians have based a stand of absolute pacifism. Last week the Roman Catholic Church made it clear that Catholic conscientious objectors are theologically in error.

The interpretation of doctrine came from the church's sharpest intellectual spearhead, Rome's official Jesuit fortnightly, Civilta Cattolica. The lead article in its current issue is an attack by fiery-eyed, black-haired Jesuit Father Antonio Messineo on a bill recently introduced in the Italian Chamber of Deputies that would legalize conscientious objection. Writes Father Messineo:

"When the fathers of...