Trump continues to embolden the worst elements of the United States, even as he punishes and hinders those who seek to promote what is good and just. His pardoning of war criminals demonstrates just another example of Trump’s thumbing his nose at all legal and moral conventions, and in doing so, encourages others to likewise reject all moral convention for the sake of Trump and Trump’s desires. This is exactly the problem surrounding the Trump presidency: there is no line of moral decency which Trump and his followers in their madness will not disregard if they find some advantage to crossing that line for themselves. They seek power instead of the common good, and in doing so, they are destroying the common good and the future of humanity (as can be seen in Trump’s disregard for the environment).
Far from listening to critics, Trump and his followers seem to gloat in the cruelty which they do. When criticized, they respond by doubling down on their cruelty. This is why it is not surprising to hear that Trump is reportedly considering using the war criminals he pardoned for the sake of his reelection campaign.
Is this truly how the United States wants to be known across the world, as the nation which supports war crimes? Perhaps. It is not as if it is not a tradition within the United States. Long before Trump, the United States has continued to boast of it bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; sadly, many who should know better find consequential reasons justifying the use of atomic weapons as being satisfactory, and in doing so, have helped establish the legacy which finds itself represented by the Trump Administration and its support of war criminals. For the use of the bomb was a war crime, a crime against humanity, and no justification can be had for it:
Any act of war aimed indiscriminately at the destruction of entire cities of extensive areas along with their population is a crime against God and man himself. It merits unequivocal and unhesitating condemnation.[1]
Pope Francis, in his trip to Japan, only reiterated this truth, as he exclaimed once again that even the possession of nuclear weapons is immoral, let alone their use in a time of war. This is a teaching which the church has consistently stated since the development of nuclear arms. [2] But American Catholics, far from listening to the church, have consistently found ways to fight against this teaching, with some showing their true loyalty lies in America far more than Christ and his church. Thus, Emma Catherine Scally explained:
Examination of the public record suggests that many constituents of the Catholic lay community supported the United States decision to drop atomic bombs in 1945 because they viewed that as being loyal Americans.[3]
Likewise, then, the American Bishops reportedly fought against a universal condemnation of the bomb at Vatican II. Americanism led to American Catholics to promote power over morality, and despite later generations of Catholic bishops fighting harshly against such consequentialism, their efforts have been mostly ignored as the Americanist response was taken as “traditional” by those who wanted to promote American power in the world.
This explains the way many American Catholics just shrug at the diabolical immorality of Trump. They then become supporters of his willful destruction of the world around him. They have long accepted an immoral standpoint and consider it traditional, when in fact, though it is a position which arose a few decades ago, is far from traditional but counters basic Catholic moral principles. Catholic teaching has never supported might makes right, nor the use of indiscriminate use of weapons for the sake of some perceived good. Jesus made it clear to Peter that the sword is not to be used, because those who use the sword shall perish by it.
Far from listening to Jesus, far from listening to the church, many Catholics not only love, but glorify violence and the power it gives them against others. Trump represents them. It is no wonder, therefore, they are capable of harming those who oppose them, creating false narratives against the Pope as well as other Catholics: they are willing to engage a “nuclear option” against the church itself, and encourage outright disobedience and disrespect to the Pope. They demonstrating how far they are from a Catholic perspective. This, of course, is what is to be expected; this is what has often happened since Simon Magus, who likewise, wanted power, and when he did not get it from the Apostles, he left the church, developed his own sect; he promoted people worshiping him with the hope he can then gain power over others if he could not gain the power of the Holy Spirit.
Trump continues to demolish the moral standing of the United States across the world. It is not that it was good before, but now it has become much worse, much more monstrous. Every step he makes, he signals his own support for immorality and vice, indicating his desire to take more power for himself and his followers at the expense of others.
What Trump does requires resistance. He must not be allowed to normalize evil. If he wants war criminals as his supporters of his campaign trail, we must realize the implications of his inclinations; he has no problem with war crimes, with outrageous crimes against humanity. Who is safe under such a megalomaniac?
[1] Gaudium et Spes. Vatican Translation. ¶80.
[2] Of course, there is the secondary concern that the centers which were attacked were also the main centers of Catholicism in Japan. We must consider the possible Satanic influence involved with such a massive attack. How can any Catholic who, with their belief in the eucharist, accept such a widespread destruction of churches containing the consecrated host? All Satanic Black Masses are minor in comparison!
[3] Emma Catherine Scally, “Between Piety and Polity: The American Catholic Response to the First Atomic Bombs,” in Of Life and History. Vol. 1 Art. 6 (2018): 36.
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