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Who Is The Father Gabriel's Decision

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Question: Whose decision, Fr. Gabriel’s or Rodrigo’s, is the better one?

Objection 1: Father Gabriel’s decision was the better decision because he was following the example of Jesus Christ who said, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25).
Objection 2: Father Gabriel’s decision was the better decision because violence is essentially an impersonal and wordless solution. Violent behavior is usually used to achieve something by force or to punish or get rid of a person instead of coming “face to face” with them. We will never conquer the enemy “by force of arms, by the bullet …show more content…
Love of enemy is about limiting force and can never be compatible with killing (Cornell, p. 14). Therefore, we must value our enemy’s life and do everything in our power to avoid destroying them.
On the contrary: Christ Himself said, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13), which sometimes requires the use of force.
I reply: Father Rodrigo’s decision was the better decision. Although in theory non-violence is more desirable, in cases like this, non-violence is not always practical. In addition, pacifism may fail to bring about the change that one wants.
Jesus commands us to lay down our lives for our friends by protecting our neighbors and unselfishly risking our lives for the sake of others. In particular, we must “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 82:3-4). Father Rodrigo defended the Indians by laying down his life for …show more content…
It is permissible to use force if a threat goes against the common good of the people (Summa Theologiae II-II.64, Article 2). Father Rodrigo reflected on the situation the Guarani were in and realized that they, although they did not deserve it, would be murdered by the soldiers. He seems to have recognized this as a great injustice and decided that the best solution was to use force. His actions were justified because his intention was for the common good of the community. In fact, it was Father Rodrigo who brought good in the face of evil. His resistance to the soldiers enabled some of the Guarani children to escape. If they responded without force, all the tribe members would have likely been killed or sold into slavery.
Reply to objection 1: Although Jesus commands us to, “deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow him,” he also notes that, “whoever loses their life for me will find it.” For Rodrigo, fighting for the justice of the Guarani showed his love for them. Even though it was obvious that the fighting was going to cost him his life, he nonetheless chose to support the Indians. Rodrigo essentially gave up his life for God by giving up his life for the

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