Catholics offer two views of war

Rogers, Barbier and Iwanyszyn were interviewed recently before heading to Camp Lejeune, N.C., to prepare for potential deployment to Afghanistan.

Mr. Daniels is a former Quaker who converted to Catholicism, bringing with him a strong pacifist leaning. He is now a parishioner of St. Joseph's Church in Schoharie.

Why he fights

"You've got to consider that you're doing it for your country," he said. If he did not fight, "freedom of religion might be imposed upon. We choose to be Catholic; others choose to be Muslim, Jewish, and so on. We'd like to keep that freedom."

Cpl. Barbier, from Brooklyn, admitted he has not considered how Catholicism intersects with his military career.

"I really don't think of it that much," he said. "I'm infantry; I've been trained to kill. Whether that contradicts with my faith, I don't know."

In defense

None of the three was familiar with the just war theory, the Catholic teaching that several conditions -- including exhausting all other alternatives -- need to be met in order for a war to be considered justified.

"Being raised Catholic, it's part of the Ten Commandments not to kill," said Lance Cpl. Iwanyszyn. "But I've talked to chaplains who feel [that in war] it's not as bad as taking someone's life in cold blood. We have a priest back home who said it's different when you're defending your life or your country; it's not a mortal sin in combat."

Why they fight

He said he is willing to kill if necessary.

"That's what we're trained to do. We hope it never comes down to that," he said. "The people who are praying for peace the most are the people that have to go out there and fight for it. Nobody here is like, 'Let's go over there and kill someone.' We'd like to have peace in the world and go home and be with our families."

Counterview

"I base my attitude on Christ," he said. "He's my boss. He said, 'Love your enemies; bless them that hate you and curse you.' Unfortunately, the churches don't really get behind Christ on the essence of our faith: Love one another. It hasn't happened in Protestant churches or in Catholic churches."

Yet, he added, there are signs of change, noting: "The modern American Catholic Church is certainly on the right track. There are a number of bishops active in the peace movement. I think we're moving in the right direction, and it takes quite a bit of time for people to change their attitudes."

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