Pope Francis versus the warmongers

On Saturday, the pontiff instead touched on the indifference of warmongers. “Whereas God carries forward the work of creation, and we men and women are called to participate in his work, war destroys,” the pontiff said, according to a transcript of his remarks distributed by the Holy See Press Office. “It also ruins the most beautiful work of his hands: human beings. War ruins everything, even the bonds between brothers. War is irrational; its only plan is to bring destruction: it seeks to grow by destroying.”

The pontiff went on to blame leaders for their lack of a commitment to peace, comparing their indifference to the legend of Cain and Abel, a story represented in both the Bible and the Quran, in which Cain (Cabil in the Quran) first responds to the disappearance of his brother Abel (Habil in the Quran) with the phrase “what does it matter to me? Am I my brother’s keeper?”

“Greed, intolerance, the lust for power — these motives underlie the decision to go to war, and they are too often justified by an ideology; but first there is a distorted passion or impulse,” said the pontiff. “War does not look directly at anyone, be they elderly, children, mothers, fathers. ‘What does it matter to me?’”