Declaration of Dependence

[doctor_aquinas]

From which totally false idea of social government they do not fear to foster that erroneous opinion, most fatal in its effects on the Catholic Church and the salvation of souls, called by Our Predecessor, Gregory XVI, an "insanity," viz., that "liberty of conscience and worship is each man's personal right, which ought to be legally proclaimed and

Comments

[maeuschen]

This seems like an argument which needs turning on its head: If human arguments are never allowed free room for discussion, there will never be noble men who dare to resist falsehood, but only those who trust the human wisdom of the allowed flowing speech.

When any stance is taken other than the liberty of conscience and worship, whatever legal stance is taken must be enforced. The response to injurious babbling and human wisdom becomes, not tempered speech and the eternal Word, but force and coercion.

[doctor_aquinas]

Amen to that.