"This is a political decision, which can be moral, that is, morally accepted if it is made with the conditions of morality".
This is how the Pope replied on the plane to the question of whether it is right to send weapons to Ukraine.
"But it can be immoral if it is done with the intention of causing more war, or of selling weapons or discarding those that I no longer need. The motivation is what largely qualifies the morality of this act. only lawful, it is also an expression of love for the country ".
"Those who do not defend themselves, those who do not defend something do not love it. Instead, those who defend love", continued Francis, according to whom "we should reflect even more on the concept of just war, because today everyone has been talking about peace. United Nations talk of peace, they do many things of peace. But at this moment how many wars are going on? ".
And he listed: "Ukraine and Russia, then now Azerbaijan and Armenia, it stopped a bit because Russia came out as a guarantor, but it is the guarantor here and the war there, then there is Syria, ten years of war that does not stop. Then there is the Horn of Africa, Eritrea, which is part of Ethiopia, then there is Myanmar, and this suffering people that I love so much, the Rohingya, who go round, round, goes around like a gypsy and can't find a place ".
"But we are in a world war!", The Pope exclaimed.
Arguing that "war itself is a mistake, and we are breathing this air right now, if there is no war it seems that there is no life", Francis also told the German journalist who had addressed the question: "One thing I have learned from you is the ability to repent and ask forgiveness for the mistakes of war. And not only to ask for forgiveness, but also to pay for the mistakes of war. This speaks well of you, it is an example that you should imitate ".
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Manufacturing weapons is a murderous trade
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"The arms factory is a murderous trade", the Pope said. hunger in the world. I do not know if it is true or not, but intervening on hunger, education, it is not possible because weapons must be made ".
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No to the politics of the armchairs"
"Today being a politician is a difficult road. I say being a great politician, a politician of those who put themselves on the line for the values of the homeland, for the great values. , the armchair or something else. All countries, including Italy, must look for great politicians, that is, those who have the ability to do politics: there is an art, politics is a noble vocation ", he said. dad.
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Populisms are a danger to the West
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In today's decadent West, Pope Francis said, "there is the danger of populisms".
"What happens in a socio-political state of decline? - asked the Pontiff - the 'messiahs' are born. The messiahs of populisms".
"We are seeing how populisms are born - he continued -. I think I have mentioned that Ginsberg book, 'Sindrome 1933' a few times: there is just how populism is born in Germany after the fall of Weimar. Populisms are born like this: when there is a level without strength, then a 'messiah' comes. "