"How much more...."?

I have been giving a lot of thought about the latest revelations that the US's reversal on it's 'no torture' policy (dating back to George Washington) came from the top of government. There have been good posts on Street Prophets and Mark Shea's blog, so I wasn't sure what I could really add.

Several years ago, I finally started to feel the torture issue in a very visceral way. I was trying to listen to a homily, when I suddenly connected this particular incident to something in the second reading from St. Paul. Something about the reference to evil withering in the light (an analogy he used in both Romans and Galatians). I literally felt sick to my stomach and unworthy for communion.

I do not expect all Catholics to feel so strongly. After all, I took time to start to feel the matter as emotional and personal. But I am continuously baffled by Catholics who are dismissive or even supportive of the practice. I am put in mind of something that Pope Stephen V wrote late in the 9th century:

"If he who destroys what is conceived in the womb by abortion is a
murderer, how much more is he unable to excuse himself of murder who kills a
child even one day old?" - Epistle to Archbishop of Mainz

I've actually seen this cited a few times as proof of the Church's long standing position on abortion. But the subject was actually infanticide. The Pope appears to be saying, 'look we hold that it is murder to kill a child before it is born, of course you cannot tolerate your flock burying unwanted or unhealthy newborns alive!' It is hardly a unique topic. Infanticide was a major problem among the gentile faithful for the first millennium. Thankfully, that practice has become rare and isolated among Christians. But I think the reasoning is still relevant today.

Roughly 50% of all fertilized ovum are never even born, but we hold destroying them to be gravely evil. Of course you cannot torture and murder fully formed and ensouled human beings!