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and also recognizes the moral right to conscientious objection to war in gen-
eral, a particular war, or a military procedure.
69. Even when military force can be justified as a last resort, it should not be
indiscriminate or disproportionate. Direct and intentional attacks on non-
combatants in war and terrorist acts are never morally acceptable. The use
of weapons of mass destruction or other means of warfare that do not distin-
guish between civilians and soldiers is fundamentally immoral. The United
States has a responsibility to work to reverse the spread of
nuclear, chemical,
and biological weapons
, and to reduce its own reliance on weapons of mass
destruction by pursuing progressive nuclear disarmament. It also must end its
use of anti-personnel landmines and reduce its predominant role in the global
arms trade. The use of military force confronts us with urgent moral choices.
We support the proportionate and discriminate use of military force to protect
civilians in a way that recognizes the continuing threat of fanatical extremism
and global terror, minimizes the loss of life, and addresses the humanitarian
and refugee crises in war-torn regions, and the need to protect human rights,
especially religious freedom.
Though we recognize the justifiable use of military force, we encourage
the reallocation of resources from armed conflict to the urgent needs of the
poor and the root causes of violence. Further, we support policies and actions
that protect refugees of war and violence, at home and abroad, and all people
suffering religious persecution throughout the world, many of whom are our
fellow Christians.
Marriage and Family Life
70. The family founded upon marriage is the basic cell of human society.
The role, responsibilities, and needs of families should be central national
priorities.
Marriage
must be defined, recognized, and protected as a lifelong
exclusive commitment between a man and a woman, and as the source of the
next generation and the protective haven for children.
8
The institution of
marriage is undermined by the ideology of “gender” that dismisses sexual dif-
ference and the complementarity of the sexes and falsely presents “gender” as
nothing more than a social construct or psychological reality, which a person
may choose at variance with his or her biological reality (see
Compendium of
the Social Doctrine of the Church
, no. 224). As Pope Francis has taught, “the
removal of [sexual] difference creates a problem, not a solution” (General
Audience, April 15, 2015). “Thus the Church reaffirms . . . her no to ‘gender’
philosophies, because the reciprocity between male and female is an expres-
sion of the beauty of nature willed by the Creator” (Pope Benedict XVI,