In reference to Josh Johnson’s Oct. 14 letter, “Taking Bible verses in context is crucial,” perhaps he can better explain Genesis 1:29 where seed bearing plants are bestowed — not to medicine and certainly not to the state, but to you the individual.ÿ

While we’re on the subject of legislating morality; temperance, prudence, justice and fortitude are the Four Cardinal Virtues of St. Thomas Aquinas — can Josh explain how prohibition law ever lived up to a single one?

Temperance applies to all pleasures, and it means not abstaining but going the right length and no further. Prudence is a virtue that discerns right action in light of all the features of the particular situation at hand, which means proportional penalties and just restitution.

As for justice, drug dealers routinely get longer sentences than violent criminals like rapists and killers. Fortitude is the courage, strength and tenacity to act justly, temperately and prudently in the face of obstacles, temptations, and diversions.

Those who believe the law is a tool with which the state may battle evil are leaving a trail of destroyed lives in their wake. That seems to be a very pro-Christian trait too, considering the faithful obeyed the Crusaders, the Inquisitors and the Nazis when those “good Christians” passed laws to justify their own evils.

Chris Buors

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Canada