The Parable of the Sower

As the debate about torture goes on, some are putting forward the "ticking bomb" exception to what they otherwise admit is evil. For those of us who say that torture is never right, the "ticking bomb" exception is hard to counteract, because it is human nature to want to take desperate measures in order to save life in emergency circumstances.

Then there are those who say we have to make one other exception, and that being to do whatever is necessary to thwart the ruthless enemy. This exception is easier to oppose, because there is no condensed threat that must be challenged on the spot, but a metamorphic one in which measures taken to fight it can be thought out and reasoned.

When it comes to exceptions, however, there are no exceptions in the Sermon on the Mount.

There is also the parable in the Gospel of Luke: the parable of the sower, where Jesus talked about the farmer who went out to sow his planting seeds, and some fell along the path he was walking and it was trampled on, and the birds ate it.

The seed that fell along the path stands for the ones who hear the word of God, although it is taken away from them by the devil so that they won't believe it.

Then some of the planting seed fell on a boulder, but the plants dried up because they had no moisture.

The seed that fell on the boulder stands for the ones all accepting of the word with great smiles, but they have no root and thus they do not follow through. They fail the test of time.

As the farmer traversed along the path, some of the planting seed fell among thorns which grew up with the plants, but ended up choking the plants.

The seed that fell among the thorns stands for the ones who hear the word, but as they make their way in life they are choked by life's concerns, riches and pleasures, and therefore they do not mature.

For all the falling seed going willy-nilly, some fell on good soil and it produced a yield a hundred times greater than what was sown.

The seed that fell on good soil stands for the ones with hearts that are noble, who hear the word, keep it, and by persistence and follow through their crops are produced.

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