Pope Francis is coming in 10 days to the U.S - What do you think about him?

[lakers_forever]

Newsweek has a piece on him.

http://www.newsweek.com/2015/09/18/whos-better-catholic-pope-francis-archdiocese-cordileon-370451.html

A Brazilian blogger has a good article explaining how Pope Francis social-economic speaches are in line with what past Popes wrote.

http://otaviopinto.com/index.php/2015/07/16/the-pope-and-social-movements-francis-is-not-communist-just-catholic/


EDIT: If possible, tell us your religion (or lack of, if that's the case). It would be interesting to know that non catholics think of him.

[fiddy]

All religions need to be banned.

[lakers_forever]

Some parts of past Pope's writtings according to the above link*. I bet those guys would be also accused of being "communists" by some republicans today.

Some parts:

Pope Leo XII's Rerum Novarum, as explained by G.K Chesterton.
The existing concentration of wealth in the Capitalist “laid upon the labouring millions a yoke little better than slavery.” [...] That, while wage-earners are entitled to combine and even to strike, on certain conditions of justice, it would be better if “the poor so far as possible should become owners”; that is, small capitalists or possessors of the means of production

Pius XI:

Free competition has destroyed itself; economic dictatorship has supplanted the free market; unbridled ambition for power has likewise succeeded greed for gain; all economic life has become tragically hard, inexorable, and cruel

Pope Paul VI:

If certain landed estates impede the general prosperity because they are extensive, unused or poorly used, or because they bring hardship to peoples or are detrimental to the interests of the country, the common good sometimes demands their expropriation.



Even recent Pope Benedict XVI

Although the world is sadly marked by ‘hotbeds of tension and conflict caused by growing instances of inequality between rich and poor, by the prevalence of a selfish and individualistic mindset which also finds expression in an unregulated financial capitalism,’ as well as by various forms of terrorism and crime”

* http://otaviopinto.com/index.php/2015/07/16/the-pope-and-social-movements-francis-is-not-communist-just-catholic/

[lakers_forever]

All religions need to be banned.

Sure. It worked great in the Soviet Union... Every man should have the right to have any religion (or no religion at all) and not be persecuted or have his character judged because of that.

No man is good or bad just for being an atheist. Same with Christians...

[fiddy]

Sure. It worked great in the Soviet Union... Every man should have the right to have any religion (or no religion at all) and not be persecuted or have his character judged because of that.

No man is good or bad just for being an atheist. Same with Christians...
I was probably too radical, but a significantly reduced roles of the religions in the 21st societies would be a positive a thing.

[lakers_forever]

Anyway. I think he is great. Love his words about immigrants. Hope he talks about it, specially when that idiot Trump is so big in the news over there right now*.

* No. I'm latin american and have no plan on ever living in the US. In fact, no one in the history of my family has ever immigrated to the US. I have visited (as a tourist, with my parents) Orlando (Disney :D) and Miami when I was 11 though. :D

[lakers_forever]

I was probably too radical, but a significantly reduced roles of the religions in the 21st societies would be a positive a thing.

That's better. :cheers:

[Patrick Chewing]

S

No man is good or bad just for being an atheist.


I've never met an atheist with the slightest bit of compassion towards their fellow man. Instead, I've seen atheists just harbor unhealthy amounts of disdain and vitriol for those that practice a particular faith (primarily Christianity). It's almost with extreme certainty that the only thing keeping man from becoming a monster is organized religion, or at least some semblance of faith.

[lakers_forever]

I've never met an atheist with the slightest bit of compassion towards their fellow man. Instead, I've seen atheists just harbor unhealthy amounts of disdain and vitriol for those that practice a particular faith (primarily Christianity). It's almost with extreme certainty that the only thing keeping man from becoming a monster is organized religion, or at least some semblance of faith.

I get your point. I'm catholic and yes, I've also seen atheists with some disdain against people of faith. But I also know atheists who are respectful and great human beings, who help their fellow man.

But, please, don't ruin the thread with this atheist x religious thing.

Could you please tell what do you think about Pope Francis? Also, state your religion (if you want to)

[Patrick Chewing]

I get your point. I'm catholic and yes, I've also seen atheists with some disdain against people of faith. But I also know atheists who are respectful and great human beings, who help their fellow man.

But, please, don't ruin the thread with this atheist x religious thing.

Could you please tell what do you think about Pope Francis? Also, state your religion (if you want to)


The Pope is too liberal for my liking. But I want to believe that he's Liberal because he wants to bridge the gap between non-Christians and Christians. If that is indeed the case, then more power to him. However, I don't care too much about Pope's. I was raised Catholic, but I don't get too involved with all the rules and customs of the Church.

[Kblaze8855]

Im not the least bit religious but hes fine by me. Seems to be as rational as you can expect a person in his position to be.

[RidonKs]

Im not the least bit religious but hes fine by me. Seems to be as rational as you can expect a person in his position to be.
i think this is the feeling of most people in the world...

strange when you consider what hes preaching

:hammerhead:

[sammichoffate]

He's wonderful compared to the shit we've had for the last couple of decades. Cares about the environment, homosexuals in Christianity, women, persecution, justice for those wronged by pedophiles, mercy, and poverty especially since he grew up not having shit. He helped restore relations with the US and Cuba, very impressive.

[ThePhantomCreep]

I get your point. I'm catholic and yes, I've also seen atheists with some disdain against people of faith. But I also know atheists who are respectful and great human beings, who help their fellow man.

But, please, don't ruin the thread with this atheist x religious thing.

Could you please tell what do you think about Pope Francis? Also, state your religion (if you want to)

The disdain atheists have for people of faith has almost always been reactive--how can you not loath a Christian bigot like Kim Davis? Or moral hypocrites like the Dugars?

[step_back]

The Pope is too liberal for my liking. But I want to believe that he's Liberal because he wants to bridge the gap between non-Christians and Christians. If that is indeed the case, then more power to him. However, I don't care too much about Pope's. I was raised Catholic, but I don't get too involved with all the rules and customs of the Church.

Condoning lies and two faced tactics to pervert people into further lies....

The sooner we've evolved out of silly religious thinking the better off we'll be.

[BigNBAfan]

America's full of religious idiots, keep him.

[outbreak]

Is he the pope who used to work covering up pedo priests? Or was that the last one

[lakers_forever]

Could you please avoid the "atheism x religion" thing?

No. Pope Francis has not covered up "pedo priests".

How big do you think the coverage will be there in the US? I heard Bernie Sanders has been using the Pope in his speeches. Is this true?

[outbreak]

Could you please avoid the "atheism x religion" thing?

No. Pope Francis has not covered up "pedo priests".

How big do you think the coverage will be there in the US? I heard Bernie Sanders has been using the Pope in his speeches. Is this true?

Was that the previous pope? I know one of the recent ones worked in a post doing that.

[Patrick Chewing]

How big do you think the coverage will be there in the US? I heard Bernie Sanders has been using the Pope in his speeches. Is this true?


That's career suicide. The Left wants nothing to do with religion or God. Progressives think themselves above God.


And the Pope the above poster is asking about is Pope Benedict XVI. You remember the memes of him as Emperor Palpatine.

[Derka]

Was that the previous pope? I know one of the recent ones worked in a post doing that.
When the last one was just Cardinal Ratzinger...he was kind of like the Internal Security of Roman Catholicism and yeah, he was big into covering some of that stuff up or keeping it as quiet as possible. Francis was just a cardinal in South America before he was elected, so he was distant from a lot of that crap.

[KyrieTheFuture]

I've never met an atheist with the slightest bit of compassion towards their fellow man. Instead, I've seen atheists just harbor unhealthy amounts of disdain and vitriol for those that practice a particular faith (primarily Christianity). It's almost with extreme certainty that the only thing keeping man from becoming a monster is organized religion, or at least some semblance of faith.
That's because the only atheists who feel the need to talk about being atheist, instead of just moving on with their day, are assholes

[step_back]

That's because the only atheists who feel the need to talk about being atheist, instead of just moving on with their day, are assholes

They're not assholes lol.

One of my friends was a catholic when I first met him (about 7 years ago). He's now an Atheist and often talks about it because he feels it's important that people should have a right to believe in what they want and not be indoctrinated from birth like the vast majority are (Himself included).

Ohh and religion isn't needed to know the difference between right and wrong. If you need a book to stop you from raping and killing people you should be in a mental asylum.

P.S I advise people to watch and listen to Christopher Hitchens. He destroys everyone who's put in front of him.

[DonD13]

kiddy fiddler

[Styles p]

he's just a regular ass dude.

[JEFFERSON MONEY]

They're not assholes lol.

One of my friends was a catholic when I first met him (about 7 years ago). He's now an Atheist and often talks about it because he feels it's important that people should have a right to believe in what they want and not be indoctrinated from birth like the vast majority are (Himself included).

Ohh and religion isn't needed to know the difference between right and wrong. If you need a book to stop you from raping and killing people you should be in a mental asylum.

P.S I advise people to watch and listen to Christopher Hitchens. He destroys everyone who's put in front of him.

:roll:

[rufuspaul]

Pope Francis is a Jesuit, or what I like to call the thinking man's Catholics. That order has always been more about the teachings of Jesus (helping the poor, loving your fellow man) than about hardline Catholic dogma (anti-homosexuality, birth control, etc.). The Church is very slow to change, but this Pope is saying and doing the right things imo. He's also not afraid to admit when he's been wrong. The best thing about him is his effort to root out and destroy the culture of corruption at the Vatican. Not an easy task.

I'm Roman Catholic and a member of a Jesuit parish.

[Akrazotile]

Pope Francis is a Jesuit, or what I like to call the thinking man's Catholics. That order has always been more about the teachings of Jesus (helping the poor, loving your fellow man) than about hardline Catholic dogma (anti-homosexuality, birth control, etc.). The Church is very slow to change, but this Pope is saying and doing the right things imo. He's also not afraid to admit when he's been wrong. The best thing about him is his effort to root out and destroy the culture of corruption at the Vatican. Not an easy task.

I'm Roman Catholic and a member of a Jesuit parish.


Wait so do they believe Jesus hates ******s or no?

[DukeDelonte13]

IMO it's very sh*tty for some neckbeard assh*le to spew some "deep thoughts" a 9th grader can come up with about organized religion when you have arguably one of the most powerful people on the planet going out at night to take care of homeless people.

This Pope is an inspiration to people of all faiths and atheists alike and will most likely change the church the most since JP1.

[Lebron23]

Pope Francis is a Jesuit, or what I like to call the thinking man's Catholics. That order has always been more about the teachings of Jesus (helping the poor, loving your fellow man) than about hardline Catholic dogma (anti-homosexuality, birth control, etc.). The Church is very slow to change, but this Pope is saying and doing the right things imo. He's also not afraid to admit when he's been wrong. The best thing about him is his effort to root out and destroy the culture of corruption at the Vatican. Not an easy task.

I'm Roman Catholic and a member of a Jesuit parish.

Best posts in this thread. I hate atheist who thinks they are smart, and hate religions.

[lakers_forever]

Pope Francis is a Jesuit, or what I like to call the thinking man's Catholics. That order has always been more about the teachings of Jesus (helping the poor, loving your fellow man) than about hardline Catholic dogma (anti-homosexuality, birth control, etc.). The Church is very slow to change, but this Pope is saying and doing the right things imo. He's also not afraid to admit when he's been wrong. The best thing about him is his effort to root out and destroy the culture of corruption at the Vatican. Not an easy task.

I'm Roman Catholic and a member of a Jesuit parish.

Great post, Rufus.

"than about hardline Catholic dogma"

Non of that is dogma though. Dogma involves to Catholics " irrevocable adherence of faith". Like the trinity, for example. Social things like celibacy, birth control, gay marriage are not) Someone can be a catholic and think gay people should have the right to marry, but you can't be a catholic and at the same time don't believe in the teological part about Jesus, Mary and so on.

[rufuspaul]

Great post, Rufus.

"than about hardline Catholic dogma"

Non of that is dogma though. Dogma involves to Catholics " irrevocable adherence of faith". Like the trinity, for example. Social things like celibacy, birth control, gay marriage are not) Someone can be a catholic and think gay people should have the right to marry, but you can't be a catholic and at the same time don't believe in the teological part about Jesus, Mary and so on.


True.

[rufuspaul]

Wait so do they believe Jesus hates ******s or no?


Jesus never mentioned homosexuality although he did say "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a camel's dick to penetrate a man's asshole." Or something like that.

[lakers_forever]

American republicans, who always seem to love every Pope, now losing their minds because Fracis spoke about climate change and inequality in his first speech in American. :lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tS75cre6SE

[Patrick Chewing]

American democrats, who always seem to hate every Pope, now losing their minds because Francis spoke about climate change and inequality in his first speech in American. :lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tS75cre6SE


fixed

[lakers_forever]

fixed

:lol Good one. Also true! But not all democrats and republicans, of course..

[Derka]

Great post, Rufus.

"than about hardline Catholic dogma"

Non of that is dogma though. Dogma involves to Catholics " irrevocable adherence of faith". Like the trinity, for example. Social things like celibacy, birth control, gay marriage are not) Someone can be a catholic and think gay people should have the right to marry, but you can't be a catholic and at the same time don't believe in the teological part about Jesus, Mary and so on.

A good friend of mine from high school runs a successful Catholic parish and is gay and I've had the argument with several people who insist "well then he and his parishoners aren't real Catholics" and not a single one of their brains is able to process the distinction you drew there. Roman Catholics are not the only Catholics out there.

[lakers_forever]

A good friend of mine from high school runs a successful Catholic parish and is gay and I've had the argument with several people who insist "well then he and his parishoners aren't real Catholics" and not a single one of their brains is able to process the distinction you drew there. Roman Catholics are not the only Catholics out there.

:cheers: Funny to hear people who think they are "real catholics" pocking who is catholic and who is not. Not very catholic like themselves, since the Church considers us who have diverse social views as "real catholics". There are even priests, catholic theologians and nuns who support gay marriage. If the Church thought they were not "real catholics", wouldn't they be expelled from the clergy?

[DeuceWallaces]

Seems to be the best pope of my lifetime, but I was not raised Catholic so my opinion doesn't matter as much.

Focusing on the poor, migration, science, and corruption/piousness of the church seems like a good platform for modern Catholicism.

[magic chiongson]

Was that the previous pope? I know one of the recent ones worked in a post doing that.

you're talking about pope palpatine

http://i554.photobucket.com/albums/jj426/skepticenc/pope-benedict-palpatine.jpg

[magic chiongson]

Seems to be the best pope of my lifetime, but I was not raised Catholic so my opinion doesn't matter as much.

Focusing on the poor, migration, science, and corruption/piousness of the church seems like a good platform for modern Catholicism.

john paul II has a better resume, but francis is still pretty new. he's kevin durant to jpII's kobe bryant.

[TheMan]

That's career suicide. The Left wants nothing to do with religion or God. Progressives think themselves above God.


And the Pope the above poster is asking about is Pope Benedict XVI. You remember the memes of him as Emperor Palpatine.
MSNBC has been covering and praising him all day :confusedshrug:

I've been watching, not so much because I'm a devout Catholic but out of respect of my mother's faith and the religion I was raised on.

[KevinNYC]

I've always been a fan of Pope John Paul Jones.

[rezznor]

Seems to be the best pope of my lifetime, but I was not raised Catholic so my opinion doesn't matter as much.

Focusing on the poor, migration, science, and corruption/piousness of the church seems like a good platform for modern Catholicism.
agreed. this pope seems to be very in tune with modern realities. i'm a fan.

[TheMan]

agreed. this pope seems to be very in tune with modern realities. i'm a fan.
You can count me in too.

I really didn't know much about him before (other than he's Latin American :rockon:) but after learning more about him, he strikes me as a decent man.

[Patrick Chewing]

He did say that gun owners were not Christian.

Pope crossing that line.

[NumberSix]

You can count me in too.

I really didn't know much about him before (other than he's Latin American :rockon:) but after learning more about him, he strikes me as a decent man.
Would you consider Al Pacino to be "Latin American"? :confusedshrug:

[BigNBAfan]

who's paying for his ticket and security? As long as its not tax payers or else i'd be a pissed off american.

[TheMan]

Would you consider Al Pacino to be "Latin American"? :confusedshrug:
Why not? :confusedshrug:

[KyrieTheFuture]

who's paying for his ticket and security? As long as its not tax payers or else i'd be a pissed off american.
Catholic church is really hurting for money

[Lebron23]

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03449/US-President-Barac_3449673b.jpg

[rufuspaul]

From his address to congress:



We know that no religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism. This means that we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind. A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms. But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners. The contemporary world, with its open wounds which affect so many of our brothers and sisters, demands that we confront every form of polarization which would divide it into these two camps. We know that in the attempt to be freed of the enemy without, we can be tempted to feed the enemy within. To imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place. That is something which you, as a people, reject.

[Clifton]

Im not the least bit religious but hes fine by me. Seems to be as rational as you can expect a person in his position to be.
This is a common position among the nonreligious. I'm curious about this: What did you think about the previous guy? The guy before that? (Benedict XVI, John Paul II) Where they "irrational"? And if so in what way?

Francis certainly takes a different approach than most previous popes. The king of Catholicism came into a country that legalized gay marriage a few months ago and legalized abortion 40 years ago and talked about neither. You must know that his positions on these issues are no different, and that he declined to have lunch with members of Congress who promote these ideas. Do you take his reticence on these issues to imply that the Church is just going to, like, change its mind about God infusing human beings with immortal souls at the moment of conception, which it's held for almost 2000 years?

As a Catholic who's on the conservative side of things, what I see in Francis is a guy who's afraid of conflict and I'm not very impressed by him at all. It's easy to be a people-pleaser who avoids difficult subjects. Much harder to argue for what you believe in a hostile environment.