Pope Francis calls out Obama on climate change, says world must abandon fossil fuels

wash times ^ | 6/18/15 | b wolfgang

[bestintxas]

n a sweeping, sometimes apocalyptic encyclical, Pope Francis on Thursday blasted the Obama administration and other world governments for not doing nearly enough to confront climate change, and said mankind is squandering the planet given to it by God and must abandon fossil fuels as soon as possible.

“The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth,” the pontiff said in his 184-page climate-change encyclical, a long-awaited document released publicly Thursday by the Vatican.”These situations have caused sister earth, along with all the abandoned of our world, to cry out, pleading that we take another course. Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common home as we have in the last 200 years.”

The encyclical — Francis’ most explicit foray into international politics — avoids endorsing specific climate policies proposed by President Obama and other leaders around the world. But the document does blame mankind, and specifically the burning of oil, gas and coal, for the devastating effects of global warming, which Francis says already are clear to anyone paying attention.

The encyclical comes as Mr. Obama and other world leaders prepare for a U.N. climate-change summit in Paris in December. Analysts say the timing of the encyclical was meant to coincide with that meeting, and the pope certainly seems to believe he can play a major role in spurring global action.

[bestintxas]

One of God's greatest gifts lifting people out of poverty is the natural resources of coal, oil and gas found buried in the earth. To decry their usage is to slap God in the face.

How do you say 'becoming irrelevant' in Argentine Spanish?

[uncitizen]

If by “calling out” they mean “doing Obamas bidding”, then yeah.

[armydoc]

“sister earth”?? Oh, my.

[Pearls Before Swine]

I read an editorial on the Pope’s attitude towards climate change by Peggy Noonan last weekend. She said that since the Church knows it got it wrong on Galileo, the Pope wants to get out front on this issue. He should stick to what he knows, if anything (apologies to anyone that offends).

[Sacajaweau]

Dear Pope: Why not concentrate on Muzzies killing Christians as filth.

[DungeonMaster]

2Kings4 A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.” 2 So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. 4 And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. 6 Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. 7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

[FlingWingFlyer]

The worst pope ever. The boy is too political. God doesn’t seem to be one of his priorities.

[VanDeKoik]

Yet how many Catholics here will still put that cash in the collection plate at Mass this Sunday?

[chuckee]

Since when did climate change become a spiritual issue?

[C. Edmund Wright]

oh, not the worst....but perhaps the most economically ignorant/misguided.

[gaijin]

Bring back Benedict.

[Old Sarge]

Worst Pope since Boniface VIII. And that was a LONG time ago.

[Alberta's Child]

But the document does blame mankind, and specifically the burning of oil, gas and coal, for the devastating effects of global warming, which Francis says already are clear to anyone paying attention.

If this means that every Catholic church and school building that is heated and powered by fuel oil and/or natural gas must be closed immediately, then I'll give this pope some credibility. The same holds true if he cancels his next flight to a foreign country and instead travels on horseback or on a sailing ship.

If not, then I think it's safe -- even in the eyes of God -- to conclude that he's just full of crap.

[Calpublican]

Is the Pope giving up fossil fuels. is he riding a horse these days?

[Alberta's Child]

Nothing that goes in the collection basket at Sunday Mass ends up in Rome, so I don’t know what your point is.

[Sir Napsalot]

Two competing self-identified “demi-gods”, both over-stretching.

[aquila48]

How did we go from Reagan and JohnPaul to Obama and Francis in one generation?

Does success inevitably bring failures. Do people take the good life for granted?

[kiryandil]

Pope is a ‘tard.

[Delta 21]

It didnt.

The Pope became a politician.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

... specifically the burning of oil, gas and coal ...

Let the Catholic Church go first. Stop using fossil fuels worldwide. Every church, the Vatican, you name it. Go back to the 19th century.

Otherwise SHUT UP.