Posted on 09/24/2015 9:15:07 AM PDT by markomalley
Pope Francis on Thursday gave an historic address to a joint meeting of Congress that delivered big applause lines for Democrats on issues like the need to end armed conflict, welcoming immigrants, and taking steps to stop climate change.
And while Republicans have spent the week reminding people that the pope agrees with the GOP on issues like family and abortion, the pontiff only gave a few brief nods to those issues, and in far less specific terms.
For example, he stressed that the "Golden Rule" reminds people of their "responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development," a line that drew strong applause. But that line was followed by a call for ending the death penalty, which drew Democratic applause, and he made no explicit mention of abortion.
He addressed family issues at the end of his remarks, but even then, he only mentioned his broad concern for families with words that may have hinted at issues like same-sex marriage, but without any specifics.
"I cannot hide my concern for the family, which is threatened, perhaps as never before, from within and without," he said. "Fundamental relationships are being called into question, as is the very basis of marriage and the family. I can only reiterate the importance and, above all, the richness and the beauty of family life."
But for social conservatives looking for sharper messages on abortion or same-sex marriage, that was about it, and Francis largely met the expectation that he would dodge those sensitive issues in his speech.
The rest of speech was much more specific on themes that Democrats have adopted. For example, as America struggles to deal with radical Islamic terrorism, Pope Francis seemed to give a nod to Democrats who have warned against striking out against Muslims, by saying the U.S. must continue to ensure religious freedom.
"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," he said. "We know that in the attempt to be freed of the enemy without, we can be tempted to feed the enemy within."
Later in his address, he cited the importance of ending all armed conflict around the world, and reiterated his view that too much money is made by selling weapons around the world. Francis has been critical of capitalism before, and his comments in this area seemed to highlight that theme again.
"Being at the service of dialogue and peace also means being truly determined to minimize and, in the long term, to end the many armed conflicts throughout our world," he said. "Here we have to ask ourselves: Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society?"
"Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood," he added.
The pope clearly sided with Democrats on immigration, and said people should not be "fearful of foreigners," because most everyone was once a foreigner, drawing applause. He said the world is not only facing a refugee crisis in Europe, but an immigration crisis in the Americas, as thousands "travel north" to the U.S. "in search of a better life."
"Is this not what we want for our own children?" he asked. "We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation. To respond in a way which is always humane, just and fraternal."
Francis reiterated his Wednesday remarks from the White House on climate, an issue on which he is in clear agreement with President Obama and most Democrats. Many Democrats are hoping his words on the environment can be used to put the GOP in a box later this year when the U.S. and other nations try to make progress on a global climate agreement.
"Now is the time for courageous actions and strategies, aimed at implementing a 'culture of care' and 'an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature,'" he said.
The entire framework of Francis' remarks were about how Congress must play an important role in ensuring the welfare of its citizens, a far cry from the repeated Republican calls for a smaller, less wasteful government.
"You are the face of its people, their representatives," he said. "You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding pursuit of the common good, for this is the chief aim of all politics."
"Legislative activity is always based on care for the people," he said, and added later that America must continue to fight for the poor and the needy.
"They too need to be given hope," he said. "The fight against poverty and hunger must be fought constantly and on many fronts, especially in its causes."
So, he just gave a speech to a group that just gave the green light the Planned Parenthood to continue to kill babies.
Do you think it might have occurred to him to mention that?
I believe that Obama is “antichrist” light...he’s not smart enough to be THE antichrist...but hes a “type” or “model” what to be looking for which will be much worse than Obama is...and I conclude that the antichrist demonic side kick is the false prophet a world wide religious leader and this pope is the false prophet light. So you put the two together its no wonder they are on the same page. Liberals are destroying the creation and trying to take down the Creator.
A learned Biblical Scholar once told me if you can’t get by the first five words of the Bible in the book of Genesis:”In the beginning God Created” you won’t understand the rest...so when the Pope goes off into left field on climate change an economics he is saying he no longer believes in the Creator but thinks humans are here to “change” and “save” the planet. The Father sent Jesus to save the planet. The Vicar of Christ has lowered himself into a primordial soup of idolotry . And this will only get worse in the years ahead
Freegards
LEX
POPE Francis is a DEMOCRAT..... Who knew?..
I just don’t see Francis calling out the Mexican govt. for not ensuring a better life for it’s own citizens. Mexico has resources, and it has the ability to provide for its people, but the govt. is corrupt and there is too much dysfuntion in that society, to prevent many of its people from coming to the U.S. in search for a share of the U.S. pie. As this continues, the U.S. pie will surely run out, and the U.S. will be in ruin; in no better shape than Mexico.
This is the big problem that Francis doesn’t seem to get. It’s all about living in the now. The U.S. is the place that has stuff, so everybody should go there, instead of staying to clean up the countries they come from.
I am so very, very, very tired of this media narrative. People who want border control are NOT afraid of foreigners. I certainly am not. I want the rule of law.
I AM Catholic I am not only embarrassed by this Pope, I am outraged at this Pope after ALL of the scandals in the church this just put the icing on the cake for me!!!! I DO NOT like this Pope makes it VERY HARD to be a Catholic!!!!!
That is All "Part of Plan"
To Understand the Prog, you need to understand that with the "Pie" metaphor, they don't care how much it is, making it bigger or who gets it.
They want to be the one who is handing out the pie and telling the people getting it "Don't forget who gave you this piece too you"
Even if the piece is small or of terrible quality.
Libs could care less about the pope, unless he mentions issues they can use politically. They just ignore the rest.
My mom is 85 years old attends mass EVERY DAY, she is disgusted with this Pope!!!!! She misses John Paul!!!!!!
Yup. Got it dead on.
A liberal is an elitist by definition. The ‘modern’ liberal’. They know all, see all and will do all. “No matter what”.
If many starve, die of disease or have to be shot, thats acceptable because ‘They’ know the way ‘it should be’ and anything and any ONE in their way is eliminated.
You gotta break egs to make omlettes. Period. And they see humans, who they tell us are a cancer on Gaia, as an egg to be used as needed.
Note to Pope from one of your religious followers: If I needed bad economic advice, I would ask Paul Krugman not some dude in a robe and red slippers.Butt out, please!
I completely agree with Il Papa on the need to stop fossil fuels. That is why I would like to see him walk to the dock and take a rowboat back home.
Concerned for the family? Yet is banned from having one.
I’m so confused.
What happened to lead by example?
he made no explicit mention of abortion
I am Catholic but not embarrassed. The Pope should be embarrassed but I doubt he is. The main point of embarrassment for the Pope is not uttering the words Jesus Christ, ISIS, abortion, selling baby parts and not mentioning that God has issues with men marrying men. He should also be emarasses about his economic ignorance but why I should be embarrassed for his shortcomings I don’t. quite get. Should I also be embarrassed for Barack Obama? No, he is the embarassment. Not me.
Commie US president
Commie Pope
Commies advancing by leaps and bounds
Although he locked up the freeloading, malingerer vote the Democrats, the majority of social media is painting a different picture about those who work for a living and aren’t buying Obama’s BS.
He is on the Lefties side about everything else.
I believe he will support abortion eventually.
He's already broken a few of the Commandments:
“You shall have no other gods before me.
He worships Gaia
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God”
I bet he has at least one statue that he prays to.
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
Not sure if it is exactly bearing false testimony, but he is lying when he says that the Climate Change Scam is real.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
He's pushing Socialism
I don't think that he'll be the Antichrist. He might become the False Prophet.
Pope Francis on Thursday gave an historic address to a joint meeting of Congress that delivered big applause lines for Democrats on issues like the need to end armed conflict
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