Is it just me, or did the Cruz criticism in the last paragraph come off as gratuitous, forced, and totally inappropriate?
lol....It’s just you.
I agree with you on VDH/Cruz, who lobs a throwaway line bomb at Ted Cruz (and Bernie Sanders?!) at the end. Totally forced, gratuitous and inappropriate. And the analogy to a priest (SRSLY?!) makes no sense whatsoever. I think VDH has a Trump thorn in his gOpE side and this causes him to lash out at Ted Cruz?! C'mon Man!
I think you missed the point, which I took to mean that religious priests should not be using their religious standing to pontificate on hot-button political issues, whether from the right or the left.
I think VDH simply used Sanders and Cruz (fairly, in my opinion) to define the two opposite poles of the political spectrum, which they do represent.
It's not just you; it was glaringly forced at least. I mean really where'd that come from?
The author is railing on Francis for "weighing in on hot button issues" and how he "pontificated about climate change. He lectured on illegal immigration. He harped on the harshness of capitalism, as well as abortion and capital punishment." but then goes on to hope that we don't get "a priest in the role of Bernie Sanders or Ted Cruz, dressed in ancient Roman miter and vestments, addressing hot-button issues with divine sanction?"
Talk about disjointed. Do you or do you want him to talk about conservative issues too Victor Davis Hanson?
Actually he (VDH) should be forgiven for this rant. He's like most these days who are sadly on both the left AND the right. He seems to want the Pope (and indeed all Christian leaders or faithful) to leave their Faith in the church (building). He doesn't seem to get that (at least Catholics) Christians are to live their faith in the public square, guiding their politics BY their faith.
One can like or dislike what the Pope has said and done on his most recent trip, but to criticize him for merely speaking his mind guided by his Faith; quite frankly that's anti-Christian. It's pure secularism for him to suggest the Pope (or anyone else) has no "right" to speak about anything but religious matters.
Again, true Christianity doesn't just stop at the world of politics, in fact it does the opposite: barges in with ideas and proposals (hopefully) grounded in Christian Tradition. Barges in to change the world for the better. Again one can criticize what Francis said specifically, challenging what he said wasn't really "grounded" in anything but leftism, but to say he shouldn't be a part of politics at all? That's what the leftists want: Christian leaders OUT of politics cornered "in the church" on Sunday's where they won't "hurt" anyone.
I'd only ask him one thing: Should Kim Davis just shut up too?