Posted on 02/19/2016 6:33:46 AM PST by shortstop
Maybe the pope should read the Catechism.
Or the Bible.
Both speak of the value of obeying the law, and both sanction those who judge the faith of another.
Yesterday, as he flew above America in his opulent jet, the supposed vicar of Christ said that those who build walls are not Christian. He said it in response to a question about Donald Trump and in reference to a Trump campaign proposal to build a barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border.
If you want to build a wall, the pope said, you are not Christian.
Which must come as a surprise to the 51 percent of Americans who, in the most recent poll, believe that a wall along the Mexican border is a good idea. Presumably those people did not realize that their political belief stripped them, in the eyes of the pope, of their religious standing and doomed them to an eternity in hell.
But such is the gospel of Francis, the love pope.
Or Karl Marx, who seems often to be his master.
The irony of a man who lives in a walled city condemning a nation that seeks to put up a fence is obvious. But the characterization by that man of that country as selfish and unwelcoming is so patently false as to be purposefully deceptive. In the post-World War II era, the United States has welcomed more immigrants than all other countries combined. Each year, the United States welcomes more immigrants than any other nation.
Legal immigrants.
The United States, in fact, created and perfected open-door, pluralistic immigration. The United States is the most heterogeneous nation on Earth because of its long and welcoming history of immigration. Further, the United States provides more material and financial relief to impoverished and oppressed peoples in their home countries than all other nations combined.
The belief that the United States is bad or selfish is rooted in bigotry and prejudice, not reality and truth.
The American Republic believes in rule of law, and that is true of its attitudes towards immigration as well. America does not turn people away, it merely asks that they come legally.
For that, the pope has condemned the souls of half of Americans.
Even though the official teachings of his church -- the Catechism of the Catholic Church -- teach exactly the policy America practices.
In the Catechism, which was published at the direction of Saint John Paul II, the Catholic Church declares that prosperous nations have a moral obligation to welcome those who are fleeing oppression or seeking economic opportunity. But the Catechism then explains how that is to be done.
"Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants’ duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens," paragraph two of Section 2241 reads.
The official teachings of the Catholic Church -- as opposed to the gratuitous condemnations of its leader -- say that governments have the moral right to "make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various (legal) conditions."
Further, the immigrants involved have a duty in regard to the nation they seek to enter, including the duty to "obey its laws."
That's legal immigration.
Not illegal immigration.
American immigration policy -- namely that one must come to our country in accordance with our law -- is exactly in step with the official teachings of the Catholic Church. A physical means to enforce the law -- a wall -- has no bearing upon that.
The pope was wrong in regard to the Catechism.
And he was wrong in regard to the Bible.
"God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge," wrote St. James. "He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?"
The pope, as leader of the Roman Catholic Church, can declare who is or is not Catholic. But he is in no way empowered by logic or God with the authority to declare who is or is not a Christian.
The days of the Inquisition have passed.
And the pope should not condemn men's souls because they do not share his leftist political views.
The Pope should take a vow of silence. Starting immediately.
What he says half the time makes virtually no sense and it certainly isn’t Catholic teaching.
Dittos.
I’m Catholic, and he had no reason to enter into a political discourse. If he wants to get involved in politics, I think a start would be by excommunicating Pelosi, Biden, and a host of other politicians who promote abortion, which is far more evil than kicking out illegal immigrants.
The Catechism requires you to follow the law, unless it goes against morals, such as abortion, homo marriage, etc.
Therefore, illegal immigration is against their teachings.
Good luck with that. This is the most attention seeking Pope ever. Not much humility in this one.
SNIP
Phil Pullella, Reuters: Today, you spoke very eloquently about the problems of immigration. On the other side of the border, there is a very tough electoral battle. One of the candidates for the White House, Republican Donald Trump, in an interview recently said that you are a political man and he even said that you are a pawn, an instrument of the Mexican government for migration politics. Trump said that if he’s elected, he wants to build 2,500 kilometers of wall along the border. He wants to deport 11 million illegal immigrants, separating families, etcetera. I would like to ask you, what do you think of these accusations against you and if a North American Catholic can vote for a person like this?
Pope Francis: Thank God he said I was a politician because Aristotle defined the human person as ‘animal politicus.’ At least I am a human person. As to whether I am a pawn, well, maybe, I don’t know. I’ll leave that up to your judgment and that of the people. And then, a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not in the Gospel. As far as what you said about whether I would advise to vote or not to vote, I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he has said things like that. We must see if he said things in that way and in this I give the benefit of the doubt.
SNIP
I think I finally figured out what the pope’s problem is. He is ignorant and not terribly bright. Benedict was one of the most intellectual and brilliant minds in recent Church history. His mastery of the catechism, human nature, history and his clear understanding of evil and his ability to verbalize it were quite clear. This pope does not have a clear understanding of Catholic doctrine. He is a terrible communicator. He is a typical marxist/leninist South American. He has no clue how the world works. He insults my professional (and financial success). I have yet to hear him call out evil for what it is i.e., islam, communism, socialism, fascism. He confuses what is Caesar’s with what is God’s.
His talking points—homosexuality—it’s ok. Who am I to judge? Contraception—ok as long as it is to prevent Zika virus and not pregnancy. Capitalism—evil because there are poor people in the world. Sovereignty of nations—bad because it is not Christian to allow illegal alien invaders to come into my country and rape and murder and steal from Americans while getting free services that I pay for through my earnings being confiscated through taxation.
This is the leader with the largest wall around the country in the entire world, as well as the most restrictive immigration policy administered by his Swiss Guards, and he’s lecturing us?
This is a serious question. Isn’t Catholicism completely based on the Pope basically being God’s direct ambassador on earth. And consequently everything the Pope says becomes gospel, so to speak, and must be followed as if God said it? It seems strange that Catholics pick and choose what words they want to follow that come out of the Pope’s mouth.
How can Francis the Talking Mule take a vow of silence?
The pope is a political activist and is not worthy to be pope.
And who is the pope to judge what is in Trump’s heart? If Trump believes in Jesus Christ as the son of God and accepts Christ as his saviour, according to my understanding of Christianity, that would make Trump a Christian. For this pope to chastise Trump while never calling out the evil that is perpetrated every day on Christians around the world by ISIS and islam is repulsive and offensive and heretical.
Pope Francis will remain Francis. God willing there will never be a Francis II. He truly is the false prophet we were warned about. No, it is not a coincidence that he and Obama are contemporaries.
God help us all. Only He can.
After the questionable way this "Pope" came to power and his actions since then, I'm beginning to wonder if he is the "anti-Pope".
I think you are giving him too much of a pass. I see him as evil person. Perhaps his Christianity should also be questioned since he himself thinks he can question someone's faith in Christ and God.
He's too much of an attention whore to do that.
Did you read that exchange in full?
Your understanding of Catholicism is incorrect. It is not based on what the Pope says. The Pope is a shepherd and the people of the church his flock, but Catholics are not required to follow whatever the shepherd says. You are in error about that.
Catholicism is a a sacramental religion that follows Jesus Christ. The gospels Catholics follow are written in the New Testament. This pope and any pope are only infallible when speaking on matters of dogma which are clearly defined in the Catholic Catechism of the church. Catholics are not required to now believe that Trump is an anti christ and forbidden from voting for him. Before you disparage Catholics, learn about them first.
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