Pope Francis: Put-Down Artist?

New Oxford Review ^ | April 2014

[ebb tide]

From the moment Jorge Mario Bergoglio stepped out onto the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and asked the world to “pray for me,” a persistent theme has resounded in the mainstream media. Pope Francis, as the popular narrative would have it, has singlehandedly set a “new tone” for the Church after decades, if not centuries — or millennia! — of crankiness and stagnation. Consider these headlines:

[ebb tide]

Generally speaking, his [Francis'] language of mercy and compassion has been directed toward “outsiders.” To those inside the sheepfold, however, he’s struck a startlingly different tone. As Catholic writer Michael Brendan Dougherty has observed, “Where Benedict sought to condemn errors in the abstract, Pope Francis makes it personal and attacks tendencies within certain groups of people, usually in highly stylized papal idioms” (The Week, Feb. 11). In fact, Francis has proven himself to be something of an acid-tongued put-down artist. As Dougherty puts it, “Francis is practically an insult comic” — Don Rickles in a white cassock, if you will.

[Mrs. Don-o]

`

[bigheadfred]

There is something I need to say about this. I am not Catholic but that isn’t the problem. It is something else.

[SubMareener]

I am not a Catholic either. I am a Berean. Pope Francis is saying things and demonstrating behaviors that are Word of God as I read it in the Bible.

[bigheadfred]

Pope Francis is saying things

Hmmmm.....but are they for the ears that hear

[aquila48]

This pope is to the Catholic church what Obama is to America. They are both out to fundamentally transform their respective realms.

The parallel are uncanny, it’s like they’re using the same playbook. Obama puts down America and her friends (Israel, UK, etc.) while lauding our enemies. According to this article this pope is doing the same as he puts down the catholic church itself and its friends and adherents, while kowtowing to all her detractors and outright enemies.

Boggles the mind.

[miele man]

‘

[Last Dakotan]

This pope is to the Catholic church what Obama is to America.

I've never seen it that way, but you might be on to something.

[bigheadfred]

Do NOT let it boggle your soul.

The Catholic church is singing its death knell.

[Romulus]

The Catholic Church is the mystical body of Christ. The gates of hell will not prevail against her.

[Steelfish]

The Catholic Church is the only Church we have, the rest are all wild mushrooms of Christianity from the Jeremiah Wrights to the Joel Osteens. They are different species of heretical beliefs.

[bigheadfred]

YOU just hit the nail on the head.

JESUS CHRIST isn’t mystical.

THERE IT IS!

You just hit the nail on the head.

Jesus Christ isn’t mystical.

And referring to the Catholic church as a her devines your misogynistic belief in gaism aka the holy mary is more devine

the POPE is retracking something and I am listening but it isn’t what you are saying

The schisms in your church reveal much.

[Alex Murphy]

Generally speaking, his [Francis'] language of mercy and compassion has been directed toward “outsiders.” To those inside the sheepfold, however, he’s struck a startlingly different tone. As Catholic writer Michael Brendan Dougherty has observed, “Where Benedict sought to condemn errors in the abstract, Pope Francis makes it personal and attacks tendencies within certain groups of people, usually in highly stylized papal idioms” (The Week, Feb. 11). In fact, Francis has proven himself to be something of an acid-tongued put-down artist. As Dougherty puts it, “Francis is practically an insult comic” — Don Rickles in a white cassock, if you will.

[bigheadfred]

The Catholic Church is the only Church we have

OK I am not going to disagree.

But I am going to beat you about the face and ears just a bit.

[Talisker]

The Catholic Church is the only Church we have, the rest are all wild mushrooms of Christianity from the Jeremiah Wrights to the Joel Osteens. They are different species of heretical beliefs.

Depends on what the definition of "we," is.

[Cyber Liberty]

You’re going to heck for that.

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[Bigg Red]

It is a tradition in Catholicism church to refer to the Church in the feminine gender, as she is considered the Bride of Christ. It’s more of a poetic device, I think.

Now, regarding your use of the words “gaism” and “devine”, please tell me what those words mean as I am not familiar with them.

[Bigg Red]

wild mushrooms

**
Love it.

[yldstrk]

Fred

Consider that Jesus had to get his fleshly composition from somewhere

Who did He get it from

Mary