Posted on 03/30/2015 9:48:30 AM PDT by Gamecock
Full Title: Pope Francis Says Protecting the Environment Is 'Ultimate Pro-Life, Pro-Poor, Pro-Family' Issue That Bible Calls Christians to Engage In
Pope Francis is set to release an encyclical letter which calls the environment the "ultimate pro-life, pro-poor, pro-family" issue that Christians are called to engage in. The Vatican has said that this is not a political statement, but one stemming from biblical teaching.
Catholic News Service reported that Pope Francis is finishing up his encyclical on the environment, set for publication early in the summer, which is set to build on the statements of his predecessors who have urged Christians to focus more on preserving and caring for the environment
Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, said that Francis' pro-environment initiative is not part of a political agenda, but based in biblical teachings.
"When Pope Francis says that destroying the environment is a grave sin; when he says that it is not large families that cause poverty but an economic culture that puts money and profit ahead of people; when he says that we cannot save the environment without also addressing the profound injustices in the distribution of the goods of the earth; when he says that this is 'an economy that kills' — he is not making some political comment about the relative merits of capitalism and communism," Cardinal Turkson said about the upcoming encyclical.
"He is rather restating ancient biblical teaching."
Francis said in a speech in the Philippines in January: "We need to see — with the eyes of faith — the beauty of God's saving plan, the link between the natural environment and the dignity of the human person," Francis said in a speech in the Philippines in January.
In December, Francis said at the major U.N. climate change summit in Peru that the consequences of environmental change represent a "serious ethical and moral responsibility." He warned that the time for action is running out, and said that "we can find solutions only if we act together and agree."
Francis urged a collective response that is free from political or economic influences, one that overcomes mistrust and promotes a culture of solidarity and dialogue.
The Vatican leader has also argued that people have an obligation to respect the natural order, comparing the traditional family unit with ecology.
He said back in November that "the crisis of the family has produced a human ecological crisis, for social environments, like natural environments, need protection."
Similarly, Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his 2009 encyclical "Caritas in Veritate" that a lack of respect for the environment is related to a lack of respect for the natural family.
"If there is a lack of respect for the right to life and to a natural death, if human conception, gestation and birth are made artificial, if human embryos are sacrificed to research, the conscience of society ends up losing the concept of human ecology and, along with it, that of environmental ecology," he wrote
This guy is a cross between Bill Nye "The Science Guy" and Karl Marx!
This guy ....
Place your bets! Its time to spin the “What will Pope Francis say today?” wheel. The other day, we got the Francis who made a powerful statement about defending Christians in the Middle East. Today we get PC environmental nonsense. Its always a crapshoot.
I’m all for protecting the environment. I’m against having an incompetent, politically motivated government do it.
Hey I want to protect the environment but the a$$hat$ in DC want to politisize it, legislate, regulate, and tax it charging me $$$ in the name of protecting it but then don’t do it. They lie (once again)
Nonsense. He's always just "misinterpreted." /sarc
I will respectfully tell the Pope to take a hike on this issue.
What do you think 0bola and frank are going to talk about in their upcoming meeting?
100% agree with your statement...I don’t know of anyone who wants a trashy environment.
Blessed are the environmentalists? I must have missed that part in the bible.
“...and it’s a wonderful way to express your profound Gaia worship!”
Well, you'd think so in Democratic strongholds. Look at Detroit?
What happened to the Great Commission, to spread the gospel of the good news of Jesus Christ to all nations?
Yes...I really wish they would practice what they preach...they really need to clean up there own neighborhoods rather than worrying about my CO2 output.
“Your boy is about to pass out your marching orders! Will you be loyal sons and daughters of the church?”
The pope is out of his league with his extreme environmentalism BS. He renders himself less influential by doing so. We Catholics are under no obligation to pay heed to nonsense no matter who it comes from.
Gamecock, think about who you are pissing off with your wise-ass remarks. We are the ones with the Church basements full of armaments. You might need our help someday.LOL
Wait until he puts this out ex cathedra.
(Current odds: 5-1)
The Church should focus its resources on saving souls.
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