Global Left’s Machiavellian Misrepresentation of the Pope Is Failing

The American Spectator ^ | June 8, 2015 | Gene J. Koprowski

[Cincinatus' Wife]

"....The Heartland Institute last week paid for a translation of the papal text itself and found the pontiff comes off as rather reasonable on the matter of the environmental encyclical, saying there is a limit to what we currently know about climate change and that the Church’s duty is to speak only what is true, not to hypothesize on matters of science. These are positions with which climate skeptics fully agree, and which the UN and U.S. alarmists ordinarily consider anathema...."

[FourtySeven]

Thanks for this. Just of note though, I believe the official release will be June 18th. So any differences between what you’ve posted here and what is released June 18, the latter should prevail. (But it’s probably the same). Thanks again.

[Old Sarge]

“How many divisions does the Pope have?”

[kinsman redeemer]

“encyclical”

It’s what I call “P-mail”

[dila813]

“Brother Fire, Sister Moon, and Mother Earth.” words of idolatry, if this the worst of it, I can deal with it.

The fact that he has been meeting with these secular organizations in regarding a church document is still very alarming.

[Buckeye McFrog]

If he actually issues that Global Warming Encyclical this will have to be retracted.

[siunevada]

“Brother Fire, Sister Moon, and Mother Earth.”

I believe that’s the title of a song by the 12th century friar. The Cliff Notes version is that it is a song of praise to God for all He has created. I don’t think it gives any sense that the sun, moon or earth are ‘beings’ due any worship, which would, of course, be idolatry.

[arthurus]

Several papal elections in the last century were hailed as Social Justice Popes finally coming to force the Church into the New Century. John Paul (I) made the socialists ecstatic because he really had a history of socialist actions and pronouncements. He was pope for a month. Others may have bee, indeed, “modernists” who believed that the Church had to get with the times but there is a transformation in that election. Things do not look the same from the papal balcony as they do from insulated individual bishoprics.

[cpdiii]

“How many divisions does the Pope have?”

Enough to collapse the old Soviet Union along with "Saint Reagan and Saint Thatcher."

Unfortunately our present President has allowed that snake to arise again in the form of Vladimir Putin.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Oh, brother. "Idolatry"? You mean this part?

"Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, All praise is Yours, all glory, all honour and all blessings."

Or maybe this is what you found offensive?

"To you alone, Most High, do they belong, and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name."

You seems unaware of the customs of Christian devotional poetry, going all the way back to the Bible, in which God's creatures --- the created elements of the Universe ---are addressed, honored for their excellence, and bidden to praise the Lord their Creator.

You might want to consult Psalm 19 and Psalm 96 to see how created things are personified, praised, and called forth to rejoice. Here is the full text of St. Francis' excellent "psalm."

---

Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, Most High,
All praise is Yours, all glory, all honour and all blessings.

To you alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.

Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who is the day through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour,
Of You, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praised be You, my Lord,
through Sister Moon and the stars,
In the heavens You have made them
bright, precious and fair.

Praised be You, my Lord,
through Brothers Wind and Air,
And fair and stormy, all weather's moods,
by which You cherish all that You have made.

Praised be You my Lord
through Sister Water,
So useful, humble, precious and pure.

Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night
and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You my Lord through our Sister,
Mother Earth
who sustains and governs us,
producing varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.

Praise be You my Lord
through those who grant pardon for love of You
and bear sickness and trial.

Blessed are those who endure in peace,
By You Most High, they will be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord
through Sister Death,
from whom no-one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will.
No second death can do them harm.

Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks,
And serve Him with great humility.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Thank you so much for this. You manifest good sense and god will.

It is kind of you to help fellow FReepers who struggle with reading comprehension.

[lepton]

Not being Catholic, I don’t follow the Pope drama particularly closely (and I’m not sure where the current Pope actually stands on a number of issues) - but one thing that is crystal clear is that there are a large number of entities that are quite diligent in pre-stating in a very twisted manner what he says...with a chorus of echoing mouthpieces broadcasting those twists all over the media.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

“....there are a large number of entities that are quite diligent in pre-stating in a very twisted manner what he says...with a chorus of echoing mouthpieces broadcasting those twists all over the media.”

The MSM doing their thing - they don’t report, they decide.

[SpirituTuo]

I really respect your opinion on this matter. There are any number of people both Catholic and not, who jump on everything the media reports without critically analyzing what was actually said or written.

[dila813]

Nope, can you stop with the strawman defense?

[Mrs. Don-o]

What are you talking about?

You said Francis of Assisi's canticle was 'idolatry.' I quoted the whole thing to show that it is not. Only God is being adored in this canticle.

[dila813]

“You said Francis of Assisi’s canticle was ‘idolatry.’”

No I didn’t

[Mrs. Don-o]

You said, “Brother Fire, Sister Moon, and Mother Earth.” words of idolatry, if this the worst of it, I can deal with it.

These are the words of S. Francis' Canticle. They are not idolatry. Idolatry means adoring some being other than the One True God. Francis makes it clear he is adoring God alone.

[dila813]

these words out of context, are idolatry, just because the words are used in another context doesn’t excuse them.

Fire is not a being, neither is the Moon, neither is the Earth. They aren’t alive, they don’t have free will, they are inanimate objects and simple chemical reactions.