Pope Francis: The Vicar of Virtue-Signaling

American Thinker ^ | 05/05/2018 | By Brian C. Joondeph

[SeekAndFind]

"Vicar of Christ" is a historic description of bishops and popes, originally representing the "earthly manifestation of Christ."  The bishop of Rome, or the pope, is the modern-day example of the vicar of Christ.  He is currently known as Pope Francis, the 266th pope, the first Jesuit pope, and the first pope from outside Europe since the 8th century.

The outspoken Pope Francis is a proponent of social justice, perhaps influenced by his youth in Buenos Aires or a stint as a night club bouncer before joining the seminary.  He speaks passionately about climate change, immigration, and now guns.  Is the pope virtue-signaling?

On climate, Pope Francis sounds like Climate Cardinal Al Gore.  In a 2015 speech, the pope said humanity's "reckless" behavior has pushed the planet to a perilous "breaking point."  He then took a page from the Book of Revelation.  "Doomsday predictions," the pope warned, "can no longer be met with irony or disdain."

He went on: "[t]he Earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth."  Is that so?  If he is referring to cities that follow the socialist doctrine he favors, such as San Francisco, Detroit, and Chicago, then he is spot on.  How is climate change creating piles of human excrement and used hypodermic needles littering the sidewalks of the once beautiful "City by the Bay"?

How is supposed climate change causing filth?  If the planet is indeed warming by a few degrees, expect barren northern lands to become green and fertile.  If the deserts are receiving more moisture, they will be flowering, creating Gardens of Eden where there were once endless vistas of sand.

Then there is immigration, another subject ripe for virtue-signaling.  Pope Francis visited America in 2015.  He repeated the hackneyed open borders line,

[Mrs. Don-o]

I am praying for Pope Francis to receive the Gift of Zechariah. As you no doubt remember frok the Gospel of Luke, this was John the Baptist’s father, who was rendered unable to speak until he was ready to say what God wanted him to say.

[RicocheT]

Papa Francis is the Roman Catholic Church’s Obama, a socialist, incompetent community organizer.

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