Jim, and all - I agree that an individual’s religious convictions should never come under attack to personally insult their values, beliefs and interests.
However, some large religious organizations figure prominently in the news due to the effect they have on society’s culture and political policy.
Islam and Catholicism are two of the largest religions in the world, each having over one billion followers.
It seems reasonable that there would be posts on FR featuring news articles about those two religions, as well as others.
It’s essential that we remain informed of all foreign and domestic organizations that may affect our liberty and free republic.
It appears that many international bodies of influence and control are ongoing change agents that shape our freedom and norms, ie: EU, IMF, FED, UN, WTO, LGBT movement, News media, including religious order authorities (Anglican, Southern baptists), etc.
The Catholic Church arguably is a society change agent, and makes mainstream news on a weekly basis by ways of Vatican news releases, and papal diplomacy.
If we post an article here, from a catholic family news publication expressing concern that the pope is working on one world religion standards, is that not a newsworthy post?
As an american and christian, a United Nations one world religion collaboration concerns me greatly, and I care about learning and discussing more about this with fellow posters here.
I do understand there is a distinction between insult, and discussing fact.
Discussion of institutional facts and direct quotes should not be seen as bashing, particularly if they are not personal in nature.
I hope FR remains a place where we can respectfully and rationally discuss All facts that affect our world and our future.
http://www.cfnews.org/page88/files/53206c160fbe7bd0f732258be75cb976-296.html
Catholic Family News - Update: Perez calls on Pope to create one world religion standards.
The Pope besides being the leader of the Catholic Church is a public figure who expressed opinions pertinent to public policy. I see no reason why those public statements should be immune to legitimate criticism from either Catholics or non Catholics. That is totally different than bashing based on the Pope’s religious practices.
If you write that the Pope does not understand the economic consequences of endorsing AWG that is certainly a valid point. That would not be bashing. If you write the Pope is a disciple of the devil who is plotting to bring back temples to Norse gods and make everyone bow down to them that would be bollocks.
The Pope is not off limits for me.
I have called him “Francis the talking Mule” right here on Free Republic.
He has elected to put himself into politics, so IMHO, he has left himself wide open to criticism.
On the other hand, the articles Jim addressed were anti-Catholic, “flame-bait.” A small group of daily posters were pinged and they flocked to those threads to post the same daily diatribe that the the Catholic Church is a CULT, that it’s evil, etc. Rational discussion was impossible, because that was not the purpose or intent.
I have always believed that Christians are Christians, whether Catholic or Protestant.