Posted on 02/18/2016 3:44:58 PM PST by mandaladon
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) -- Thrusting himself into the heated American presidential campaign, Pope Francis declared Thursday that Donald Trump is "not Christian" if he wants to address illegal immigration only by building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump fired back ferociously, saying it was "disgraceful" for a religious leader to question a person's faith
The rare back-and-forth between pontiff and presidential candidate was the latest astonishing development in an American election already roiled by Trump's free-wheeling rhetoric and controversial policy proposals, particularly on immigration. It also underscored the popular pope's willingness to needle U.S. politicians on hot-button issues.
Francis' comments came hours after he concluded a visit to Mexico, where he prayed at the border for people who died trying to reach the U.S. While speaking to reporters on the papal plane, he was asked what he thought of Trump's campaign pledge to build a wall along the entire length of the border and expel millions of people in the U.S. illegally.
"A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian," he said. While Francis said he would "give the benefit of the doubt" because he had not heard Trump's border plans independently, he added, "I say only that this man is not a Christian if he has said things like that."
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Thanks, Pope!
Just helped make this THE issue - which helps Trump - a few days out from voting.
The pope better not mess with, the Donald .... just sayin ...
This pope is so useless. I’m not a catholic, but I loved JPII. Your holiness, you are no JPII!
The Pope knows that ONLY DONALD TRUMP will build a wall.
I have heard conservatives using this as a talking point against Trump, but I have not heard one word from any other candidates saying, "Hey, the Pope is talking about ME TOO, not just Trump." Cowards.
POPE SAYS: ONLY TRUMP WILL BUILD A WALL
(AND the pope knows, Only Trump will secure or do a damn thing about the open borders)
This is all media spin. Trump was misquoted by the press in a question to the Pope. The Pope made a hypothetical statement that was conditional on if what he was told was correct, and the media ran with it.
Now Trump is fighting the Pope and all because of the media.
Hey Mr Pope-
“How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Luke 6:42
That is an extremely cool graphic.
Not coward, smart and the correct thing to do. You do not stick your nose into other peoples business. Maybe you do and I wonder just who do you support?
But wait Ted....So that must mean you’re not going for a wall...and you no longer claim the wall as your idea.
The word wrong does not begin to describe this. That man has no right to meddle in our political process. Ever.
He’s a friggin’ communist through and through.
What about the walls in Israel, ‘your holiness’...
The Vatican is surrounded by walls. Is the Pope trying to confess about his true religious beliefs?
This Pope is the most bizarre ever. Rush said today that it used to be when someone talked about Popes and bears and said ‘ Is the Pope Catholic?,’ it used to be just rhetorical. He is right.
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