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Pope Francis’ Political Instincts Are Execrable
As a faithful, devout Catholic, I believe the pope to be infallible when he is pronouncing on matters of faith and doctrine. However, as I have told my own children many times, that does not mean that the pope is right about anything else. As a historian, I teach them of the history of the papacy, with all its lechers and weak-minded boobs, as well as its holy saints and wise and powerful leaders. In most of my lifetime, the pope has been someone whose wisdom I valued and whose reasoned statements on matters of international importance I could at least respect, even if I disagreed.
But, Pope Francis, as much as I pray for him as the leader of my church, has terrible political instincts. His self-important idea that if he doesn’t speak up, the Israelis will suddenly start oppressing religious worship, rather than being the only country in the Middle East that guarantees freedom of worship, makes me sick. The reality is that the threat of violence is not coming from the Israelis, and that only areas of Jerusalem that are under the control of the Israelis, not the Palestinians, are safe for people of all faiths.
May the Lord bless Pope Francis and bring him the wisdom to know when he should speak and when he should shut his mouth. Today I rejoice in the announcement that the US will stop acting as though reality is not real and accept Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The Lord be praised! This time next year, or perhaps more like three or four years, in Jerusalem!
Published in General
Exactly. He appears not to have taken the 10-12 minutes needed to listen to it. His opinion on the matter is therefore worthless.
But his moral judgement is sound.
Why do you think so?
Still small voice.
Also – he doesn’t finesse it to pander to his home team’s sensibilities – the truth is what the truth is, palatable or not.
He’s an Argentine. That’s all you need to know. A sick political culture – imported mostly on the backs of Italian immigrants – destroyed a once wealthy and successful nation. And its modes of thinking/acting make it impossible to achieve political stability. There is no reason to take anything about politics and society that that man says seriously.
So my question is @docjay and @manny, how does one trust the spiritual wisdom of a man when his temporal wisdom seems almost entirely lacking?
You’ve hit upon the crux of the Pope Francis issue: Why is it Pope Francis is causing millions of life long Catholics to question the “truth” according to Pope Francis.
I think it’s ego.
Or whatever word describes the assumption that morality and self perception always align.
Or 180 degree changes in “truths” that may be the cause of the current rash Catholics suffering from Pope Francis “truth” whiplash.
Given the vulnerability of the Vatican to a terrorist attack, I see the Pope’s words as being pragmatic not political.