Pope Francis: "Thou shalt not frack!"

[G_j]

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/15/1255844/-Pope-Francis-Thou-shalt-not-frack?detail=email

by citisven Nov 15, 2013 10:40am PST

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Pope Francis holding up anti-fracking t-shirts following a meeting with a group of Argentinian environmental activists to discuss water and fracking issues. The shirts read “No To Fracking” and “Water Is More Precious Than Gold.”
Meet the Newest Anti-Fracking Activist: Pope Francis.

I haven't seen this covered prominently here, but thought it's worth a mention when the guy with a direct line to 1.2 billion people's ears says that it's not cool to frack. This week the Twitterverse went ablaze when Pope Francis met with Argentine filmmaker Fernando “Pino” Solanas (La Guerra del Fracking -- The Fracking War) and environmental activist Juan Pablo Olsson at the Vatican to discuss fracking and water pollution. Olsson posted the photo of himself, Solanas and Pope Francis.

Next Up For Pope Francis: Anti-Fracking Activist?

Finally, a logical pope. If your belief tells you that God gave us the Earth to be stewards of, then injecting millions of gallons of water and chemicals into the ground to fracture massive rocks for their extra oil and gas and in the process threatening the air we breathe, the water we drink, the communities we love and the climate on which we all depend, seems like a really bad idea.

For a pope who has demonstrated that he is able and willing to connect some serious dots by coming out against poverty, inequality, and bigotry, stepping into the environmental arena is the next logical move. After all, it is the poor and underprivileged who have not only been taking the brunt of industrial pollution and environmental degradation that comes with the fossil fueled life but are also at the forefront of suffering the consequences of climate change. He reportedly told the group he "is preparing an encyclical about nature, humans, and environmental pollution."

..more..

[hrmjustin]

1. K&R

[LuvNewcastle]

2. You'd think that more religious people would be environmentalists.

I mean, if they believe that God gave us the Earth as our home, shouldn't they believe we should protect it? The outspoken religious people seem to be a lot more concerned with people's personal habits than they are with polluting our home. I wish religious environmentalists were a lot more vocal.

[calimary]

4. Yeah, no shit. +1,000,000

[Scootaloo]

5. Being outspokenly religions tends to go hand-in-hand with being really bad at that religion n/t

[cantbeserious]

11. Roger That - Very Significant Observation

eom

[PatrynXX]

15. they probably are except for

abortion is ahead and they vote only one issue. even if whoever is aligned with the devil

[arely staircase]

22. many of us are

but your point is well taken. on the bright side I think environmental awareness is growing among evangelical millennials. equal rights for LGBT folks as well. my Church (Episcopal) has had a good environmental position for quite some time.

[calimary]

3. This pope certainly has his appealing moves!

Now, if only he'd get with the 21st Century on women's roles in the church...

I realize it's asking too much. And his uncompromising closemindedness on women in the priesthood and other such things - very discouraging.

HOWEVER... it's moves like this one here, where he seems to be about to throw a one-two punch to those who'd rape and pillage the planet for profit, combined with his less judgmental stand regarding gays, and of course his longtime efforts to focus on the poor (wasn't that the stated personal priority of Our Lord Himself?) - VERY encouraging. VERY encouraging indeed. Perhaps we can't take all the forward steps at once. But finally starting to take a series of them - very encouraging! This lifelong Catholic is impressed!

[Vashta Nerada]

6. Great.

Now when is he going to change his stance on homosexuals and women?

[Aerows]

8. I wish he would change those views

but the fact that he reaches out to the poor, defends the environment and is pretty much living the idea of following the principle of kindness and love makes him about 100x better than Benedict. I hardly agree with him on reproductive rights and homosexuality since I am a lesbian, but even I can see that the man has a message of love and a commitment to those that are poverty-stricken. I refuse to dismiss him because of that commitment.

[daleanime]

14. If this pope lasts long enough.....

I think we have a good chance with the next one.

[Aerows]

17. I guess we need high hopes

I like Pope Francis. I'm not ashamed to say so, even though I am a gay woman. His dedication to the poor, the sick and the disenfranchised is worthy work. I haven't seen him go on a campaign yet about hating gays or keeping women down. My attitude will change when I see that, but so far, I have not.

He's a good breath of fresh air!

[daleanime]

21. exactly......

hope he sticks around long enough to have a lasting impact on the church. As some one else commented, 'hope he's got a food taster'.

[Aerows]

7. I know that there are those that want to ding this Pope

for his stances on women and homosexuals, and as both, I feel you. On the other hand, though, the Catholic church is glacial in it's pace to adopt science and social change.

One thing I know about this Pope, is though we don't agree on everything, we can agree on some things without a barrage of hellfire, brimstone and hatred. The man just doesn't appear cut out of the cloth that makes hatred. No matter his stance on homosexuality, he strikes me as a kind man that wants to lift people out of poverty far more than he wants to strike people down for disagreeing with the Church doctrine.

To me, that says a lot about his character.

[cali]

9. what you said.

and his stance on LGBT people, although I disagree with him strongly about marriage equality, is one that furthers tolerance.

"Who am I to judge gay people?"

[Aerows]

10. It's character to me

He focuses on helping people far more than he focuses on condemning people. That seems like a small thing, but consider what happened under Benedict. He was a staunch authoritarian that complained about nuns helping people, covered for pedophiles to protect the wealth and standing of the Church, and said little to nothing about the poor.

The diatribe that he went on about the Sisters helping the poor was a disgraceful moment.

This Pope doesn't agree with me on everything. But this Pope agrees with me on the idea of service, care and dedication to kindness. He isn't using the office to make himself a haughty ruler, he's using the office to be an ambassador of goodwill, kindness and service to the community. I'm not a hater of him, because he's not a hater of me, either, lesbian that I am.

[NYC Liberal]

26. He doesn't "judge" gay people because he believes

they suffer from a genetic disorder and so they can't help it. They are not allowed to live as themselves lest they commit a grave sin. This is what he believes.

[JaneyVee]

12. It's nice that the world finally has a Pope who is living in the 20th century...

Now if the world can only get one that's finally living in the 21st.

[Lobo27]

13. I hope he has food testers...

[DefenseLawyer]

16. Thou shalt not travel in small planes

Be careful out there, Pope.

[SidDithers]

18. Pope Photo-Op strikes again!!...nt

Sid

[Aerows]

20. Are you against fracking

or are you for it? Serious question.

[hrmjustin]

25. Well I am glad he did it.

[Uncle Joe]

19. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, G_j.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

23. Guess he's pissed off Sarah Palin even more with this stance.

Not that any of us care what Sarah Palin thinks unless we're feeling Schadenfreude.

[Katashi_itto]

24. K&R

[gopiscrap]

27. Excellent