Pope Francis drives a wedge between Catholic Church, GOP

[rug]

By Kevin Cirilli - 12/31/14 06:00 AM EST

Pope Francis is increasingly driving a wedge between conservatives and the Catholic Church.

The magnetic pope has sparked new enthusiasm around the world for the church and has flexed his political muscles internationally, most recently by helping to engineer a new relationship between the United States and Cuba.

But Francis’s agenda, which also includes calls to address income inequality and limit climate change, is putting him at odds with Republicans, including GOP Catholics in the United States.

Hours after President Obama announced moves to ease trade and travel restrictions to Cuba, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), a practicing Catholic and potential 2016 presidential candidate, criticized the deal and Francis's role in it.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/228289-pope-francis-splits-with-gop

00:35 video at link.

[rustbeltvoice]

1. It is dubious to call Rubio a Catholic.

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/11/15/is-marco-rubio-catholic-or-baptist-or-is-the-reformation-over/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/27/us/27beliefs.html?_r=0

He is a Southern Baptist, he had once been a Mormon.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/23/sen-marco-rubios-religious-journey-catholic-to-mormon-to-catholic-to-baptist-and-catholic/
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/exclusive-marco-rubios-mormon-roots#.selJ56kQK

Perhaps, he is just an opportunist that prides himself on being clever.

That's a small point. The big point is choice between two masters. God or Mammon? Catholic or Republican?

[rug]

2. He's had an interesting religious history but I'll take him at his word.

If he is in fact a Catholic, at least he can avail himself of Confession.

Either way, he's still an an ass.

[meow2u3]

3. This article reads like a RW whinefest at His Holiness

RWNJs can't stand it because they think they have a monopoly on the Catholic faith, and thus, a divine right to dictate doctrine. Their false sense of entitlement is being upended because the Pope is actually following the teachings of Christ instead of sitting around acting like a king lording it over everybody else.

In short, Pope Francis' example is exposing right-wing cafeteria Catholics as the smug, self-righteous hypocrites they are.