Pope Francis Demands Catholics Reject the Death Penalty as 'Inadmissible' In Every Form

[apnu]

12. But you are being an asshole

You're doing the atheist thing that makes atheists all look like dicks.

Because you're so outside the Catholic world you see it as a giant monolith, when its actually a carnival of colors and beliefs, some subtle some not so much. You also appear to be applying American ideas of liberalism and conservationism to an international organization.

Ratzinger was by all Catholic standards I know of, hard-core right wing. And yes he was John Paul II's chief spook who swept priest abuses under the rug. John Paul II said a lot of nice things but did little. Pope Francis is actually doing what he's saying. John Paul II was just talk, 30 odd years of talk.

His homeless shelter in Rome is just one thing. He's got significant issues with poverty, in 3rd world countries and that's a major issue of his that goes way beyond John Paul II.

But you seem to be ignoring the point I was trying to make that the guy is steering a Church that's the size of the Titanic with half the rudder. No matter what Pope Francis does he's not going to turn the whole Church around in his life time. Its too big and complicated and too resistant to change to suddenly snap in another direction all because a progressive Pope is leading it. His struggles are the same as Obama's. And his results will be about the same. Some progress in the end, a whole lot of pissed off people (especially conservatives who chafe at change and progressives frustrated that change didn't happen fast enough).

But my main take away with Francis, as an atheist, is he appears to be actually living what he preaches. I think religion is bunk, don't get me wrong on that. But to see a Christian actually behaving like a Christian, at least one following his God's actual message in the New Testement? That's a breath of fresh air.

So take a shit on him if you want, that's your right to do so, but know you're taking a shit on a guy trying to turn the boat around. Maybe give him a little human respect. And if you respect education and science at all, know that he's a Jesuit, so he comes from the science minded side of the Catholic Church and isn't stupid.

The guy even went to bat for us atheists, which he didn't have to do and I don't recall John Paul II doing either.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-atheists/pope-suggests-better-to-be-atheist-than-hypocritical-catholic-idUSKBN1621I3