Everyone has not only the liberty, but also the obligation, “to say what he thinks to help the common good,” Francis said. However, they should not do so if it offends people. And if someone does get offended? The Pope made reference to Alberto Gasbarri, a man who organizes papal trips and was then standing next to him on the plane. “If Dr. Gasbarri, a great friend, says a swear word against my mother, then a punch awaits him,” Francis said. “It’s normal, it’s normal. One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people’s faith, one cannot make fun of faith.”
The whole institution "pope" is ridiculous. Doesn't rule out that they could individually be good, impressive people (like John Paul II), but this pope is a dud.
The institution of the Pope is intimately associated with Christianity since the start. There are 1.4 billion Catholics globally who view the Pope as the Vicar of Christ. This Pope is as papal as any of them in history. Pope's don't have approval ratings and they certainly don't care what you or I think.
John Paul II, address to a group of Christians, Jews and Muslims, February 26, 1986 “Both the Bible and the Qur’an teach that mercy and justice are two attributes most characteristic of God. He, ‘the Just One,’ ‘the Merciful, the Compassionate,’ can bring about these same qualities in mankind, if only we open our hearts to allow him to do so. He wants us to be merciful toward each other. Along this path there are new solutions to be found to the political, racial and confessional conflicts which have plagued the human family throughout history. “You come from a city that has so much meaning for all of us: Jews, Christians and Muslims. Jerusalem, the city of David, the place of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the site of Muhammad’s night journey to God: this city must be a living symbol that God’s will for us is to live in peace and mutual respect! “I wish to encourage you in your efforts. In today’s world, it is more important than ever that people of faith place at the service of humanity their religious conviction, founded on the daily practice of listening to God’s message and encountering him in prayerful worship. My prayers and hopes are with you as you pursue your reflection on the God of mercy and justice, the God of peace and reconciliation!”
I think he was a good man. The part you are quoting is a message of tolerance, peace and love, nothing there to disagree with. Unfortunately, the reality of what an ideology really stands for shows itself in the actions of its followers.
This is all true. I was raised Catholic (am agnostic now), but I still think the whole "infallible pope" thing makes no sense. Again, doesn't mean the individual can't be a good person.
You should go back to the Catholic Church. I don't proclaim Christianity is a religion of peace either. Christianity has been used to justify mass enslavement and genocides. But that does not mean it's evil either. And I would never think it appropriate to disparage Jesus, his Mother, or the Bible itself, even if I do not recognize him as a deity. Nor am I going to use the acts of murder committed by self-proclaimed Christians to say all Christians are bad.
There is no place for a truly pacifist religion as humanity is defined by conflict at every level of existence. Without violence, there is no society. Religions and governments exist to regulate this violence so that we are not perpetually engaged in it but we are still able to use it to enforce a set of rules.
Of course, my worldview is not arrested by the belief in total depravity like the Calvinists/Presbyterians. So if you believe if total depravity, everything I say is false and can never be true.
As I said, I'm good, thanks. My soul is fine. I am aligned with a lot of Judeo-Christian values, but don't need fairy tales or organized church stuff.
Or if you really want to be ahead of the curve convert to Hinduism since the Indians are on a demographic track to be the chosen people of the 21st century:
