Current Events
Rush Limbaugh called the pope a Marxist. Sarah Palin called him “too liberal.” Now, FoxNews.com editor and columnist Adam Shaw has called the pope what every good right wing Republican considers a dirty word — he called him the Catholic Church’s Obama!
Basically, the new pope has been pissing a lot of people off — not because he has been going against the teachings of Christ, but because he has been forcing those who have strayed into their own biased beliefs back to the correct and original road…and they don’t like it.
In an article from October, 2013, Pope Francis said:
“In ideologies there is not Jesus: in his tenderness, his love, his meekness. And ideologies are rigid, always. Of every sign: rigid. And when a Christian becomes a disciple of the ideology, he has lost the faith: he is no longer a disciple of Jesus, he is a disciple of this attitude of thought… For this reason Jesus said to them: ‘You have taken away the key of knowledge.’ The knowledge of Jesus is transformed into an ideological and also moralistic knowledge, because these close the door with many requirements. The faith becomes ideology and ideology frightens, ideology chases away the people, distances, distances the people and distances of the Church of the people. But it is a serious illness, this of ideological Christians. It is an illness, but it is not new, eh?”
In response to Pope Francis’ take on Christianity (which directly clashes with right wing conservatives), Shaw spoke very negatively about the new pontiff:
“Just like President Obama loved apologizing for America, Pope Francis likes to apologize for the Catholic Church.”
“Just like Obama thought he’d won over Putin by promising a reset, Francis thinks by talking vacuously about the poor, he will be respected.”
“Like Obama, Francis is unable to see the problems that are really endangering his people.”
“Like Obama he mistakes the faithful for the enemy, the enemy for his friend, condescension for respect, socialism for justice and capitalism for tyranny.”
“In trying to please the media and the modern world, Francis mistakes their glee for respect.”
Ouch!
Current Events
As “supposed” Christians, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin and others have frequently used Christianity as a means to try and bolster their ultra-conservative positions and beliefs. However, as the leader of the largest Christian faith on the planet, Pope Francis hasn’t been necessarily following the right wing rule book and has actually made some ultra-conservative positions and beliefs seem…well…wrong!
Conservatives are predominately prejudiced, anti-poor, anti-women, anti-gay, anti-education, anti-healthcare, anti-peace, anti-immigrant, and anti other religious beliefs that are not theirs. However, Pope Francis has proven to be none of those things — which is why conservatives hate him. He even believes in the odd concept of actually trying to help the poor. Well, Limbaugh, Palin, Shaw and others consider such a thought treason and blasphemy… by daring to do like Jesus and help the unfortunate. So for them, that is the last straw.
The nerve of Pope Francis. How dare he ignore conservatism and the right-wing exclusionism it demands. How dare he make the church more inclusive and open his arms rather than turn his back to gays and lesbians. How dare he emulate Christ. How dare he act like a true Christian!
@DJ – You've pretty much summed it up beautifully:
"The nerve of Pope Francis. How dare he ignore conservatism and the right-wing exclusionism it demands. How dare he make the church more inclusive and open his arms rather than turn his back to gays and lesbians. How dare he emulate Christ. How dare he act like a true Christian!"
I'm not Catholic. But I have to say …I'm liking much of what this Pope appears to be about.