You can post all the public relations crap out of his outfit that you wish, but he remains an unrepentant bigot and purveyor of ignorance and hate for one's neighbors. His organization is helping sponsor pogroms in Uganda.
But congratulations on your faith. It has all the appeal of a cannibal's supper to me.

we all know how you feel - you are not the leader of that religion- you want things to change on your timeline go run for the fucking position - youre one of those people who if the pope cured cancer it still wouldnt be enough cause he didnt check with you about which world prioblem YOU want him to clear up

..you know...small things like that....

He sounds like a decent enough bloke, as long as you're not a woman, or gay, or someone that was raped by one of his employees...

...other than that he's a fucking saint...

someone posts something about the pope and out crawl the usual pope-bashers. you dont like the pope we get it - go become pope and then you can change the world overnite, apparently

"I'm dreadfully sorry, here are the names of all of the guilty parties, we're turning all of them, including their enablers (bishops etc) over to the authorities, and here, we're going to divest ourselves of all of our money and give it to the victims.."

That would be a bloody good start...

...he'd also have to sell off all of the real estate as well, donate the art to museums...and then lock the Vatican doors on his way out...

if they gave away everything there would be no money with which to help anyone - what a stupid idea -

...that is a GREAT idea...

There is no god, and regardless of whether a person believes there is or not, the catholic church, ESPECIALLY the catholic church, which I have intimate knowledge of, would have NOTHING to do with any god that loves all.

No organized religion that I know of, and there could be one I dont know of, does only good (they all do just enough to look good), they all are for profit machines that have little in common with Jesus or whatever god they follow

I feel sorry for catholics (I have been one myself since i was born) because the dogma and pomp and circumstance of the church is so dramatic that it is hard to divorce yourself from it.

My own mother who was liberal to the extreme, could not get herself to admit there was no god, while she railed against the church on every imaginable topic, she couldnt leave the church or admit there was no god, as she was smart enough to know.


and I respect your love of others, i can tell you have it, but i just cant handle the church

Smiley!

these creepy RCC assholes who don't think women and gays deserve equal rights?

Why are you trying to shut people up for expressing an opinion about these RCC fuckers who would love nothing better than to take away people's rights? Is DU supposed to be some PR service for this powerful and vile institution?

characters show up to shit him. btw what rights of the people is the pope trying to take away

and that gays shouldn't marry -- and it actively lobbies for this agenda right here in the USA. If he were the head of a political group with the same agenda, criticism of him wouldn't be an issue. Yet, because a supernatural element is tacked onto this power-hungry institution, we're supposed to back away slowly and nod along that, oh, yes, he's a wonderful man because he washed someone's feet and stopped for a disabled girl. What bullshit.

Religious post should be in the Creative Speculation, because that's ALL it is.

The church and its members actively work towards restricting those.

In fact, quite the opposite.

Elizabeth Warren.

... that spends millions of dollars in its campaigns to oppress LGBTs and women, he should be roundly criticized. Francis himself has continued to condemn gay marriage and families, reproductive choice, feminism, childless couples, etc, etc. No one has twisted his arm to do that yet he continues to speak out on those issues. Why should he be immune from scrutiny? Any other leader spouting those bigoted views would be soundly roasted here, as they should be.

Funny how when right-wing politicians here in the US are criticized every day, there's no one going around complaining that we're "hating". But when it's a right-winger who calls himself "pope", criticism is suddenly off-limits.

Also, change is not going slow; it is NOT HAPPENING because the pope SUPPORTS the current anti-gay, anti-women, anti-poor policies of the Church. Yes, anti-poor. Because economic opportunity is tied to equality, which Francis opposes.

Boo!

could you explain this to me?

allows them opportunities to improve their education and economic status, which allows them to improve the economic outcomes of all the children they raise as well.

This is combined with better access to education and general healthcare as well, of course.

VERY MUCH affects the rest of us - for example, OVERPOPULATION

It amazes me that you, who are so sensitive about what other people say, affect no understanding of why LGBT people and women criticize a man who calls us names.
All I know is this, if people talked about your group the way Francis talks about mine you'd have an utter meltdown. Think about it. You can't bear to hear the truth spoken but you demand that others accept being called an attack on God's plan. He calls fighting our rights 'God's war' and urges his followers to fight that war. No one says anything close to that violent imagery about your dear Francis, much less about an entire class of people, but you think we should just accept that trash talk. You accept not even valid criticism in your direction while demanding others accept hate speech and activism targeted at them. This does not strike me as being in accordance with that 'do unto others' teaching by that guy Francis replaced, Jesus H Christ. It seems more like a statement that you deserve respect others do not deserve. It's ok to bash me, but not to criticize the basher.
This is General Discussion which is a political forum. Religious subject matter is not allowed in GD and religious matter that is posted here should expect to be treated as political material.
But then again, I'm 'one of those people'. According to some internet name caller defending an anti choice and anti gay activist.

I offer this one...
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/john-arthur-pro-gay-marriage-activist-dies-48-article-1.1492793

This is a photo of a disabled man receiving true compassion and love. Too bad that even as he was dying, religious leaders such as Pope Francis were decrying gay marriage. Now that's hate.

Personally I think all Pope threads should be banished to the Religion forum.

Keep all of that mythical hysteria in one specific area...

... we're talking about a religious institution with global political influence. If it was just a matter of debating theology, I'd say yep, to the religious forum with any discussions about the Pope. Though how are we supposed to tiptoe around the fact that this same institution campaigns incessantly against LGBT and women's rights? I'm not talking just lip service here, but actual legislation, lobbying, scores of lawsuits, all to the tune of millions of dollars. Are we supposed to pretend this isn't happening?

The political ones, I agree, need to be discussed.

Perhaps that's the next step, I hope.

I assume they posted it as political content. I treat it like political content because of the context and the SOP. As political content, praising an anti gay and anti choice activist is a right wing position.
If people want to pretend their favorite bigot is Sacred, they should not drag him into the public square and ask those he attacks what we think.

very amusing. They are often quite lighthearted as they really enjoy making light of beatings, hate speech and death.

Sid

And the Pope doesn't know cameras are on him either.

Oh, good, more tripe about Pope Photo Op, the leader of the misogynistic, gay hating boys' club of child-raping plunderers.

He seems to have a lot of sympathy for the disabled

People don't seem capable of seeing how he might have more than one facet to his character - either he's a bigoted bastard or he's a saint. Posting them here just gets people riled up.

Bryant

One must assume you agree with him.

is like pulling teeth from a hippo. All I know is that he defends homophobia, that should be enough to get him banned, but he's still around, along with a few other of the Catholic brigade who have said questionable things about homosexuality and homosexuals in their zeal to defend their church.

Calling you on bullshit is not defending homophobia.

Go on, put up a link.

depravity" isn't bigoted. What the fuck am I supposed to think?

Instead you engaged in a semantics game about the word bigotry itself, I'm surprised you didn't use my linking to its definition as a defence, after all, it didn't mention sexual orientation, so therefore it is impossible to be bigoted against LGBT people.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1218&pid=134485

ON EDIT: Seriously, are the only people that are homophobic in your view those who use the word f*ggot?

Damned if I know, considering all I've ever seen you type out are predigested anti-religious talking points.

And if you think that link defends homophobia, you don't know what the word means, let alone what critical thinking is.

Keep scraping. I'm sure you'll come up with something. You couldn't possibly be posting bullshit out of thin air.

By the way, don't post that word again, with or without the asterisk.

Is calling homosexual acts a grave depravity homophobic? Yes or no.

Is saying that same sex marriage comes from the Father of Lies homophobic? Yes or no.

Is calling same sex parenting child abuse homophobic? Yes or no.

These are simple questions rug, why don't you answer them.

They are simple questions. But the issue of homophobia is not reduced to amateurish internet questions.

As to why I won't answer you, in particular, I neither like nor respect you enough.

what is the meaning of respect from someone who is an apologist for homophobia?

You're a piece of work.

for the sole purpose of deflecting criticism from his precious Pope. You are a piece of work yourself.

Do we debate the merits for allowing women access to contraception? No, and no, we came to a judgement that both are matters of civil rights, and aren't up for debate. I would think that, being a participant on this board, you would at least be willing to acknowledge such minimum standards, or prejudgements, as it were.

We do this for numerous other issues and politicans. Why should discussions about the Pope be any different?

So it's hands off! Don't pop the poor pope's protective bubble! You're a hater and a bigot because you dislike misogyny and homophobia...For shame!

Francis preaches that opposing our rights is 'God's war' and he urges his followers to fight that war. That's what they are doing.

Like people deliberately coming to GD to slap you in the face, then complaining because you tell them it hurts.

Francis told them it is war. God's war, no less, a disgusting image but his choice of words.

But I do agree that they are better posted elsewhere.

Bryant

you don't see LGBTers flooding the Catholics and Orthodox groups with posts attacking the Church, do you?

This is General Discussion.

Bryant

I don't agree with that assessment. I agree it shouldn't have been posted here.

And let's be honest - if it was a statement by Pope Francis about economics, the same criticisms of the post would be made.

Bryant

The fact of the matter is that OP, and other posters who post about the Pope in GD praising him are well aware he's a divisive figure, especially in the LGBT and Pro-Choice communities here.

They show profound ignorance of Catholic Doctrine, and seem to take quotes taken out of context and run with them to create this the big, great, Progressive Pope. The reality is, of course, much more complicated and less profound.

But I don't feel comfortable having it in GD - so I'll just say that we do agree that people who post threads about how great the pope are would better off posting them somewhere else.

Bryant

Perhaps it made her feel good, but it don't take a pope to make someone feel good.

I did something nice for someone once, but I sure as fuck won't talk about here. I'm not near quick enough to dodge all the boulders that would be hurled my way by all the perfect examples.

Mention the Pope or any Clinton and a firestorm of nastiness ensues. Damn, it must suck to always be so negative and bitter.

I like this Pope more than I have liked any other Pope that I can remember. Bless him and give hom a long life.

to just completely ignore the fact that the Pope heads up an institution promulgating the Dark Age social policies. These attempts to limit people's human rights feel personal to many of us -- it's not a bitterness for bitterness' sake. It's a bitterness born our of the reality of what the RCC has done and continues to do. When people defend the Pope it is tantamount to defending these misogynistic and homophobic policies. I'd think that someone who wants a female president wouldn't be so quick to defend a man whose institution has been about oppressing women for centuries. Would you do the same for people lavishing praise on, say, the head of Focus on the Family or a Republican Senator and then call those critics "negative" and "bitter"?

What a hateful post. Unreal.

Condemning gay marriage and gay families. Condemning reproductive choice and equality for women. Giving your blessing to an anti-gay hate march. Calling childless couples selfish. Oh yes, some of us are quite familiar with what hatefulness truly is. We have to fight its repercussions every day.

The man badmouths my family. He says I am inherently disordered, an instrument of Satan. He is also virulently opposed to women having access to birth control of any kind.
You know, if he or his followers were subjected to one tenth the hate speech he and his Bishops and Cardinal dish out each day toward LGBT people they'd all have coronaries.

Who asks for his rights to be denied? No one. Who calls his work 'an attack on God's plan'? No one. Who says Catholics should not be allowed to adopt? No one. But those things are all said about us by Francis and his lot. Do unto others.
Francis: 'Oh, poor me, when I call people names they object'.

Just FYI.

you can also use this thread as an opportunity to relieve yourself of your Hillary hate.

Any other items on your agenda you'd care to bring up?

Francis has given you a fine opportunity for you to let it all hang out.

I don't hate Hillary. I hate misogyny and homophobia. But, I guess you're having a lot of fun defending those policies and your medieval institution.

Oh well, I am sure it brought comfort if not any actual healing.

you would not find 75% of the comments being anti pope.

America, or some parts of it, and most everywhere else to some degree, has grown up, matured a great deal in the past 40 yrs or so.

Being raised a catholic, going to church all the time and catholic school for 12 yrs, I have seen a change in the church goers but not so much the church.

Regardless, there is no god, and the Catholic church is a huge crime syndicate the same way the Mormon church is, Scientology, etc.

not complicated

buy why didn't he cure her?

He showed compassion to an ailing woman. A little kindness is a good thing in this crazy world we live in.

but I don't see people posting stories of Putin kissing babies here, do I?

This either belongs in Religion, the Catholic and Orthodox group or the Catholic Answers forum, or pretty much anywhere else but here.

"Doughnuts Hit a Sweet Spot for Fathers at Billy Graham Library"

Well we know what would happen, don't we.

Both Conservatives and Progressives hate him so in my book he must be doing something right. And it seems that the complaint that progressives have is that he has not changed a 2000 year old organization to their liking in his 1st year of being Pope.

Well blacks are still not treated equal to whites so that Abraham Lincoln guy must have been a real asshole.

I could say a lot more but no doubt it would be deleted.

And I am sorry you feel he condemns your family. I have not read anywhere where he has condemned a family.

He DOES condemn my family and LGBT families all over the globe.

Unless you have something else to show me, I will go with his words.

But since you can't be bothered to read much more than a sound byte regarding his stance on LGBT issues, I'll give you but one link:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/113738641

Did the Pope join him?

If you really give a damn you can google for scores of DU threads on this issue. But I doubt you really care enough.

Instead you provide some sort of guilt by association. Guess what I doubt the Pope thinks I am going to heaven but I don't run around complaining because he doesn't recognize my faith.

I'm not here to be at the beck and call of some folks here who aren't really interested in Francis' stand on GLBT rights. If you're such a supporter, perhaps its YOUR responsibility to find out where he actually stands on the issues. I already know.

DU has a huge rot of homophobia and homophobia enablers.

He has called advocacy for same sex marriage as something straight from the father of lies, has called same sex parenting child abuse, and as attacks on the family.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/13/pope-francis-gay-marriage-anti_n_2869221.html?ir=gay-voices&utm_campaign=031313&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Alert-gay-voices&utm_content=FullStory

So go with his words.