Thursday, September 24, 2015

Pope Francis addresses Congress and Conservatives bang their heads on the wall in response.

Courtesy of the New York Times:  

Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of 1.2 billion Catholics, challenged Congress and by extension the mightiest nation in history on Thursday to break out of its cycle of polarization and paralysis to finally use its power to heal the “open wounds” of a planet torn by hatred, greed, poverty and pollution. 

Taking a rostrum never before occupied by the bishop of Rome, the pontiff issued a vigorous call to action on issues largely favored by liberals, including a powerful defense of immigration, an endorsement of environmental legislation, a blistering condemnation of the arms trade and a plea to abolish the death penalty. 

In particular, Francis beseeched a nation that generates a disproportionate share of the world’s wealth to not let money drive its decisions at the expense of humanity. “Politics is, instead, an expression of our compelling need to live as one, in order to build as one, the greatest common good,” he told a joint meeting of Congress in an address that cited American icons like Abraham Lincoln and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Of course the Pope did not simply blow kisses to the Conservatives, he also gave them a little something something:  

In his speech, Francis also defended religious liberty and the traditional family at a time when the United States has just legalized same-sex marriage and a Kentucky court clerk went to jail rather than issue marriage certificates violating her religious beliefs. He was less explicit in condemning abortion but called for a defense of life at “every stage of development.”

There you go that was some raw meat for the Religious Right and anti-abortion folks.

But dammit that is just not good enough for some people.

Fox News is calling him a false prophet:

Now, here comes Pope Francis to use moral relativism to take the Church in two dangerous directions. The first is an assault on the family, and the second is an assault on the free market -- two favorite political targets of the left.

Damn you can almost feel the butt hurt from here.

The folks at Breitbart felt the sting as well: 

For years now, Pope Francis’ more conservative defenders have stated that his words have been consistently misinterpreted by the media. There’s truth to that. But there was no way to misinterpret his speech today, delivered in plain English to an adoring left.

Ouch, you know you might want to put a little Desitin on that boys.

Part of their issue might be that Pope Francis included a shout out to Dorothy Day, the founder of the Catholic Worker Movement and a Christian Socialist, in his speech.

Which by the way caught the notice of somebody else.
This joins a previous Sander's tweet sure to piss off those on the Right.
Yeah that sting is not going away anytime soon.

And yes I realize that just yesterday I said I would stop talking about the Pope's visit, but seriously how could I NOT comment on this? 

66 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:21 PM

    Pope Francis said I will use a 12 year old girl's body to grow the fetus of a rapist by threatening eternal agony in hell and I will look every so holy while doing it. Or words to that effect.

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    1. Anonymous3:01 PM

      Quote him. Where did he say that?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous3:13 PM

      Sorry, 3:01pm. He said it. Deal with it.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous3:15 PM

      "called for a defense of life at “every stage of development.”"

      means forced birth of rapists' fetuses. Pope Francis is too delicate to be explicit, but he means exactly that.

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    4. Anonymous3:37 PM

      Not so much "delicate" as he is a master of doublespeak.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous3:42 PM

      No he doesn't. You're demonizing him, when he's working slowly but surely to change the very hierarchy of the church. Come back in five years and see what he's accomplished, rather than attacking him now for what he didn't say explicitly.

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    6. Anonymous3:43 PM

      No he doesn't. You're demonizing him, when he's working slowly but surely to change the very hierarchy of the church. Come back in five years and see what he's accomplished, rather than attacking him now for what he didn't say explicitly.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous3:44 PM

      Not to defend the pope, but I read somewhere the 12-year-old's mother did not take her raped daughter to a clinic until she was 5 months pregnant.

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    8. Anonymous3:50 PM

      No, he didn't say that. What a misleading allegation.

      Because he didn't overtly proclaim that he's pro-choice, it's crazy not to look at his whole message.

      Think about any public figure talking to the fat and happy conservatives AGAINST the death penalty.
      Once they start to focus on that end of life, they might take their minds off the beginnings of life.
      Which, in the Bible, is when the "first breath" begins.

      This guy is no pawn of anyone, and will continue to relentlessly, if slowly, change the very nature of the Establishment.

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    9. Anonymous4:00 PM

      This Pope is not doing and will not do anything to change the status of women and their reproductive rights in the Catholic Church, or the status of LGTB people. All he is doing is sugarcoating a little bit the same discrimination that his predecessors presided over. Anyone who thinks otherwise is only reading the headlines and looking at the pictures, not reading the details.

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    10. Anonymous4:02 PM

      @anon 3:44pm

      So? And it was a 10 yr old girl that had almost no chance of survival with the pregnancy, she was only allowed a C-section because the world was watching.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous4:23 PM

      Pope Francis met with a group of nuns who legally challenged the ACA contraception requirement. He may not have elaborated on his anti-abortion/anti-contraception views in his address to Congress, but that's where he stands.

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    12. Anonymous4:46 PM

      Anon 3:50---When this Pope was elected, one of the bishops who had worked with him said "They don't know what they got themselves into. This guy is without fear."

      He is dealing with an institution that is 2,000 years old. In Catholic Church time, he's moving at warp speed.

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    13. Anonymous4:51 PM

      Pope Francis isn't selective about which pre-teen girls should be forced to grow a baby for him. And the world has a ready supply of raped girls.

      Delete
    14. Anonymous5:56 PM

      3:50, the age of the Catholic Church is irrelevant. The Pope can change its teachings on anything he wants. He's the Pope. In matters of church dogma, he is infallible. He could say tomorrow that the Church will no longer forbid contraception and abortion. That's how easy it would be. He doesn't answer to another soul on earth. It's all up to him.

      But if you read what he actually SAYS, and has been saying, he totally and unequivocally supports the Catholic Church ban on contraception, abortion, gay marriage, etc., and has absolutely NO intention of changing them.

      It's really disconcerting how the fact that Pope sounds exactly like a Catholic when it comes to discussion the poor, the environment, the death penalty -- because succoring the poor, taking care of the environment, and being anti-death penalty are all long-time Catholic positions, not new since Pope Francis -- gives some people the impression that he's not equally Catholic when it comes to other issues, i.e. birth control, abortion, gay marriage, etc., which the Church is against.

      But he is simply being consistent. The Church is progressive on some issues, terribly regressive on others. It's a mixed bag. This Pope is not going to change that. He's made that very clear.

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    15. Anonymous6:09 PM

      Exactly, 4:02 and 5:56! I actually find it offensive that the Pope has deigned to "forgive" women who have had abortions. Who is to say those women need "forgiving" and if so, who is he really to do it?

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    16. Anonymous7:09 PM

      The abortion forgiving is just a one year deal. I think the rule is that a woman is automatically excommunicated for getting an abortion. If she's contrite, the church will rescind that but it is usually just the higher mucky-mucks that can do that. Pope Francis just said it will be ok for a mere priest just for this one holy year.

      -------
      Pope Francis announced that during the church's upcoming holy year, he will allow all priests to forgive women who have had abortions.
      ....
      Reuters reports that in the Catholic church, abortion is a grave sin that calls for excommunication. In the past, it was only senior church officials who could offer forgiveness.

      http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/09/01/436554760/during-holy-year-pope-will-let-priests-forgive-women-who-had-abortions

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    17. Anonymous8:56 PM

      And yet, he wants to canonize an American woman who had an abortion - Dorothy Day. Go figure.

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    18. She was five months pregnant by the time her Mother brought her to the hospital for an abortion. I'm pro-choice but even I object to that. The Mother waited too long. I also think the Mother knew her daughter was being raped and turned a blind eye until her daughter was too far along to explain away to the neighbors.

      The fault lies with the Father for raping her and the Mother for allowing it and then failing to do anything about it for too long.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous2:24 PM

    Francis talked about equality as head of an organization that excludes every woman from positions of power. Chutzpah to the max.

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    1. Anonymous2:39 PM

      So true @2:24. I'm not impressed with this Pope. And what the he'll was Boehner crying about? Crying, really?

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  3. Anonymous2:29 PM

    Climate change repair can not overcome exponential population growth. Fixing climate isn't going to do diddly squat if women can not limit their fertility. Francis didn't say how god is going to handle that.

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    1. Anonymous3:15 PM

      You are correct. I'm talking to you Duggars!

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    2. Anonymous3:41 PM

      He addressed that indirectly last year that families do not have to be enormous. He's working a long game here.

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    3. hauksdottir3:53 PM

      And guess which family is getting back on TV?

      The not-Learning-from-their-mistakes Channel is planning to air 3 episodes featuring Jill (about to pop out a baby--whoop-de-doo) and Jessa (supposedly preaching to Catholics while sometimes vacationing in San Salvador).

      I wonder if they'll include their grifting-for-donuts excursion? Emulating the Swag Hag herself, a bunch of Duggars went to the donut shop sort-of-dressed as pirates and left with FOURTEEN DOZEN chocolate covered donuts. Sarah may have swept traysful of stuff into her swag bag... but {{{ FOURTEEN DOZEN }}} donuts?

      I'm quite positive that all those kids on a manic sugar high will be a blast to film!

      TLC thinks it can restore the luster and the cash flow, but it isn't going to happen. Too many people have blinked and realized that they were suckers supporting a clan of greedy grifters and hypocrites.

      I hope this charade all rolls back on TLC and their advertisers leave. Who wants to be associated with incestuous pedophiles and their enablers?

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    4. Anonymous4:44 PM

      Obviously TLC, hauks. They sure as hell aren't the channel they started out to be.

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    5. Anonymous6:13 PM

      I think it would be funny as hell if Jessa miscarried that brat she's carrying. There, I said it!

      Delete
  4. Anonymous2:29 PM

    Guarantee that, within 24 hours of Pope Framcis leaving the country, cry baby Boehner.is back to his same old crap!

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  5. Anonymous2:36 PM

    "...challenged Congress and by extension the mightiest nation in history on Thursday to break out of its cycle of polarization and paralysis..."

    Even Pope Francis must realize this Congress can't even keep the government open.

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  6. Anonymous2:46 PM

    While I condemn his lack of respect for women and their ability to decide for themselves what to do with their bodies, I am grateful for his stance on social justice. For me, his blindness regarding women, does not negate his strength in social justice. I am willing to applaud his stands that I also support.

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    1. Anonymous3:10 PM

      Agreed, BUT this is what I've run into in the Lutheran church (rebel catholics). My husband, of 32 years, whose medical problems started ten years ago and have worsened, now a medical marijuana grow in the basement to keep him out of pain. "I" get to go to work and have full responsibility for bills, keeping this going, and I am tired. TIRED.

      I used to go tyo church regularly, it was always about "hoy's hubby?" NEVER about me or how I was trying to hang in and, quite frankly, I'm sick and damned tired of it. I live my faith the best I can, and I'm sick to death of the religion stuff and one Kim Davis. SHOVE it, lady, and the same with the absolute fraudulence that are the Heath/Palins.

      Rant over.

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    2. Until they excise Paul from the bible women will never have equality. It's why those books were included in the first place.

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    3. Anonymous3:40 PM

      The Pope is going slowly but carefully.

      He included a woman, Dorothy Day, (look her up!) as one of the four individuals he quoted in the speech.

      A year or so from now, he'll work on more inclusiveness for women in the church. He can't achieve a revolution overnight, and he's working against vested interests in the church.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous6:20 PM

      What about social justice for women? Do you not consider giving women reproductive autonomy social justice?

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    5. Anonymous8:57 PM

      Not only that, but Dorothy Day had an abortion.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous2:54 PM

    Hey Francis, get back to us when your church stops forbidding women from getting life-saving abortions, using contraception, and celebrating Mass. Until then your words ring very, very hollow to me.

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    1. Anonymous4:29 PM

      But, but, but, you are supposed to be all enthusiastic about the little rotund guy because he is trying so very, very hard to turn the Catholic church around. What is wrong with you making all these outrageous demands? You are demonizing him. You are bad, bad, bad. He is good, courageous, holy, wonderful, excellent...

      sorry, snark attack... will go eat cookies to repent.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous4:59 PM

      From wikipedia

      "However, the church does recognize as morally legitimate certain acts which indirectly result in the death of the fetus".

      I wish you people would stop saying that the Catholic church lets mothers die. You're not helping.

      What happened in Ireland recently happened because of the government, not the church.

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    3. Anonymous6:22 PM

      The Catholic Church DOES LET MOTHERS DIE! YOU are not helping by denying it!

      Delete
  8. Anonymous3:07 PM

    Wasn't Sally Heath a non-practicing Catholic before she was knocked up by the creepy grandpap of Heath/Palin infamy?

    ot
    Bristol Palin Likens Anna Duggar to Hillary Clinton in Latest Online Rampage
    http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2015/09/bristol-palin-likens-anna-duggar-to-hillary-clinton-in-latest-on/

    Bristol Palin is back
    http://images.thehollywoodgossip.com/iu/s--A-yUuDCa--/t_xlarge_l/f_auto,fl_lossy,q_75/v1442951333/bristol-palin-goofs-off.jpg

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    1. Anonymous4:55 PM

      Sally Heath was a practicing Catholic and her babies (Sarah included) were baptized into the faith.

      Sally went nutso later in life.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous5:03 PM

      Who is the father of Bristol Palin's latest fetus?

      Maybe Pope Frank can ask God, eh?

      Delete
  9. Anonymous3:27 PM

    Love Pope Francis for having stated to the United States Congress that he and President Obama have so many beliefs in common. How come the media isn't covering that?

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    1. Anonymous3:47 PM

      The TV news media has sold out to the Cock Bros and their kind.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous3:35 PM

    Pope Francis is still denying compensation for the survivors of the Church's laundries in Ireland. (We don't know how many similar outfits were operated by the church around the world.)

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magdalene_laundries_in_Ireland

    A formal state apology was issued in 2013, and a £50 million compensation scheme for survivors was set up, to which the Catholic Church has refused to contribute.

    Though Ireland's last Magdalen asylum imprisoned women until 1996, there are no records to account for "almost a full century" of women who now "constitute the nation's disappeared"...

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  11. Anonymous3:41 PM

    If they believe that the Pope is God's supreme Representative on earth,chosen by God to speak for them,how can they disagree?

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    1. Anonymous3:49 PM

      They can't logically disagree -- but the GOP now being a cult party, they are a law unto themselves.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous3:47 PM

    Quoting Lincoln, MKL, and then Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton: you have to be blind not to see how he's moving the church, slowly.
    No wonder the wing nuts are abdicating any connection to this Pope, who's supposed to be the leader of their faith, but who's suddenly preaching the truths of the New Testament.
    He's Pope. He's going to be around for a while, and his words and deeds are moving a battle ship, slowly, toward a different type of Roman Catholicism.

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    1. Anonymous4:51 PM

      It's only been about 40 years since the American Catholic church moved away from what Pope Francis is talking about now. It will be more than 40 to move them back where they came from, a more charitable institution than now. If they move at all...

      Delete
  13. Anonymous3:50 PM

    This is the beginning of facing their Karma for bad behavior the last eight yrs. GOP has gone out of its way to represent the very worst in mankind. The Pope called them on it today. Now,he's the antichrist??

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  14. Anonymous4:10 PM

    This is the beginning of facing their Karma for bad behavior the last eight yrs. GOP has gone out of its way to represent the very worst in mankind. The Pope called them on it today. Now,he's the antichrist??

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  15. Dinty4:11 PM

    The man spews 14th century dogma and it's still to progressive for the idiots in the GOP

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    1. Anonymous4:34 PM

      Naw. No more than 5th century.

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    2. Anonymous8:31 PM

      If he'd just mention self flagellation and give a little love for the Spanish Inquisition's "enhanced interrogation techniques" more often he'd do much better with the far right.

      Delete
  16. Anonymous4:22 PM

    Poor little Catholic church so mired in its battle ship, that mentioning a woman in a speech constitutes progress.

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    1. He's no friend to women, he's no friend to LGBT persons. He's still just the head of another patriarchal power structure that doesn't want change. Butthurt or not, right wingers can console themselves he's one of them regardless, figurehead of an organization where power belongs only in the hands of white straight males.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous4:53 PM

      dvlaries,

      very true. although it must be mentioned that some of them are a little non-straight males

      Delete
    3. Anonymous5:25 PM

      Any religion teaches "love your neighbor as yourself" first and foremost. Heck, even decent atheists can go for that one....

      Delete
  17. Anonymous4:25 PM

    He also mentioned trickle down economics and what a blight it was. There's your Saint Reagan. $arah, and like-minded! Need we remind you of what a blight he was on this country?

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  18. Anonymous5:50 PM

    To all the anti poper's out there, give the poping guy a chance. I took my dog out for a poop and when I get back the pope is still poping away. He's only been poping for a couple of poping years. He's a little pooped right now from all that political potpouri, but he's still my favourite pope.
    The Popest With The Mostest.

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  19. Anonymous8:07 PM

    I loved what the Pope said about abolishing the death penalty.

    Somebody needs to make sure that gets back to disgusting governor here in Nebraska (Pete Ricketts). Our legislature outlawed the death penalty and when Ricketts tried to veto it, they override his veto.

    Ricketts threw a tantrum and threw $200,000 of daddy's money in a petition drive to bring back the death penalty. Then he tried to illegally procure execution drugs from India and was denied.

    The man is scum. Palin tries to pretend she got him elected because she supported. But this is crazy ass right wing Nebraska. There was no way the republican candidate wasn't going to win. He could've appeared on stage hand in hand with Charles Mansin and the idiots in this state would still vote for him.

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  20. Anonymous8:26 PM

    The poping guy has a lot of poops to deal with when he's poping.

    http://www.rawstory.com/2015/09/this-catholic-anti-abortion-organization-wants-you-to-suffer-and-actually-says-so/

    "ALL promotes a passive, “let go and let God” approach to the dying process as well as family planning, so with death with dignity approved by the California legislature (and validated across Canada by a Supreme Court ruling), the group is fighting back—by touting the benefits of suffering. “Suffering is a grace-filled opportunity to participate in the passion of Jesus Christ. Euthanasia selfishly steals that opportunity.” So proclaims an ALL meme making its way across the internet."

    Actually, calling these people poops is too nice.

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  21. Anonymous1:49 AM

    Baby steps is what it will take to change the Catholic church. It was great watching Frances shame congress and call them on the dirty tricks they've tried to pull on Americans. Wolves in sheeps clothing. Just think of all those Mexican Catholic voters. Trump was Booed in New York today.

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  22. Anonymous2:51 AM

    If the pope or his church really and truly wanted to make a difference with respect to poverty and a whole range of related issues, they'd support birth control. Until they do that all I hear is a bunch of old men telling women what's right to do with their bodies - just like the Republicans of the US. And as for sharing the wealth ..... well, those who live in golden palaces should not throw stones.

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  23. Chenagrrl5:51 AM

    Keep in mind that this group thought Bibi Netanyahu had something to say! Oh, and the same group that thought it was OK for Bibi to campaign for Mitt!

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  24. The safest way and both women do abortion herself until the age of 12 weeks of pregnancy is by taking two medications: Mifepristone

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