I can't imagine being on the side of any of those three about anything.

That is I don't believe in an all powerful entity, but I'm willing to listen if She talks to me directly, right after a clean MRI anyway.
That being said there is no question that Pope Leo is the one with the ethically and morally correct stance.
Moses Johnson, a Baptist "bible-thumper", should open that thing he's thumping. No where in it is praise for war-mongers. He's said something about a 'war doctrine', without stating what he means. The Catholics have defined a 'just war', with a list of specific conditions to start one, and actions that can be taken in one. None of them are met in this war of Trump's choosing. The Catholic Church believes the Pope is infallible when pronouncing doctrine and Trump's error is believing he can successfully criticize the Pope without political cost, but why interrupt him when he's doing it?

(I use "he" quite on purpose. Quite aware that there are some she-devils out there.)

... that 93 years ago, the Catholic hierarchy still had its bloomers in a bunch over "Give us Barrabas!"

where he was allowed to use the shrine of St. John Paul II for a photo op, but that was the work of the Knights of Columbus. Many of my fellow Catholics have discarded everything else and cozied up to the regime over abortion.

... Opus Dei? Those boys went over the high side and into the rhubarb a LONG time ago!

Many of them are quite wealthy and give loads of $$$$ to the church.

I mean, they got lots of gold stuff all over the place.

Pope Leo has asked Gareth Gore (investigative reporter who wrote Opus, about OD) to meet with him, and last year he began replacing some of the hard-liners in the American Roman Catholic Church leadership. Many of the replacements have been the sort of people Rethugs are locking up in ICE camps.

More in this thread:
https://democraticunderground.com/100221175179

I was a Knight prior to 2020 but not since. This was encouraging to read.

has NEVER encouraged or paid for an abortion?

"the pope always has the high ground on moral issues" is a bit of a stretch if you're pro-choice and pro-gay marriage.

Hard to determine my 'favorite' out of this list, although Pope Stephen VI was a fun read. (:45)

... a man so twisted and vengeful that he put his predecessor on trial, cut off the three fingers he used for blessing, and then threw him into the Tiber river. But here’s the real kicker… his predecessor had been dead the whole time.

In what has to be the craziest act of a despot in history, Stephen had Pope Formosus dug up seven months after he had been buried, dressed in papal clothes, sat on the throne, and put through a trial. Formosus was accused of perjury and gaining the papacy illegally.

It's hard to call the Catholic Church as moral leaders given the long history of them failing in that regard.

Maybe not so much.

with a a half Protestant/half Catholic family. I'm with the Pope all the way on this. Trump is so obviously completely batshit that it's getting scary.

I don't have to be a believer to see that Pope Bob is not going to be bullied by Trump. That puts him head and shoulders above millions.

I like a good scrap.

enabled a Pope of similar sentiments (Leo) IMHO. I had hope based the papal name relating to Francis of Assisi (and that he was the first Pope from the New World) that the Vatican would veer away from the conservative bent of its European predecessors (John-Paul and Benedict). The selection of an American was probably strategic given how American politics has drifted over the last decade. And this Pope's name, Leo, harkens a strong determined person, but who still seems to firmly champion the poor and powerless. It wasn't a surprise to me how many Republican politicians have done a 180 degree turnfrom supporting the previously conservative Popes, who had aligned with their "pro life" message.

In the end, all the Republicans care about is having and exercising power. Their religious convictions, if you actually consider that they have any, only serve these purposes, Gospel be damned.

supported the struggling Catholic immigrants during the 1890s through the early 20th century. You could say he was a social justice Pope.

N/T

I might just convert to Catholicism!

back at ya.

I stand with the Pope! And while I obviously don’t believe in papal infallibility, every faithful Catholic is supposed to believe the pope is never wrong. Has no one in the media asked JD about that? Also, whatever happened to Thou shalt have no other gods before me?

My very Catholic, pro -Trump cousin posted the infamous Trump-as-Jesus image on her FB page, only it depicted the actual Jesus and the guy lying in bed with his eyes closed was Trump. I asked her, “Does this mean he’s dead? Good! “

She did not take it well.

They’re so deep in the cult they’ve lost all critical thinking and all their religious instruction goes straight out the window too.

That is very rare however.

Wow! I can't believe I said that, but this Pope is different.

I probably understand their religion better than they do.

about humanity

That’s enough for me.
.

and will never side with him. I can't forget his stands on everything else which doesn't make up for his feelings on Trump.

his church's stand on freedom of choice etc just because he has a disagreement with Trump. Its not enough to like him or his church.

... but I don't begrudge anyone their beliefs until they try to impose them on the rest of us, but especially on me. That has a tendency to bring my blood lust to a boil in a remarkably short time.
That said, I'm giving this round to Pope Bob on points. May his God give him the strength and the left hook to put this imposter down for the count.

Although I haven't really decided yet whether I'm an all-in atheist, or a Pagan. I've always had a problem with other people telling me what I should, or must, believe, since I was a kid.

I am tickled that this Pope is getting under trump's thin skin.

“If Hitler invaded hell, I would at least find something favourable to say about the devil in the House of Commons”.
Not forming an alliance, but recognizing who is the more evil one. I am an atheist, but I side with the pope.

as an atheist, i've had plenty of times to reflect that i'm a better christian than those so-called christians known as republicans.
in this case, the pope is echoing my values.

I strive towards a rational materialist view of the universe. That being said, there are a great many values/tenets/beliefs that are preached by any number of religions that I embrace as worthy and moral.

I don't have to believe that a divine being sent his son to earth to live as a human in order to accept some of the teachings attributed to Christ. I no longer believe in the notion of American Exceptionalism, but I still embrace the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence that all people are created equal and have the intrinsic right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

This current Pope espouses ideas that I agree with; Popes of the past have been horrible people. Many of the Founding Fathers were hypocrites who held their fellow human beings in bondage while waxing poetic about freedom. (And aren't we all still paying for that Original Sin.)

We are constantly failing and falling short of our lofty principles. And we are continually refining those principles and expanding upon them. I believe that redemption is a possibility; but I define it differently than many religions do.

If they truly believed, their actions would be must more benevolent. It’s all about deceiving easily led voters.

Peace ☮️

such as abortion and marriage rights for all.

Many flocks have drifted toward insane babbling, money worshiping, thou shalt kill, vote for pigs and some are finally coming to their senses.

Fuck Trump, Fuck Johnson, Fuck Vance, Fuck the GOP!

You've got three guesses where I stand.

But I still remember the Catholic Clergy right up to the Popes have been backers of the "pro life" movement. I see this as quibbling over the facade around the system over an actual move for productive change.

this pope.

I'll never return to the church or follow any other religion, but I have to applaud a religious leader standing up for essential Christian teachings that too many self-professed Christians - like the three you named - apparently never understood.

And I'd side with peace, compassion, fairness, kindness, love, inclusion, forgiv....eh, any time.

But the dogma, coverups, greed, judgment, hypocrisy, and silence time and time again from many religious leaders is why I lost faith in organized religion.

Ultimately, the President's behavior is unbecoming, devisive, immature, and disrespectful to both Christians and Muslims.

I do believe (sic) that the Pope means well where trump and his minions do not.

Complete surprise!

Which are you, Mike?

Bit of this and a bit of that, from what I see.

Mike, a hint: God isn't on your side.

💯👍

Decency, courtesy and The Golden Rule.
That is never chump!

I have trouble accepting a higher being. Although I don't take Jesus or anyone else as my savior, I have always considered Jesus a great philosopher.

I am a devoted fan of Mathew 25 and the Sermon on the Mount.

When Mikey starts following the actual teachings of Jesus, especially the corporal works of mercy outlined in Matthew (feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, etc) maybe I’ll consider his opinion on matters religious. Until then he’s just another hypocrite.

The pope don’t need this atheist’s help.

His church is one of the richest organizations on the planet.

He’ll manage.

I'd side with almost anybody against that evil trio.

I'm a fairly ardent agnostic, although I'm really partial to Asherah and Atargatis.

Pope Leo and Pope Francis to me both embody what the Catholic Church could be, and the fact that Pope Leo is taking the fight to Trump is great, not only because I think he is forcing Trump to acknowledge he's lost the moral high ground (not that he ever had it) , but also because he is forcing a lot of Trump's Catholic supporters to really re-examine what they believe in.

I think there is a subsection of MAGAs that are Christian in name only, but that have gone all in for the antiChrist.

Jd is a cino (catholic in name only), T is definetly the anti christ, and who knows what the hell mj is. Not even sure they are human, and they are definitely not humane!

I am praying that Pope Leo excommunicates him.

But this would not be the first of my prayers to go unanswered.

..is my friend, even when they're batshit delusional.

Nor does allegiance to a president or pontiff.

It is a clear-cut case of who is right, and who is wrong.

Was raised Roman Catholic, confirmed, etc., but became agnostic in college. Siding with Pope Leo against draft-dodger Don is a no-brainer.

Because they don't give a shit. Of course, he probably already knows this.