A Holy Double Standard
[guest post by Dana]
Yesterday, Pope Francis made an observation about the border crisis facing the United States and Mexico. Referring to it as a “humanitarian crisis”, he made a not so subtle suggestion about Donald Trump’s faith with regard to his plan to build a wall between the countries:
“A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not the gospel,” the Pope told journalists who asked his opinion on Trump’s proposals to halt illegal immigration.
Trump shot back:
“No leader, especially a religious leader, should have the right to question another man’s religion or faith,” he said in statement. Trump added that the government in Mexico, where Francis spent the past five days, has “made many disparaging remarks about me to the Pope.”
“If and when the Vatican is attacked by ISIS, which as everyone knows is ISIS’s ultimate trophy, I can promise you that the Pope would have only wished and prayed that Donald Trump would have been president,” Trump said.
While anyone certainly has the right to question the religion of anyone, anywhere, the hypocrisy of the Pope isn’t difficult to point out:
The Vatican, like many ancient cities, is surrounded by massive walls. Those walls were built over a thousand years ago. Its immigration policy is incredibly strict: while 800 people live within Vatican City, just 450 or so are citizens. The security at Vatican City is second-to-none: the Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City State has 130 members, armed with guns. Virtually the only crime in Vatican City is pickpocketing in St. Peter’s Square. St. Peter’s Square is typically policed not by the Swiss Guard but by Italian police.
So how many Syrian asylum seekers do you think have found refuge within Vatican City?
Further, it’s telling that as Pope Francis interjected himself into American politics this week, he chose to attack an immigration policy that involves building a wall – this element being one with which the vast majority of Republicans agree – and didn’t once condemn the mass killing of unborn babies. Yet when one considers that when he spoke before Congress less than six months ago and didn’t take the opportunity to condemn abortion given the recent Planned Parenthood videos and instead focused on the environment, America’s political polarization and immigration, his overlooking the rampant death of innocents should come as no surprise.
–Dana
Hello.
Dana (86e864) — 2/19/2016 @ 7:09 amFor all the liberals cheering the Pope: what would you say if he pronounced, “Anyone who supports allowing abortion is not a true Christian?”
Bored Lawyer (998177) — 2/19/2016 @ 7:18 amAs a Catholic of 50 years I no longer follow the leaders of its Church. I am a Christian and choose to live the rest of my life with honesty. Even if the truth hurts those who live in denial of the truth. My relationship is with God, not Catholics that want to condemn and criticize as hypocrites. The Pope should be aware that he is preaching opposite of his practice.
jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/19/2016 @ 7:40 amAfter “Further:” you repeated the same paragraph.
Rev. Hoagie™® (f4eb27) — 2/19/2016 @ 7:42 amYou have to wonder why the cardinals selected a communist as pope. Maybe it is time to impeach him and select a new pope who does’t believe in global warming.
jim (a9b7c7) — 2/19/2016 @ 7:45 am2.For all the liberals cheering the Pope: what would you say if he pronounced, “Anyone who supports allowing abortion is not a true Christian?”
…………………………………….
The Pope has moved towards birth control and most likely towards embryonic termination. When you look around at the abuse and level of evil in society I wouldn’t blame him for these stances.
remember…. most woman only align themselves as democrats because they want to protect their right to choose a pregnancy, birth and responsibility of a child
jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/19/2016 @ 7:46 am4.After “Further:” you repeated the same paragraph.
Rev. Hoagie™®
really??? none of us would know this without your post…. Thank you!!!!
why can’t people learn to ignore the minutiae
jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/19/2016 @ 7:48 amI know my post was just as annoying as the Rev.’s
jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/19/2016 @ 7:51 amGood for Trump for answering the pope’s charges. If we did that more often, maybe we would not be the scapegoat of the world.
Let’s face it, Europe is obsessed with us. I looked at some foreign papers the other day and could read one word: Bernie. Now they are obsessed with “Bernie”!
Patricia (5fc097) — 2/19/2016 @ 7:54 amHoagie,
Thank you for pointing that out. I’m unable to fix it now, hopefully one of the other poster will be able to do it.
But with that, do you have a comment or any other observation about the subject of the post itself?
Dana (11b451) — 2/19/2016 @ 8:15 amGreetings:
I guess Francis hasn’t gotten to the “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s” part yet.
11B40 (6abb5c) — 2/19/2016 @ 8:19 amApparently there are no immigration laws, strictly enforced by the high walls of Vatican City.
What of the Pearly Gates described in Revelations? With Saint Peter checking the documents of all who would enter?
Happy is right. This pope sucks. They must have picked him off the street corner.
papertiger (c2d6da) — 2/19/2016 @ 8:30 amthe pope and food stamp – they’ve brought a strikingly similar sleazy dishonor to their respective offices
it’s the times i guess
happyfeet (831175) — 2/19/2016 @ 8:34 amCan you keep a secret? The Pope is not talking to you. He’s talking to his Latinos.
nk (9faaca) — 2/19/2016 @ 8:46 amTrump’s daily hypocrisy is about to give me a stroke…one side of his mouth says leaders aren’t to question another’s faith, while the other side wonders how many evangelicals actually come from Cuba.
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 8:48 amjrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/19/2016 @ 7:40 am
Just like Peter in the courtyard, “your speech betrays you.” The only difference is Peter really did know the Lord.
“The Pope has moved towards birth control and most likely towards embryonic termination.”
This is a transparent lie.
I have no idea how much of what is in discussion here is due to the media’s manipulation, but I ask all to remember that Gell-Mann amnesia seems to be in play. Even Steve 57, whom I hold in high esteem, has, on ocassion, had an entirely opposite interpretation of the same papal document we have both read. Fortunately, It is a great Catholic tradition to allow dissenting opinions and views in the Church, so no worries on that account.
When JP the Second was frequently preaching against abortion, the media was fully in persecution mode. The lines in world, even within the Catholic world were drawn according (unfortunately)to the media reports. Recall that Francis announced that Mercy would be the focus of his Papacy and that the faithful should rethink the approach on abortion that had caused such division within the Catholic Church, because the Pope has concern for all his sheep which includes everyone.
Once again, the media jumped on this to tell the world that what the media wanted the world to think; thatthis Pope was now one of them, and the dividing lines were again in force – but the polarity has changed.I have no anmesia where my faith is concerned. I have seen, time and again, both secular and religious media knowinlgy, maliciuosly mistranslate, change, and even create the words of Pope Francis.
This is nothing new, the Church is used to being beleagered on all sides.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 8:53 amWhen did judging another’s depth faith become taboo? I’m in a mixed marriage, my wife is a Baptist and I’m not. Not to worry, she has assured me that we are both going to He!!. It’s a great comfort knowing your eternal disposition.
Isn’t the Pope’s job description to judge our moral compliance and provide soul saving feedback?
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 8:56 amPieter makes an assertion, that Trump questions the Christian bonafides of Senators Cruz and Rubio.
You need to present your evidence, pieter.
papertiger (c2d6da) — 2/19/2016 @ 8:58 amunlike john paul, he misses that part of his mission, who was likely for open borders and not that keen on the arms race, the moral component of his mission,
narciso (732bc0) — 2/19/2016 @ 8:59 ampaper, hand to God not making it up…said it in one of his campaign stop ramblings. Google it yourself.
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:01 amfelipe
take that large stake of wood from your eye.
jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:10 am“Happy is right. This pope sucks. They must have picked him off the street corner.”
Considering the fact that Bishop Jorge was known to serve hot chocolate to prostitutes, in the cold night, on the street corner, you have no idea how right you are about that.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:17 amMr. nk here is a greece people make good story
i love their frozen chili so much – to make the chili spaghetti – we didn’t have in california and it reminds me of Chili John’s in Burbank
it was on sale at jewel’s so i stockered up
happyfeet (831175) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:19 amTo a Catholic it would “beam”, not steak. But do, keep embarrassing yourself.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:19 amno, nasciso, he is not missing that part of the mission, his actions are simply not being reported or noted. Recall His “AGW” Encyclical, where he took the sinner to task about abortion- tying it to their agenda? It seemed that only JVW and I noted it.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:25 amThank you, happyfeet. As it happens I have both cooked farfalle and chili (no beans) in the refrigerator. Might try a portion.
nk (9faaca) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:27 amare you just thick headed….. No, you have a wooden stake (not steak/meat) in your eye, as you sit from your device and point to the splinter of wood that you see in my eye….. There, does that analogy work enough for you…. and your beam….sheesh…
jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:27 amthe cheese is key too
happyfeet (831175) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:27 amThe Pope is open to using contraceptives in times of emergency, felipe. I think that’s what jrt was talking about.
DRJ (15874d) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:28 am16. I do agree that the media delights in misconstruing Francis’ intent, without having a care to understand his faith at all.
His delight in being relevant, however, is a temptation that has the upper hand.
DNF (755a85) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:28 amI agree, DNF, with both points.
DRJ (15874d) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:32 amHere is an evident application:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-18/tech-exec-outraged-having-see-homeless-riff-raff-warns-revolution
Another would be demanding our government quit farting around in the ME with the attention span of an infant. Inviting the people we’ve so callously maimed and abused to be our neighbors is cultural suicide.
DNF (755a85) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:32 amDoes the Pope pay a wage tax????? He needs to come down to earth with the rest of us as we watch as we are forced by socialist law to give to illegal aliens. This Pope allows his ego to make him think he is God.
Did I just hear that Scalia’s son is a Catholic priest?….I guess there is more liberalism there than one would know.
jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:35 amYou know what I’d like to see. For the Pope to get Mexico to rename Matamoros.
nk (9faaca) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:35 amAmamoros?
nk (9faaca) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:37 amjrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:27 am
Ah, ad hominum. Great for when one has run out of arguments.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:37 amI’m not arguing. I am stating my opinion. I form my own opinions…. Not that of the consensus of the herds that hang on a board. Not looking for a friend. Only post to state the truth as “I” see
jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:41 amBy the way, you are so easily baited – what was that you said about minutia?
come here, fishy fishy.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:42 amYou know what? I repent of my immature taunting of jrt. Please forgive me, jrt.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:45 amThere’s a reason I listened to Mark Levin for three minutes once and never again and it’s coming back to me now. Illegitimi non carborundum, felipe.
nk (9faaca) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:46 amhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/02/18/loser-pope-takes-on-donald-trump-suffers-massive-humiliation-slinks-off-to-vatican/
I posted this earlier but it fits better here. My favorite part is when John Boehner is crying behind the Pope….. Remember, John Boehner called Ted Cruz a jackass in public…. More reason to Love Cruz for President!
jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:48 ampaper, finally found the video which is a pain on a crappy kindle…
https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=8Xo78F_yKc4
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:54 amI don’t agree with that, jrt for Cruz. “Most” women do protect their right to choose a pregnancy, birth and responsibility of their child. Abortion allows them to screw indiscriminately and the only one to suffer had nothing to do with the act. Unless you are referring to rape by either roving bands of moslems or some other evil dogs abortion is no more than deadly birth control. Modern women are democrats because they have been conditioned to believe they can go to college for Medieval Dance and have someone else pay for it, then graduate with zero skills and get a job that pays well and at least as much as a man, then take off to deliver and raise their kids (but only for the first 4 years then they shove them off to government indoctrination centers), return to work ad demand they get full salary as if they never took 4 years off, leave whenever they want to take care of Junior without penalty, rise to the top of their field because of affirmative action, give speeches about how bad women are treated while earning 7 figures then retire, write a book, collect awards and see their kids at Winter Festival, Spring Festival and the usual Federal Prison visiting days. The Life of Julia is why women vote democrat. Since the democrats have been so successful at emasculating the American male they have replaced him with government. And no male can provide all the government can nor screw you as hard.
Rev. Hoagie™® (f4eb27) — 2/19/2016 @ 9:58 amNo.
Rev. Hoagie™® (f4eb27) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:06 amHoagie, absolutely concur. If other topics weren’t drowning out some of the cultural qualms of conservatives such as the five fold explosion of single mothers and the societal impact. Many women have given up on men and the family unit to marry the state.
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:08 amOh. Why do you say that? Is your reverend title mail order snark?
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:09 amThanks, nk, that means a great deal to me.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:10 amWhy on earth would it be annoying to be alerted to an error? Are you the type who would let a guy give a speech with a piece of spinach stuck in his teeth? Would you “ignore the minutiae”?
Rev. Hoagie™® (f4eb27) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:11 amTruly, if hoagie had not pointed it out, one of us would have.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:22 amPieter thanks. Saw it from the google.
“I am an evangelical. I’m a Christian. I’m a Presbyterian,” said Trump to an Iowa crowd. “We’re doing really well with the evangelicals. And by the way, and again, I do like Ted Cruz, but not a lot of evangelicals come out of Cuba, in all fairness. It’s true. Not a lot come out. But I like him nevertheless.”
That’s the gist. Don’t have time to process the info. I’ll be back.
papertiger (c2d6da) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:23 ampaper, no worries. I have terrible memory but was pretty sure he made that shot at the bonifides of his faith. For that matter, I like Trump in some instances…just wouldn’t vote for him.
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:28 amhttp://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-im-an-evangelical-cruz-is-cuban/article/2578224
narciso (732bc0) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:30 amjust to be fair,
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/427039/donald-trump-ben-carson-rant-offends-evangelicals
narciso (732bc0) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:31 amYou are right that it was this incident to which jrt was likely referring, but to reduce the nuance of the Pope’s position to the statement jrt made, is indeed, a transparent lie. Embryonic termination – when Francis clearly called it a crime in that same article? Thank you for doing us all the service of providing that link.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:39 amnarc, good article and wholly illuminating on so many levels. Funny how Trump turned righteously indignant after the Iowa results, shameless political expediency condemning another candidate without any reflection on his own behavior. Amazing what his supporters have willfully ignored.
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:41 am#54 was for DRJ, of course!
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:43 amthere is something about redemption that folks with ‘new york values’ miss, because they think it’s just about apologies, it’s about deeper concerns,
narciso (732bc0) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:44 amif this keeps up, however:
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/02/serbia-closes-border-to-macedonia-will-pope-call-them-un-christian/
narciso (732bc0) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:52 amfelipe,
I agree the Pope does protect life and, based solely on that article, it also seems his recent statement was similar to past Papal exceptions regarding contraceptives in times of emergency. I wasn’t aware there are exceptions. Were you?
DRJ (15874d) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:56 amHumility, grace, providence, redemption, forgiveness…I’m Episcopal, not CoE though, which makes me a pretty squishy Christian. The only redemption is that the tenants are universal with shared understanding. Not sure Trump got the 101 class on his supposed faith.
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 10:57 amwell henry tudor would have some comments as to what his institution has become, there are factions that adhere to the faith, and the remnant that does not,
narciso (732bc0) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:01 amspeaking of ignorant uneducated people like the pope this surprisered me:
i checked other data and yup this appears to be accurate
I’d have never guessed it was this low
happyfeet (831175) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:02 amhow is that possible, that’s not a majority, it’s a supermajority in a cohort,
narciso (732bc0) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:12 amfelipe… ever the even-keeled, well-mannered poster. You are a better gentleman than I, sir, and I tip my hat to you.
Colonel Haiku (820854) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:16 amYes, I was aware of the exceptions. But, like many other nuanced positions (on narrow situations)the Church holds, the media will distort that which they can to fit their agenda, and falsify that which they cannot.
The manner in which the matter was presented in that article was not lost on me. I don’t know if “burying the lead” is the correct metaphor, but I would say that the relevant sylogism was obfuscated so that the reader might not connect the dots, and thus, ruin the hidden purpose of either the writer or the editor. The fact that article finds itself on a Catholic page has little bearing on the truth.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:16 amFaction as in factionalism is the right word for many of these discussions but not as it relates to religion. As it it relates to putting good people down because (mostly) they are not Cruz or do not support Cruz. Like Jeb or Rubio or Sarah or Romney. Separate from the disdain for Trump.
nk (9faaca) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:18 amThank you, Colonel, but I protest that you do yourself an injustice. I flatter myself to consider you a peer.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:19 am48.8.I know my post was just as annoying as the Rev.’s
jrt for Cruz
Why on earth would it be annoying to be alerted to an error? Are you the type who would let a guy give a speech with a piece of spinach stuck in his teeth? Would you “ignore the minutiae”?
We can all see it…. No need to post about it…. was my point…. Its minutia….
The topic of the thread should be what one discusses
jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:21 amRev. Hoagie
Abortion is not the most Godly decision at any time. But, when you look at the abuse/rape and murder that children of all ages endure ….What is the difference…. God creates every life. God also takes back every life… through natural or inflicted causes.
jrt for Cruz (bc7456) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:27 amA person who thinks only about building walls…is not Christian.
Never said walls aren’t appropriate or necessary…the crux lies with “only”. OK, commented specifically to the thread, can we go for ice cream now?
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:28 amthe fact, that we are no longer a moral nation, is what made scalia’s horatio at the bridge stance, ever more tenuous, the opinion in bowers made that quite clear,
narciso (732bc0) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:32 amjrt, have you ever commented here under the name “random?”
felipe (b5e0f4) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:34 amOhmigosh, as if Matamoros was not bad enough. There’s a Matagorda county and town in … Texas!
nk (9faaca) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:40 amnarc, we are a moral nation…just not in the majority of any wholesome kind. The degradation of the people are diluted moral understanding, negligible civic awareness and responsibility, and an insane credence toward unhealthy cultures. I’m 50 and as kid most of the intolerance was retarded fixation on pigment and ethnic-religious stereotypes. Intolerance is vital to the health of a society when judiciously applied…unfortunately we have lost that conviction to appropriately condemn.
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:46 amHello moderator, please moderate my last comment…which was pretty moderate. Thanks.
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 11:57 amLike a George Carlin’s 7 words you can’t say on tv…we should have a list of words to reference that trigger moderation. That would really be extraordinarily helpful to some of us unsophisticated knuckle staggers that are prone to be PC uncouth in polite internet company.
That might be an interesting new thread, perhaps we can make recommendations, consensus vote as to merit…maybe it would get so contentious a few of us get banned.
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 12:07 pmThe Pope supports illegal immigration to the United States because it is Catholic immigrants that are entering the country. It serves a dual purpose of making the US more Catholic AND those Catholics funneling money to the Vatican when they donate money to the Pope’s church.
Dejectedhead (ba8561) — 2/19/2016 @ 12:07 pmDarn kindle…draggers, not staggers.
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 12:08 pmI’ll check back later to see if the comment left limbo, purgatory or whatever the Pope calls comments under moderation.
Deject, probably true…but a Pope gotta Pope. Don’t hate the church, hate the game. Peace y’all.
pieter (ec44a2) — 2/19/2016 @ 12:13 pmThe Pope’s often sloppy language leads to easy misinterpretation. It seems to me his point was not that Trump is a non-believer but rather a sinner. Me, I think Trump’s a big fool and Pope Francis would be wise to resist getting dragged in to things that have nothing to do with ministering to Roman Catholics.
crazy (cde091) — 2/19/2016 @ 1:20 pmi can’t wait til pope commietwaddle meets his first sassy sex robot
happyfeet (831175) — 2/19/2016 @ 4:57 pm