Not ready to run out and join the Catholic church---but I like this pope guy. From what I heard on the news last night, he's now taking on the worlds wealth disparity and calling it immoral! It seems like the guy is trying to initiate a real discussion on the same level as Bernie Sanders, concerning the forgotten, the downtrodden and I for one applaud it. 'Bout time a church starts dealing with the realities of modern humanity and the way capitalism has worked against so many--and speaks out about it. He's supposed to speak to our legislators at the capital in Washington DC---that ought to be a learning experience! The dems will welcome him and the repubs will treat him like he's a turd in THEIR punchbowl. They've given up their purgatory crap and their "eat fish on Friday" stuff---how about the birth control edicts now, pope guy? The world is getting smaller and smaller--how about a one child policy? Or can the earth support 10 billion? Fifty Billion? Keep up with the reality checks please, Mr pope. Thank you. Thank you very much.
I think the world is reacting to the right leaning policies that have dictated global governance since - when? The 50s? I came of age in the (second) Bush era so I think its very exciting to see people like Bernie and this wonderful new pope speak out against the status quo of the last 50+ years and actually be taken seriously.
Exactly! The Pope offers Hope for a new world without greed and unbridled capitalism. He has set the Catholic Church on a new path, an essential one if they are to continue to be relevant and not lose their base. Going against centuries of corruption and conservatism, Pope Francis has his work cut out for him. Whether it's restructuring the Vatican Bank to dump the money launderers and criminals, issuing encyclicals on poverty and the environment Pope Francis has really shaken up the establishment, and not just the Roman Catholic Church! But as you point out, the Pope still has far to go... 1. Birth Control. The Catholic Church is more responsible than any other institution for overpopulation of the planet that is causing so much damage to our environment, hunger, poverty, etc. Allowing birth control is a first step to fixing this before it's too late. 2. Abortion. I don't expect any change on this, but it would also relieve the overpopulation problem. 3. Sex. The Church's conservative teachings about sex are so outdated and out-of-step with the modern world. Masturbation, homosexuality, transexuality are all prohibited by the Church and most Catholics. 4. Women. The Catholic Church has always put women in a subservient role. You can see this in the Macho world of Catholic men. When will there be a female Pope? Some say there was one long ago. Perhaps he was a tranny? Notice these three things all revolve around sexual repression. At one time, the Church wanted to increase its base and so anything that prevented more people from being born in the Catholic world was prohibited. But now these teachings are obsolete and dangerous for the future of the planet. Let's see if the Pope can wake up to this reality and change the world, one Catholic at a time (in addition to the great impression he's made on the rest of the world!)
