What do you think of Pope Francis ?

Brian from Bray · 19-09-2015 1:27pm #1

I'm not a religious person but there is something likeable about this Pope. Maybe it's because he comes across as very humble.

Sheep Lover · 19-09-2015 1:29pm

He could with being a bit more Protestant.

Cienciano · 19-09-2015 1:30pm

I don't really know much about him. What has he done??

Brian from Bray · 19-09-2015 1:31pm

Sheep Lover wrote: »

He could with being a bit more Protestant.

Here comes the puns :pac:

Brian from Bray · 19-09-2015 1:33pm

Cienciano wrote: »

I don't really know much about him. What has he done??

He made Castro pray again.

booooring! · 19-09-2015 1:34pm

I heard he likes a good altar boy now and then.

The Randy Riverbeast · 19-09-2015 1:35pm

He says a lot but I dont see that much action.

Brian from Bray · 19-09-2015 1:35pm

booooring! wrote: »

I heard he likes a good altar boy now and then.

How original :rolleyes:

Brian from Bray · 19-09-2015 1:36pm

The Randy Riverbeast wrote: »

He says a lot but I dont see that much action.

But at least he's saying the right things. He seems very liberal.

pablomakaveli · 19-09-2015 1:38pm

I think he has a good PR team.

Menas · 19-09-2015 1:42pm

Would you not think that the Christianity forum would be better for this Brian?!

Gwynplaine · 19-09-2015 1:42pm

He's the leader of a cult.

Son Of A Vidic · 19-09-2015 1:42pm

Brian from Bray wrote: »

What do you think of Pope Francis ?

I really like him and he seems like a really righteous dude. I've no doubt he is fighting tremendous forces within the Church, who disprove of his ideas and some of his opinions. Worryingly, I think he indicated that he may also step aside in a couple of years and that's not a good thing imo. Because I think he would need to be in control for at least +10 years, to really push through some of the new ideas and opinions he has expressed.

Sheep Lover · 19-09-2015 1:42pm

I'd say he likes to bum his cardinals.

What do you want here OP? A debate on the Popes piety? Or that he's a grand lad altogether

One eyed Jack · 19-09-2015 1:45pm

Brian from Bray wrote: »

But at least he's saying the right things. He seems very liberal.

He's only very liberal up to a point. When push comes to shove, he's still very much cut from the same cloth as the previous Pontiffs.

As someone else pointed out - he's got a great PR team behind him, pushing the whole humility, man of the people angle. The end of the day he's still living in opulence and finery while many of the faithful are starving, homeless and rejected by their families.

The Pope opened the doors of the Vatican for two people, he broke himself really with his 'humility' :rolleyes:

Joe prim · 19-09-2015 1:45pm

A great stayer, could take the Ledger or even a 2,000 Guineas in a few years, although his connections seem to be holding him back for a Derby bid...oops. wrong forum!

kneemos · 19-09-2015 1:46pm

Menas wrote: »

Would you not think that the Christianity forum would be better for this Brian?!

Not so sure.Any question I've asked there has consisted of endless contradictions.

Brian from Bray · 19-09-2015 1:48pm

One eyed Jack wrote: »

He's only very liberal up to a point. When push comes to shove, he's still very much cut from the same cloth as the previous Pontiffs.

As someone else pointed out - he's got a great PR team behind him, pushing the whole humility, man of the people angle. The end of the day he's still living in opulence and finery while many of the faithful are starving, homeless and rejected by their families.

The Pope opened the doors of the Vatican for two people, he broke himself really with his 'humility' :rolleyes:

Were you expecting him to take them all in ? :rolleyes:

The Randy Riverbeast · 19-09-2015 1:54pm

Brian from Bray wrote: »

But at least he's saying the right things. He seems very liberal.

He knows what the crowd wants to hear. As has been done for awhile, the church's stance on an issue in an area has varied depending on the people there. If a more extreme view is allowed then they dont bother toning it down. Usually they put up a bit of a fight (such as threatening to no longer complete the civil parts of marriage is SSM is brought in) but when they realise they have lost they will become more lenient.

He is still the leader of the RCC.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/16/pope-francis-catholic-church-contraception

One eyed Jack · 19-09-2015 1:56pm

Brian from Bray wrote: »

Were you expecting him to take them all in ? :rolleyes:

Not them all Brian at all, just as many as could possibly fit in the Vatican for starters, then use some of the vast wealth of the Vatican to house as many more people as they could.

That'd have been displaying humility, not "I'll take two, aren't I great, now if everyone else could do the same...", bit of a difference between the Vatican and the average family home :pac:

arayess · 19-09-2015 1:57pm

The Randy Riverbeast wrote: »

He says a lot but I dont see that much action.

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

I really like him and he seems like a really righteous dude. I've no doubt he is fighting tremendous forces within the Church, who disprove of his ideas and some of his opinions. Worryingly, I think he indicated that he may also step aside in a couple of years and that's not a good thing imo. Because I think he would need to be in control for at least +10 years, to really push through some of the new ideas and opinions he has expressed.

precisely , the RCC is the proverbial oil tanker it take a long time to change direction , people expect change in weeks or a year . That doesn't happen . Doesn't happen in politics and RCC is pretty much the same .

Custardpi · 19-09-2015 2:03pm

One thing very much to this Pope's credit is his attempt to reform the activities of the Vatican Bank, which has become almost a byword for opacity & dodgy dealings. Whether he'll succeed or not is another matter of course but he certainly seems to be taking on some powerful people, which previous Pontiffs have shied away from doing. Very interesting article about it here.

rainbow kirby · 19-09-2015 2:03pm

You can dress a turd up all you want, but it's still sh*t.

earlyevening · 19-09-2015 2:05pm

I don't think about Pope Francis.

CFlat · 19-09-2015 2:09pm

That would be an Ecumenical matter.

I'll get my coat.

Custardpi · 19-09-2015 2:10pm

rainbow kirby wrote: »

You can dress a turd up all you want, but it's still sh*t.

No doubt, but the Catholic Church, at least on paper commands the souls & allegiance of 1.2 billion people around the world. Rather more important than your average excrement. The Pope is thus an important world leader whose ideas & approach to politics, administration, social issues etc can have enormous influence.

rainbow kirby · 19-09-2015 2:16pm

The point is that no matter how much PR, spin and window dressing you try and add, you still have someone being a figurehead for an organisation that has committed disgusting crimes over the centuries and that continues to hurt people today.

Mesrine65 · 19-09-2015 2:17pm

Brian from Bray wrote: »

I'm not a religious person but there is something likeable about this Pope. Maybe it's because he comes across as very humble.

You ask a lot of questions...

19-09-2015 2:18pm

He's a bit like Obama - he'll look good regardless because the person before him was such an arse

evo2000 · 19-09-2015 2:20pm

rainbow kirby wrote: »

You can dress a turd up all you want, but it's still sh*t.

Let me guess you re an atheist prob have a beard and one them man buns aswell your too cool brah! hipster for 4lyf!

glynf · 19-09-2015 2:22pm

Regardless of how decent the pope is as a person, what he represents is rotten to the core. catholic church needs to just FOAD.

RDM_83 again · 19-09-2015 2:24pm

Fairly positive, seems to come from the south american school of Catholicism that was shamefully treated by the powers that be when persecuted in the 70's and 80's due to leftist beliefs under the various dictatorships and junta's

RDM_83 again · 19-09-2015 2:25pm

evo2000 wrote: »

Let me guess you re an atheist prob have a beard and one them man buns aswell your too cool brah! hipster for 4lyf!

Good money in the bearded woman business :-D

Custardpi · 19-09-2015 2:26pm

glynf wrote: »

Regardless of how decent the pope is as a person, what he represents is rotten to the core. catholic church needs to just FOAD.

As much as I'd prefer a world which was not so in thrall to medieval superstition as the current one the reality is that it's not going to happen any time soon. The Pope & his organisation are here to stay for the forseeable future, even if their "flock" in some parts of the world has lost enthusiasm.

Custardpi · 19-09-2015 2:27pm

RDM_83 again wrote: »

Fairly positive, seems to come from the south american school of Catholicism that was shamefully treated by the powers that be when persecuted in the 70's and 80's due to leftist beliefs under the various dictatorships and junta's

Wasn't he accused of collaborating with the Argentinian junta though?

Mesrine65 · 19-09-2015 2:28pm

RDM_83 again wrote: »

Good money in the bearded woman business :-D

Sir Osis of Liver. · 19-09-2015 2:29pm

Here he is in action.

One eyed Jack · 19-09-2015 2:29pm

rainbow kirby wrote: »

The point is that no matter how much PR, spin and window dressing you try and add, you still have someone being a figurehead for an organisation that has committed disgusting crimes over the centuries and that continues to hurt people today.

As critical as I am of the RCC in some respects, the fact of the matter is that the organisation is also responsible for much good works over the centuries, and is a source of inspiration for many people, myself included.

It depends upon your perspective really. That's not an attempt to mitigate the damage they've been responsible for over the centuries, but a recognition of the fact that the Church has done far more good for societies across the globe than the harm it's done IMO.

Banjo String · 19-09-2015 2:31pm

I couldn't eat a whole one.

joe_six_cans · 19-09-2015 2:32pm

Brian from Bray wrote: »

But at least he's saying the right things. He seems very liberal.

yes , the right things to say are always liberal

joe_six_cans · 19-09-2015 2:34pm

rainbow kirby wrote: »

You can dress a turd up all you want, but it's still sh*t.

if the same was said about the imam of any mosque anywhere , bans would be handed out before you can say , praise be allah

La_Gordy · 19-09-2015 2:35pm

He had me at filth.

https://twitter.com/Pontifex/status/611518771186929664

joe_six_cans · 19-09-2015 2:37pm

RDM_83 again wrote: »

Fairly positive, seems to come from the south american school of Catholicism that was shamefully treated by the powers that be when persecuted in the 70's and 80's due to leftist beliefs under the various dictatorships and junta's

classic catholicsm is leftist on economic matters , pope franics is nothing new in this regard

only american evangelicals are right wing both economically and socially

joe_six_cans · 19-09-2015 2:38pm

One eyed Jack wrote: »

As critical as I am of the RCC in some respects, the fact of the matter is that the organisation is also responsible for much good works over the centuries, and is a source of inspiration for many people, myself included.

It depends upon your perspective really. That's not an attempt to mitigate the damage they've been responsible for over the centuries, but a recognition of the fact that the Church has done far more good for societies across the globe than the harm it's done IMO.

its far and away the worlds largest charity

One eyed Jack · 19-09-2015 2:38pm

joe_six_cans wrote: »

if the same was said about the imam of any mosque anywhere , bans would be handed out before you can say , praise be allah

No they wouldn't. There has been plenty said about Islam on this site in the last couple of years, you just haven't been attuned to it is all.

The Randy Riverbeast · 19-09-2015 2:40pm

joe_six_cans wrote: »

if the same was said about the imam of any mosque anywhere , bans would be handed out before you can say , praise be allah

Really? Im sure you can provide a link to where that happened.

joe_six_cans · 19-09-2015 2:40pm

One eyed Jack wrote: »

No they wouldn't. There has been plenty said about Islam on this site in the last couple of years, you just haven't been attuned to it is all.

really , any outright attacks on islam from what ive read , are quickly punished by mods , here a mod launched an outright attack on catholicism

One eyed Jack · 19-09-2015 2:40pm

joe_six_cans wrote: »

its far and away the worlds largest charity

Now let's not get ahead of ourselves! :pac:

The RCC are not a charity. They are a religious organisation. There's quite a difference between the two.

kneemos · 19-09-2015 2:41pm

The Randy Riverbeast wrote: »

Really? Im sure you can provide a link to where that happened.

Go look if you're interested.

joe_six_cans · 19-09-2015 2:45pm

One eyed Jack wrote: »

Now let's not get ahead of ourselves! :pac:

The RCC are not a charity. They are a religious organisation. There's quite a difference between the two.

im refering to free education in parts of the world where it would otherwise have been unaffordable , they also ran hospitals in many parts of the world

they engaged in charitable deeds on a mass scale

did a lot of harm too i admit but its not the nazi party or ISIS despite what many liberals would have us believe

One eyed Jack · 19-09-2015 2:45pm

joe_six_cans wrote: »

really , any outright attacks on islam from what ive read , are quickly punished by mods , here a mod launched an outright attack on catholicism

Ahh, see? That's the important part of your post right there - from what you've read. How often have you taken a gander over to the Islam forum over the years? The Atheism and Agnosticism forum has some solid critiques of Islam too, not just the rabble rousing nonsense that's infiltrated AH in the last year or so.

The less salient point, but still worth mentioning, is that moderators are only moderators in their own forums they moderate. Outside that they are ordinary posters.

What do you think of Pope Francis ?

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