Pope Francis says that an atheist is better than a bad Catholic.

[pnwmom]

This won't be a controversial thought with anyone here, but I don't remember hearing a Pope say it before. Maybe I just wasn't listening.

https://www.cnn.com/2017/02/23/world/pope-atheists-again/index.html?no-st=1519768641

CNN)If you're a Christian who exploits people, leads a double life or manages a "dirty" business, perhaps it's better not to call yourself a believer, Pope Francis suggested in a homily on Thursday in Rome.

"So many Christians are like this, and these people scandalize others," Francis said during morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta, according to Vatican Radio. "How many times have we heard -- all of us, around the neighborhood and elsewhere -- 'But to be a Catholic like that, it's better to be an atheist.' It is that: scandal."

SNIP

He imagined a wealthy Christian knocking at the gates of heaven and saying, "Here I am, Lord! ... I went to Church, I was close to you, I belong to this association, I did this... Don't you remember all the offerings I made?"

To which Jesus may reply, according to the Pope: "Yes, I remember. The offerings, I remember them: All dirty. All stolen from the poor. I don't know you.' That will be Jesus' response to these scandalous people who live a double life."

[demigoddess]

1. A lot of protestants may not be making it to heaven then.

Or Jesus may give them what for when they get there.

[Pope George Ringo II]

2. I remember when he said this

I still say a bad catholic is better than a pope.

[pnwmom]

3. Not better than Pope Francis. He's what a Pope should be. n/t

[Pope George Ringo II]

4. A detailed answer to that would get us waaaaay off topic.

Suffice it to say he's not one of the good guys.

[Major Nikon]

6. He talks quite a bit, but policy remains the same

[Major Nikon]

5. Better to be an atheist than any Catholic

Not sure why anyone would want to affiliate with an organization that actively seeks to discriminate, deny minority rights, and harbor child rapists.

[Pope George Ringo II]

7. There's a joke about Republicans in here somewhere...

[pnwmom]

8. You are insulting thousands of Catholic DUers.

But that's nothing new.

And before you tell me all the bad things Catholics have done -- I know. Pope Francis knows too, and that's what he was talking about.

But atheists have done evil things, too. DT is clearly an atheist, no matter what he says. He is the king of lies. He mouths off about being a Christian, but he doesn't believe in God -- he only believes in himself.

[Pope George Ringo II]

11. Of course it's nothing new

This particular incident started with Bergoglio using atheists as the yardstick for bad. Why on earth would you expect atheists not to shoot back when attacked?

[pnwmom]

13. You're wrong. He said:

"The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone. "'Father, the atheists?' Even the atheists. Everyone!"

Francis continued, "We must meet one another doing good. 'But I don't believe, Father, I am an atheist!' But do good: we will meet one another there."

He includes atheists among the "redeemed" on the same basis as Catholics -- if they lead good, loving lives.

[Pope George Ringo II]

14. "Wrong" does not mean what you think it means.

'But to be a Catholic like that, it's better to be an atheist.' He said it, plain and simple, and it's in your own link for crying out loud. You even quoted it at the top of this very page.

That's a shot at atheists, period. Bergoglio is using atheists as shorthand for bad, the yardstick for not doing it right. Fuck him and the altar boy he rode in on.

No. He wants to not be insulted, he can stop that shit.

[pnwmom]

16. No, it's not a shot at atheists. He's RESPONDING to CATHOLICS who think like that,

and he's explaining to them why they're wrong.

[Pope George Ringo II]

17. Right. Bergoglio is telling catholics that atheists are bad, and they can do better.

That's an insult, and it's a gratuitous insult because we were sitting here minding our own business when he started insulting us by comparing us to catholics suffering moral failure. He hasn't earned the right to do that.

[pnwmom]

18. No, he's not. He's telling Catholics that nobody is inherently better than anyone else.

It depends on how people lead their lives. And the "grace" to lead good lives is available to anyone, whether a believer or not.

[Pope George Ringo II]

19. When Bergoglio says, "even the atheists" that's not a compliment.

Even a catholic should be able to understand that. Or does that not sound friendly for some reason?

[lindysalsagal]

15. How ironic that I'll be allowed into a place that doesn't exist.

I thought he was smarter than that.....

[Major Nikon]

12. That dog wont hunt

The Westboro Baptist Church does evil shit. So does various FLDS congregations. The idea that pointing that out is an insult to all Mormons and Baptists is more than just a bit silly.

Being an atheist requires no affiliation with anyone(neither does being Catholic for that matter), I take no responsibility for anything any other atheist does and pointing out those things certainly is no insult to me. YMMV.

If DT says he’s a Christian, then he’s a Christian. For further reading see...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman

[smirkymonkey]

9. Most of these republican evangelicals believe that they can do anything they want, no matter how

crooked, immoral or evil as long as they ask for forgiveness afterward. The fact that they call themselves Christian is the ultimate in hypocrisy.

[mcar]

10. Il Papa is correct

I live in conservative Christian world. I know many people who live their beliefs but many, many more who are as far from the teachings of Christ it's unbelievable.

Some are in between - RW Trump humpers who do many things to help people. They're the ones who most disturb me.

[msongs]

20. whoever believes in me will have everlasting life. bad catholics included probably nt

[vkkv]

21. John Lennon said all we need:: "All you need is love."

Organized religion is the oldest, most profitable marketing scam on the planet.

What they do is, sell a product: salvation, which costs absolutely nothing to make, and sell it to those looking for answers that science can't entirely explain while the organization grows by assimilating many cultures and traditions to spread, like a virus, through as many cultures as it can.

Martin Luther formed a new church because the Pope was corruptly selling slices of Heaven known as "indulgences". The Pope was on the take from both poor and wealthy supporters - no surprise there. It's called 'Merchandising!"