Pope Francis Slams Hypocrite Christians, Suggests Atheists Are Better

[mobeau69]

According to a transcript posted online by Vatican Radio, the pontiff called it a “scandal” during his morning mass on Thursday:

“Scandal is saying one thing and doing another; it is a double life, a double life. A totally double life: ‘I am very Catholic, I always go to Mass, I belong to this association and that one; but my life is not Christian, I don’t pay my workers a just wage, I exploit people, I am dirty in my business, I launder money…’ A double life.”

The pontiff said “many Christians” were living this double life.

“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,’” he said.

He gave an example of a Christian boss taking a vacation as his workers went unpaid — and issued a stern warning about where that will lead.

“You will arrive in heaven and you will knock at the gate: ‘Here I am, Lord!’ ― ‘But don’t you remember? 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?’ ‘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.”


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pope-francis-atheists-better-than-hypocrites_us_58afb6ace4b0a8a9b780e4e1?

[Lefthacker]

1. As a life long Catholic

I can relate to what Pope Francis is saying.
We see this everyday in the message that the religious right preach on Sundays but they continue to live a life of hypocrisy in daily lives. I do not profess that I live a holy existence, far from it, but the so called Christians who turn their back on Jesus's lessons and teaching is disgusting. We should look after and take care of the poor and sick and the less fortunate.

[Igel]

2. Is "we" collective or individual?

If collective, then so's salvation. If individual, then there's no impediment to good works.

[SDJay]

3. I Have Fundamentalists In My Family

Crosses and Jesus stuff everywhere in their house and their cars, constantly preaching about living for Jesus blah blah blah. But they hate brown people, foreigners, poor people, sick people, women...

It makes them crazy that they really can't refute it when I tell them that even though I don't go to church, I live a lot more like Jesus than they do. I give to the poor. I rescue animals. I don't hate anyone - although I loathe fake Christians.

They usually wind up spitting and gasping and then not finding anything at all to say.

He's right - these hypocrites are only using their 'religion' to justify being total assholes every other hour of the week.