The Swamp

P.D.X. wrote:Throwing a bone to atheists.

He who doesn't pray to the Lord prays to the devil.

P.D.X. wrote:Throwing a bone to atheists.

Scottie wrote:The idea behind a gun registry is to identify dangers to society; well, and selectively adding to the data banks. Which is why we should have a religion registry given that they are far more dangerous to the minds of humanity.

You? You're Muslim #566781. You? Christian #1679384. You? Zoroastrian #3.

Don't like that? Well, I don't like being told what to be either.

Scottie wrote:The idea behind a gun registry is to identify dangers to society; well, and selectively adding to the data banks. Which is why we should have a religion registry given that they are far more dangerous to the minds of humanity.

You? You're Muslim #566781. You? Christian #1679384. You? Zoroastrian #3.

Don't like that? Well, I don't like being told what to be either.

The Rev. Thomas Rosica, a Vatican spokesman, said that people who aware of the Catholic church “cannot be saved” if they “refuse to enter her or remain in her.”

At the same time, Rosica writes, “every man or woman, whatever their situation, can be saved. Even non-Christians can respond to this saving action of the Spirit. No person is excluded from salvation simply because of so-called original sin.”

Rosica also said that Francis had “no intention of provoking a theological debate on the nature of salvation,” during his homily on Wednesday.

Although the pope's comments about salvation surprised some, bishops and experts in Catholicism say Francis was expressing a core tenant of the faith.

"Francis was clear that whatever graces are offered to atheists (such that they may be saved) are from Christ," the Rev. John Zuhlsdorf, a conservative Catholic priest, wrote on his blog.

"He was clear that salvation is only through Christ’s Sacrifice. In other words, he is not suggesting – and I think some are taking it this way – that you can be saved, get to heaven, without Christ."

Jerloma wrote:Pope Francis joins Osama Bin Laden and Hitler as one of Time's Persons of the Year.

Gunpowder wrote:Did this Pope do anything special other than be Pope? I haven't paid attench.

sancarlos wrote:He has softened the Church's hard line rhetoric on a few different subjects, notably gays. He appears more liberal than his recent predecessors and managed to piss off various right-wingers.

Jerloma wrote:You know when a corporation does things so egregious that they risk losing everything so they bring out a PR guy that smiles a lot and says things that everyone wants to hears but doesn't actually implement any change whatsoever? That's Frank.

Pruitt wrote:

Jerloma wrote:You know when a corporation does things so egregious that they risk losing everything so they bring out a PR guy that smiles a lot and says things that everyone wants to hears but doesn't actually implement any change whatsoever? That's Frank.

That's also Barack.

Pope Francis said: “The statistics on the phenomenon of violence against children are shocking, but they also clearly show that the great majority of abuses are carried out in family or neighbourhood environments.

“The Catholic Church is perhaps the only public institution to have acted with transparency and responsibility.

“No-one else has done more. Yet the Church is the only one to have been attacked.”

He also praised his predecessor Pope Benedict for his work on the issue.

Jerloma wrote:Hmmm...

Pope Francis said: “The statistics on the phenomenon of violence against children are shocking, but they also clearly show that the great majority of abuses are carried out in family or neighbourhood environments.

“The Catholic Church is perhaps the only public institution to have acted with transparency and responsibility.

“No-one else has done more. Yet the Church is the only one to have been attacked.”

He also praised his predecessor Pope Benedict for his work on the issue.

P.D.X. wrote:Not to mention equating families and neighborhoods with public institutions.

(Come on families, step up to your shame!)

Jerloma wrote:Here's the the thing with the fucking pope. People always do what SC just did there. If any ordinary member of the RCC ever said that the RCC is the only institution that's been accused of these crimes that acted with transparency and responsibility, we'd consider them a morally repugnant human being. But for the pope, it's always this "Ohhh, well you have to understand...he's in a tough spot...he's not Superman...he has to protect the reputation of the institution as it's CEO...NO! The pope, who pretends to speak for the creator of all space and time shouldn't be held to a lower standard for human decency. He should be held to a higher standard...especially if he's supposed to be a moral authority for over a billion people. The only proper response as a decent human being is, "We're wrong, we fucked up, let me give you every shred of paperwork we've ever documented on this and any parties that are deemed guilty by secular authorities shall be sentenced accordingly." You don't even have to be fucking Gandhi to get there. My 7 year old can figure that out.

Francis used strong language to denounce the sexual abuse of children by clergy, calling it a “very grave crime” and saying that when a priest subjects a child to abuse, it is as if the priest has celebrated a “black Mass” as part of a Satanic ritual.

Vatican officials appear to have been flummoxed after Pope Francis was presented with a communist crucifix depicting Jesus nailed to a hammer and sickle by Bolivia’s president Evo Morales.

The gift from the leftwing leader caused an immediate stir among conservative Catholics who said the pontiff was being manipulated for ideological reasons.

The response of the pope was less clear. After being handed the wooden crucifix during a formal ceremony, he examined it for a few seconds before returning it to a Bolivian presidential aide.

“I know that it is an existential and moral ordeal. I have met so many women who bear in their heart the scar of this agonizing and painful decision. What has happened is profoundly unjust; yet only understanding the truth of it can enable one not to lose hope. The forgiveness of God cannot be denied to one who has repented, especially when that person approaches the Sacrament of Confession with a sincere heart in order to obtain reconciliation with the Father. For this reason too, I have decided, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, to concede to all priests for the Jubilee Year the discretion to absolve of the sin of abortion those who have procured it and who, with contrite heart, seek forgiveness for it.”

sancarlos wrote:Maybe this should go in the confessions thread, but I paid ... my old girlfriend to ... offer ... appl...es to me...

mister d wrote:

sancarlos wrote:Maybe this should go in the confessions thread, but I paid ... my old girlfriend to ... offer ... appl...es to me...

Jerloma wrote:It's hilarious and all but does it concern anyone that they can keep changing the rules like this and their adherents can't get to the very obvious conclusion that this is all bullshit? That is has everything to do with deference and submission and not a damn thing to do with a deity? You don't have to be Stephen Hawking to figure this out. What is the fucking issue?

Steve of phpBB wrote:

Jerloma wrote:It's hilarious and all but does it concern anyone that they can keep changing the rules like this and their adherents can't get to the very obvious conclusion that this is all bullshit? That is has everything to do with deference and submission and not a damn thing to do with a deity? You don't have to be Stephen Hawking to figure this out. What is the fucking issue?

Is that changing the rules? I was under the impression that a practicing Catholic could get absolution for any sin, as long as he or she confessed and did penance. In which case the Pope's this-year-only forgiveness special is really nothing at all.

So the obvious question you have is "Don't priests just have to forgive all sins?" Apparently not. There are six sins that are considered unforgivable and grounds for immediate excommunication (spoiler alert- kiddie raping is not one of them):

1. Apostasy (check)
2. Heresy (check)
3. Desecrating a communion wafer (wouldn't think twice)
4. Physically attacking the Pope (fair enough)
5. Lying in confession (check)
6. Abortion (N/A)