Pope Addresses Congress

[CRTGAMER]

Okay what happened to separation of Church and State! I know he is the Pope, but I don't think any priest should take the podium. This just sends the wrong message for any religion to claim equal air time in the capital. I want my tax dollars for my representatives to work on real issues, not wasted at a sermon.

[Luke]

Yeah. Fuck this guy who wants to speak to the world about social progression and not all about Jesus.

Have you listened to the "sermon"?

[fastbilly1]

I actually agree with CRT on this one, it seems like a separation of church and state issue. What if a goodhearted Hellenistic priest wanted to speak about the progression of the future of man at Congress. They would be laughed at and mocked publicly.

As good of a message it was, not the right venue for the speaker.

[Forlorn Drifter]

I have really mixed feelings about things such as this.

The politicizing of a message from a religious leader isn't a good idea. I can think of the various ways this could be spun, and by looking at the articles I've already seen, people are already pulling the parts they like and spitting on the parts they don't. And, y'know, separation of Church and State and all that good stuff.

If we keep doing things such as this, we have to bring in religious leaders from all religions we can, while also bringing in leaders from non-religious groups with a moral ideology, such as the humanists. But, I don't know if we will see such a thing, and I'm surprised we still allow things such as this in the first place.

[Luke]

Or!

Or we could listen to the message and separate the message from religion.

This is simply the President giving someone a platform to speak on. Something many people refuse. It's the message that matters, not who delivers it. This isn't cherry picking either, as it's not like congress had a meeting and said "You know what we need? The Pope".

People visit and speak at the White House almost every day, this is being magnified because it's the Pope. And he delivered a great message on peace, civility, and social progression.

If you want to be pissed at something about wasted visits to the White House, this should be the least of your pissiness. If you are good with balls (ho ho) and win some sort of championship you get to hang out with the Prez. Tell some good jokes? Hang out with the Prez. The Prez likes you in that movie you were in? Hang out with the Prez.

This visit had meaning, regardless of religion. And if you haven't watched the Pope's speech, do, or please shut up. Or don't, as I don't care, but if you say "Hamburgers at Fuddrucker's suck" and have never eaten one, you are a complete dolt.

The Pope uses very little scripture, and when he does, it's only to put his words into context.

So please watch it if you haven't. The Pope *spoilers* basically tells our Congress they need to get on their shit together and quit slacking off. That they owe it to the world to do their job, and with effort. He says it with better prose, but the message is close to "You are the face of the world, and you're making a mockery of yourself. Stop dicking around".

After kinda sorta attacking congress, he goes on about US citizens. He mentions how we've taken steps back on racial relations and how we remain a segregated country. Can't remember it word for word, but the Pope said something poignant about that when we judge without knowledge, we lose our own dignity. Pretty spot on.

Speaking of knowledge, he begs for us, old and young, to share what knowledge we have learned from experience with everyone. He said something close to "Even after retirement your work on Earth is not done".

It's so worth a listen, and perhaps if his name was Jack Kardashian people wouldn't be in such of a tiff and actually listen to the speech.

[prfsnl_gmr]

I don't really see any First Amendment issues here...The government is free to invite a religious leader to speak, and I don't think that doing so is the same as endorsing a particular religion.

[Ack]

For those of you interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBM7DIeMsP0

Also, for the visit to the White House:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xm5Ecblg9g

[Luke]

I don't really see any First Amendment issues here...The government is free to invite a religious leader to speak, and I don't think that doing so is the same as endorsing a particular religion.

+1

Jay Leno has spoken to Congress and directly to Presidents over a half-dozen times near or in the White House. Pope Francis, once.

[mjmjr25]

I want my tax dollars for my representatives to work on real issues

[prfsnl_gmr]

I want my tax dollars for my representatives to work on real issues

Yeah...Good luck on that one, CRTGAMER!