Pope says communists are closet Christians

Well, this is a first for me. I've never started a thread here before!

..then again, I've never seen the personal head of the ROman Catholic Church suggest one of the largest conspiracies in religious history if there is truth to it. Communists...closet Christians. What is this, you ask? Hmm.... Indeed...

Pope Francis, whose criticisms of unbridled capitalism have prompted some to label him a Marxist, said in an interview published on Sunday that communists had stolen the flag of Christianity.

Well, I have to admit. I have not heard that before.

"I can only say that the communists have stolen our flag. The flag of the poor is Christian. Poverty is at the center of the Gospel," he said, citing Biblical passages about the need to help the poor, the sick and the needy.

"Communists say that all this is communism. Sure, twenty centuries later. So when they speak, one can say to them: 'but then you are Christian'," he said, laughing.

Source

If nothing else, you can say this Pontiff has a unique way of presenting his thoughts and feelings on a matter.

I wonder how the Communists around the world took in the news?

a reply to: Wrabbit2000

just more incoherent and ignorant garbage being put out by the one that thinks he can speak for a god.

originally posted by: Wrabbit2000
I wonder how the Communists around the world took in the news?

North Korea was unfazed and Not So Lil Kim said he was 'taking care' *wink, wink* of the poor.

I wonder if North Korea is going to be outraged by what the pope has said,

You know- Scratch that, NK doesn't see themselves as communist, they see themselves as humanitarians. There is no true communism, who did the pope direct this comment to?

I think Christians are actually Anarchist .Well that would be me , only because we have seen what the others could offer but mostly because of what they can lead to .

There is a vast difference between taking care of the poor voluntarily which we all should do or try to do as best we can, and having things stolen from us and given to others and having that called "taking care of the poor."

Obama tried to tell us the same thing by using the example of the child with the sandwich whose teacher took the sandwich away and gave half of it to a child who had no sandwich. This is not taking care of the poor. The teacher engaged in theft and the child with the sandwich learned only resentment and not how to fell compassion for the child who had no sandwich. The child without sandwich learned only that he needed to depend on the teacher to give him part of the sandwich from the child who the sandwich whom he now resents for having more than he does.

Neither child learned anything about actually sharing or compassion or gratitude which is when the child with the sandwich takes his own sandwich and gives half of it to other child on his own because he notices the other child has no sandwich and needs some.

My husband also makes the excellent point that what the Pope said is why the Founders wanted there to be a wall of separation between the Church and the state.

Sounds like a subtle jab at state-atheism to me, which contemporary communists largely embrace.

If there's anything they hate worse than Christians, it's being compared to them.

a reply to: Wrabbit2000
Hello Wrabbit, This most intriguing pope is deftly walking a fine line between humane compassion and the dialectic of communism. To be honest, the bottom line is to expand the Catholic base. But who doesn't want to expand their base?
There is a general question of social justice. If you were pope of your own church, could you play a better hand?

a reply to: ketsuko

In communism the teacher halves the sandwich and passes half to the hungry child who has nothing. In Christianity, the child with the sandwich would never consider eating the whole sandwich unless everyone who needed to eat had some food, and would have halved it themselves with the same nett result.

The difference being free will, which is a key factor in Christianity, if one is willing to look into the core of the faith, and is not a key factor in the prevailing models of communism, currently at play in the world.

a reply to: Diderot

Well, that's an interesting question and I'd just say that I've largely been supportive of this Pope as a real break from the past and a man who seems to have as much disgust for child molesters as anyone outside the Church and we'd all hope a Pope would. Past ones...I have serious curiosity about and not in any good sense. This one? he's quite a change.

I get nervous when he gets political though. Especially when he gets political minded in a global sense. There are still prophecy issues I don't have to be 'Of the Book' to be aware of in a general way and sensitive to signs of fulfillment with.

Hey Wrabbit, good to see you.

In my opinion, the reason this sounds "extreme" is because we have a negative preconceived notion of what communism is. In it's very design, communism ensures that all of it's people have the basic needs of life. There would not be a lower class of people that struggle to find food, water, etc. That is provided by the "collective state".

I believe Christianity teaches that they need to take care of the poor and work together as a religion/church to do so.

There are distinct differences, but I can see what the Pope is saying.

a reply to: Wrabbit2000

Well it is interesting.. 70% of a Communist country proclaiming to be Orthodox Christian? Whoa

Some 70 percent of Russians define themselves as Orthodox Christians in opinion polls, and opposition figures in the past have called on the church to play a mediating role between the Kremlin and protesters.

Correct me if I'm wrong but is the below saying that Putin is a Christian also?

Although Mr. Putin has never made a secret of what he says is his deep Christian faith, his first decade in power was largely free of overtly religious rhetoric. Little or no attempt was made to impose a set of values on Russians or lecture to the West on morals.

If the above is the case, I have to agree with the Pope.

Who’s ‘godless’ now? Russia says it’s U.S. - From Jan 28th, 2014

Now that both Christianity and communism have become parodies of themselves; he might just have a point. Trusting either could be a grave mistake!

a reply to: Wrabbit2000
Hello again Wrabbit, To be perfectly cynical, I think that we are seeing a masterful PR campaign. If I were pope (!) I would be using the same playbook. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he is the reincarnation of Francis of Assisi. Has anyone seen him talking to the birds?

a reply to: Wrabbit2000

I see no baring with communism and Christianity except they are both ridiculous!!

Please tell the POPE that being a catholic priest means you are a closet child abuser/raper!!

Does that seem fair?

I understand his point (very loose point at that) but the guy is an idiot.

a reply to: Wrabbit2000

If nothing else, you can say this Pontiff has a unique way of presenting his thoughts and feelings on a matter.

I have a way of portraying my thoughts and feelings as well on the matter.
My opinion is most catholic priests are closet pedophiles,yet the finger is pointed at someone else?

Catholic priests are either closet pedophiles or closet emotionally crippled people.

a reply to: Wrabbit2000
I've stated it on here hundreds of times before, Christ would have been considered a communist in today’s terms. He lived from a common purse along with his disciples. They depended on the charity of others as they traveled and taught. To this day many Christian religious organizations still lead a “communal” lifestyle, and some still take vows of poverty.

The problem here is that folks have been scared by the word “communism” because of the US's propaganda against the USSR through the cold war. The funny thing though is that the USSR wasn't communist, it was the Union of Soviet SOCIALIST Republics. A Totalitarian Socialist Police State, not communism at all. True communism only really exists in some tribal societies where the community prospers and suffers as a whole, or in religious organization where people are devoted to a higher cause. In most other places greed and desire for power prevent a true communist community from ever developing.

Of course on the other side of the coin, Capitalism is based on greed and worldliness, exactly the things is says to avoid in the Bible.

One needs only to look at the thread in new topics about how the super rich DESERVE everything...

Religion aside, we could solve hunger, shelter, and basic needs for the whole planet if only a few hundred people wouldn't be so greedy.

I think that's part of the reason Hunter Thompson offer himself. The whole "Most Dangerous Game", "Hostel" thing happens.

Hell, a kid took out six people (four permanently) and gets less of a sentence than I did for calling my ex to get supervised visitation rights.

originally posted by: vjr1113
a reply to: Wrabbit2000

just more incoherent and ignorant garbage being put out by the one that thinks he can speak for a god.

I was under the impression that if any one man on earth is permitted to speak on behalf of a god, its the pope. As a matter of fact, I was under the impression that it is his greatest duty here on earth. Your contempt is confusing.

I agree with posters here that being a christian is based off of giving voulentaliary. Look at Parable of the Good Samaritan. If it was up to the goverment at the time, He would have died. But a Samaritan helped him. Someone he was suppos to hate. It's not goverment thats gonna help us all. I'ts me, you, all of us.

I say this. When I was homeless who helped me.
1. Salvation army
2. A local church
3. friends and family

Goverment is only trying to ensalve you. Look and you will see.