Pope bashing O.o

  • Thread starter Thread starter littlesoul
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
L

littlesoul

Guest
a friend of mine on fb, who has quite the opposing views on catholicism than i do (tho i am still working through doubts), posted a rather derogatory picture/comment about the pope the other day. im not mad at her, she’s a good person, but i didnt feel this was necessary and it hurt me. despite the fact that i’ve wondered the same thing she was wondering (in a not-so-subtle way)…why does the pope have so much when so many people have so little. i can’t post the photo as it’s very, er, well, it calls the pope a name, so anyway, it shows a picture of the pope in his chair (throne? i dont know what its called) and next to it a starving naked little boy with the quote, “matthew 19:21 - jesus answered, if you want to perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.” she says he is the worst human being ever to blaspheme. 😦 it makes me so sad even though i have wondered similar things.

any comments?
 
Don’t you know with today’s technology you can make up any picture you want?
Don’t you know the evil one does everything to attack the Church and his Shepherd?
Don’t you know the fact your post is helping to spread rumor and scandal, and become a helper of the evil one?
 
There was recently another thread about this particular image in which the point was made that the throne in question is not his to sell!

Here’s the thread in question. The Church and Charity. Hope it’s helpful. 🙂
 
um, excuse me, but i thought this was a forum to DISCUSS things. i told you this OFFENDED me, i am not trying to promote ANYTHING.

do other people feel this way because if that is the case then i will willing take myself elsewhere. :mad:
 
Jennet said:
There was recently another thread about this particular image in which the point was made that the throne in question is not his to sell!

Here’s the thread in question. The Church and Charity. Hope it’s helpful. 🙂
Click to expand...
thank you jennet…

im wondering though, couldnt he insist on not sitting in it? couldnt he insist on having a more normal chair and live somewhere more modest? im not trying to cause arguements, just wondering… :\ Maybe this is a very sensitive topic? O.o
 
im sorry i got angry PTL. i understand that it is scary to read that stuff and we should worry that it could be the devil talking through me. yikes. creepy.
 
Jesus answered an aspect of this. There are things that we do that give glory to God. Those things are not always bad.
John 12: 1-8
1 Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him. 3 Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.d 4 Then **Judas **the Iscariot, one [of] his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, 5 “**Why was this oil not sold *for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” 6 He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. 7So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”
Click to expand...
In regards to the question of Church resources, the question can be asked regardless of whatever the circumstances are. Any given parish can be attacked for the same reason. Even it all the parish had was a barren patch of dirt, couldn’t they sell that and give the money to the poor? I’m going to just guess that the desire to attack the Church probably precedes the desire to ask honest questions about Church finances.
 
One thing you can tell your friend is that the Pope owns nothing.

What does he own? What is his? His faith in God and our Lord Jesus Christ. That is what is his.

Catholic Charities is the largest charity organization in the world.
If a hungry man walked into a Catholic church, he would never be turned away, even if he were not Catholic.
Millions of people world-wide benefit from our faith, many without even asking, or even knowing where it’s coming from ~ and the kicker is this… Catholics don’t do it because they want glory and recognition from those who they donate to. They don’t do it because they are looking for media attention or self-gratification.

Catholics do it because we are Catholic.

Do not be angry with your friend. It is easy to look at beautiful things and misinterpret the beauty of faith for riches. For when you are strong in faith you are truly rich.
 
littlesoul said:
a friend of mine on fb, who has quite the opposing views on catholicism than i do (tho i am still working through doubts), posted a rather derogatory picture/comment about the pope the other day. im not mad at her, she’s a good person, but i didnt feel this was necessary and it hurt me. despite the fact that i’ve wondered the same thing she was wondering (in a not-so-subtle way)…why does the pope have so much when so many people have so little. i can’t post the photo as it’s very, er, well, it calls the pope a name, so anyway, it shows a picture of the pope in his chair (throne? i dont know what its called) and next to it a starving naked little boy with the quote, “matthew 19:21 - jesus answered, if you want to perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.” she says he is the worst human being ever to blaspheme. 😦 it makes me so sad even though i have wondered similar things.

any comments?
Click to expand...
The Pope is not rich. He is the custodian of the wealth of the Church. Jesus was accused of the same thing when Mary broke the alabaster jug and poured oil over His feet and wiped His feet with her hair. Judas - the traitor - brought up the poor then too. He said how the oil was very expensive and should be sold and the money given to the poor. Jesus did not agree. I think your friend and you need to read the bible more instead of being so engrossed in outward matters. Our Pope is the most amazing philosopher and a true lover of Jesus Christ - read his books “Jesus of Nazareth”; they are wonderful.

The Catholic Church has had this accusation thrown at it for centuries. Usually jealousy from those who will not live by the teachings of the Church and wish to attack it without quoting its teaching. Just ignore them.
 
littlesoul said:
im sorry i got angry PTL. i understand that it is scary to read that stuff and we should worry that it could be the devil talking through me. yikes. creepy.
Click to expand...
Try not to speak about the devil so much, Littlesoul. I am reminded of Shakespeare - “The lady doth protest too much methinks!” or words like that.
 
littlesoul said:
a friend of mine on fb, who has quite the opposing views on catholicism than i do (tho i am still working through doubts), posted a rather derogatory picture/comment about the pope the other day. im not mad at her, she’s a good person, but i didnt feel this was necessary and it hurt me. despite the fact that i’ve wondered the same thing she was wondering (in a not-so-subtle way)…why does the pope have so much when so many people have so little. i can’t post the photo as it’s very, er, well, it calls the pope a name, so anyway, it shows a picture of the pope in his chair (throne? i dont know what its called) and next to it a starving naked little boy with the quote, “matthew 19:21 - jesus answered, if you want to perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.” she says he is the worst human being ever to blaspheme. 😦 it makes me so sad even though i have wondered similar things.

any comments?
Click to expand...
Some people just seem to love to bash people over the internet, ever notice that? Some people also bash famous people, successful organizations, people they are jealous of - they try to bring down people to their level by their words. Does that really work? You decide.

Our pope, Pope Benedict XVI, is there to serve, not to have people serve him. Consider all the good things he does for humanity and remember how petty people’s comments against the chair he may sit in are.

Trust that if Pople Benedict XVI believed that he could do much for the global good by selling his vestments, his chair, whatever you want to say, he would sell them with gladness in his heart and his humblness giving glory to God for the good the money may contribute to.
 
The Pope’s chair could never be sold - it is the Seat of Peter - the actual chair that St Peter used and each successive pope has sat on it. It is the real treasure of our Church. God bless.
 
Tell her that Pope Benedict and all of the recent popes do not live a celebrity lifestyle. The Church is not “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” In fact, I am willing to bet that our current US President has a more luxurious way of life than the Pope. The Vatican is not the Pope’s private residence, to use for lavish parties! Does he have a personal chef? Of course he does, for good reasons. Does he drive around in fancy cars? Not really, only for his own protection, not just to show off. Does he appear for Mass adorned in gold jewelry having had plastic surgery? Not hardly.

Just point to one of her favorite TV or movie starts for a decadent lifestyle.

😛
 
Pope bashing… Not again. I hate it when people bash the Holy Father, especially since I’m part of the Ratzinger fanclub but it gets tiring having to see the same old protests.

It’s a shame that people speak ill of Pope Benedict XVI. He’s such a brilliant but a gentle, loving shepherd. His character shines through in his encyclicals (go and check them out). Have you read Light of the World, the interview between Pope Benedict and Peter Seewald? Seewald doesn’t hold back in his questioning and I think you’ll see most of your questions addressed in the interview.

The Holy Father didn’t hesitate at all when answering those questions. He talks about his position and makes it quite clear that he’s not living in wealth. In fact, he lives quite modestly.
 
It is nice that your friend’s volunteer job in Africa helping the poor allows her enough free time to keep in touch with you on facebook. It is also nice that she was able to borrow someone else’s internet access and computer to post such pictures on the internet. Please let her know we appreciate the fact that she took Christ’s message about helping others to heart, sold all her belongings, and now lives among the poor. Also let her know that the Church is fully aware of the suffering of the poor in Africa [it is, after all, one of the largest charity agencies there].
 
littlesoul said:
im sorry i got angry PTL. i understand that it is scary to read that stuff and we should worry that it could be the devil talking through me. yikes. creepy.
Click to expand...
I did not say the devil was talking through you, but I do think the devil works through whoever initiated such a picture and made such a false accuse. It is in my thinking that we should stop rumors and scandals instead of making it further known and elaborating it. Spreading a false accuse is in a way to make a ripple a torrent. That’s all.
 
i deeply appreciate all of your thoughts and reading suggestions. thanks so much, you are all very helpful
🙂
 
PTL said:
Don’t you know the fact your post is helping to spread rumor and scandal, and become a helper of the evil one?
Click to expand...
This sounds like a very serious allegation.

You are saying that the OP is an agent of the evil one? If the OP is the least of Christ’s brothers, then that’s a very heavy allegation indeed.

Please correct me if I misinterpreted your statement. Until I hear from you I am in adamant opposition to this sort of character assault. You’ll surely say you’re just pointing out an objective fact when it is far from that but purely your opinion.

Alan
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top