Pope: People Accusing Church of Wrongdoing Relatives of the Devil

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Tis_Bearself said:
We’re at the point where it almost doesn’t matter what the Pope says because people just twist it to fit their agenda.
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No twisting of his words is needed. He is speaking just a couple of days from the unprecedented event of calling all the bishops conference presidents for a summit in Rome to discuss the sexual abuse crisis in the Church. He is also speaking only a few days after the swiftest trial and defrocking of the highest-ranking Church official ever to take place. And recall that this is not the first time the pope has spoken like this, which also helps with context. Last year, he claimed that those who accuse the bishops of wrongdoing cause scandal; he doesn’t state that it was the bishops’ wrongdoing itself that resulted in scandal, but that the exposure or ‘uncovering their sins’ is an attack of Satan on the bishops. He then makes the link that accusers are simply following the lead of the devil - the Great Accuser. Again, extremely imprudent, if not exactly wrong – and imagine hearing this as an abuse victim.

BTW, do yo think Cardinal O’Malley twisted the pope’s words to fit his agenda when he publicly criticized the pope’s words accusing the Chilean abuse victims of slander?
 
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True enough. This exchange seems to be the remarks he made to a group from Italy at the weekly General Audience. It wasn’t part of the audience itself. It seems like the type of comments that weren’t intended to get that much airplay.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
We’re at the point where it almost doesn’t matter what the Pope says because people just twist it to fit their agenda.
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I think if he were clearer in his message there would be less reinterpretation of what he says. I remember seeing an interview of Phil Robertson (of Duck Dynasty fame) on EWTN where he was so clear and Christian in what he said that I thought, “wouldn’t he make a good pope?” I am growing weary of the lack of clarity in what we hear from Rome.
 
I don’t think Popes are necessarily chosen for their on-camera or even public speaking skills. For reality show actors, Fortune 500 CEOs, and pundits, those skills are their bread and butter. The Pope doesn’t have to answer to network execs or a board of directors who are going to oust him if he doesn’t speak perfectly. I’ll cop to finding some things he has said a little bothersome, although I’m not fired up over this particular thing, but I also think so many groups within the church have different axes to grind against him, it’s just about impossible for him to say anything without drawing criticism.

I’d like to know if he even has a base of supporters any more and if so, who it is.
 
Seriously? Did you even watch the video? Cant you guys for once just quit complaining about the pope every single time? Its not funny!!! He says A, people read and interpret A as Z because of bias, lack of objectivity and lack of good will.
 
I have no idea the intent of his heart. And I would not be so presumptuous as to know if he means things the way the come off sometimes but I do know that popesplaining is becoming almost an impossible task and “tone deaf” is an accurate description for the timing of some of these comments.
 
I would think that pointing out defects in the Church is an act of love? After all, the Lord chastens whom he loves. I wish the Pope saw it that way. Oh right, he does. From the speech:

When defects are pointed out, defects are denounced, the Church is loved.

Then he said the part, "Without love, that is from the devil.”

Also from the speech.

“One cannot live their whole life accusing, accusing, accusing the Church. Whose profession is it to accuse? Who is the ‘great accuser’ quoted in the Bible? I don’t understand. I can’t hear well. The devil."

I would like to use a parallel from politics and modern life. Today, the word “hater” is thrown a lot. Sometimes it is used for anyone who criticizes another. However, on both sides, there are some politicians who draw nothing but criticism, 100% of the time, for anything an everything, from their “haters”. Most people aren’t like this, but a lot are. In such an environment legitimate criticism is lost in the background.

Those in the Church and outside, that do nothing but criticize have the same limitation. The just and the unjust criticism come at the same “volume.” Jesus sharply rebuked Peter several times. But when we think of Jesus, it is not the “rebuker” that comes to mind, but the teacher and the encourager.
 
I gave up a long time ago trying to work above my ecclesial pay grade, whether it be criticizing the pope or any of the cardinal propped up by the media as his “opposition.” So while I may not be able to “popesplain” ( my nomination for coining of the month), I can at least separate what is actual said from what is inferred, assumed, derived, spun, or otherwise read into.
 
It’s not that it is above our pay grade. The Pope speaks to the public and the faithful. He does so with purpose and we are supposed to judge what he says. We are not privy to private conversation. The Pope engages in the particularly modern forums of communication for the Masses. What I have given up on is trying to shed a different light on his musings than he intends. If the Pope says condoms are ok to prevent the spread of Zika, that’s what he meant. If adulterers can be admitted to the eucharist that’s what he meant. If he says spanking a child is an act of beauty, that’s what he meant. If he says it’s wrong to accuse clergy of wrongdoing well that’s what he means. I think it’s an act of charity to assume he means what he says.
 
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