POPE FRANCIS: I'm Not A Marxist

[Suburban Warrior]

Pope Francis has responded to critics who have called him a "Marxist" in a new interview with an Italian newspaper, saying Marxist ideology "is wrong" while simultaneously noting that much of what he wrote in his powerful critique of capitalism is part of the fabric of the Catholic church.

“Marxist ideology is wrong. But I have met many Marxists in my life who are good people, so I don’t feel offended," Francis told La Stampa. "There is nothing in the Exhortation that cannot be found in the social Doctrine of the Church.”

Francis' answer was in response to accusations from U.S. critics on the right, including Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. "This is just pure Marxism coming out of the mouth of the pope," Limbaugh said on his radio show in November.

In his first written text of his papacy, called the Apostolic Exhortation, the pope addressed many issues, but his denouncement of our current financial system got most of the attention.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/pope-francis-marxist-response-2013-12#ixzz2nVhvqL52

[JaneyVee]

1. Economically Liberal, Socially Conservative. Weird combination.

[onehandle]

2. Less 'socially conservative' than any other Pope in my lifetime.

Hoping he's a beacon to the future.

[JaneyVee]

3. True, IMHO he took the church from the 15th century to the early 20th century.

Now if only they would appoint one living in the 21st century.

[Nevernose]

5. The Carholic Church has always seemed to me

About a hundred years behind, regardless of who's pope. Mormons seem about 25 years behind. Evangelicals seem to be morons with time machines.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

4. Karl Marx said the same thing.

[Enthusiast]

7. What same thing did Karl Marx say?

Curious.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

8. Karl said that he was not a Marxist.

[Enthusiast]

10. Do you think Pope Francis is lying?

Do you believe he is actually a Marxist?

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

11. No, just playing with the quote in the OP title.

[okaawhatever]

6. So let's see if I can follow Glenn Beck's thinking here. The pope writes his thoughts on how

Catholics should behave based on the teachings and life of Jesus. This is viewed by right wing world as Marxist ideology. But it isn't based on Marx, it's based on Jesus and the life he led, his teachings, etc. so are Beck and company saying Jesus is a Marxist? Or do they think the pope is misinterpreting Jesus' life? Since Jesus came before Marx, but apparently in conjunction with dinosaurs, is Marx really just a Christian?
How I would love to see that mouse wheel spin when Beck and friends think about things like this. I don't understand how they arrive at their conclusions.

[socialist_n_TN]

9. Well somebody has to say it...

Duh!

The fucking idiots on the right wouldn't know a Marxist if they were arrested by one.