Why even atheists should be praying for Pope Francis

[Redfairen]

That Obama poster on the wall, promising hope and change, is looking a little faded now. The disappointments, whether over drone warfare or a botched rollout of healthcare reform, have left the world's liberals and progressives searching for a new pin-up to take the US president's place. As it happens, there's an obvious candidate: the head of an organisation those same liberals and progressives have long regarded as sexist, homophobic and, thanks to a series of child abuse scandals, chillingly cruel. The obvious new hero of the left is the pope.

Only installed in March, Pope Francis has already become a phenomenon. His is the most talked-about name on the internet in 2013, ranking ahead of "Obamacare" and "NSA". In fourth place comes Francis's Twitter handle, @Pontifex. In Italy, Francesco has fast become the most popular name for new baby boys. Rome reports a surge in tourist numbers, while church attendance is said to be up – both trends attributed to "the Francis effect".

His popularity is not hard to fathom. The stories of his personal modesty have become the stuff of instant legend. He carries his own suitcase. He refused the grandeur of the papal palace, preferring to live in a simple hostel. When presented with the traditional red shoes of the pontiff, he declined; instead he telephoned his 81-year-old cobbler in Buenos Aires and asked him to repair his old ones. On Thursday, Francis visited the Italian president – arriving in a blue Ford Focus, with not a blaring siren to be heard.

Some will dismiss these acts as mere gestures, even publicity stunts. But they convey a powerful message, one of almost elemental egalitarianism. He is in the business of scraping away the trappings, the edifice of Vatican wealth accreted over centuries, and returning the church to its core purpose, one Jesus himself might have recognised. He says he wants to preside over "a poor church, for the poor". It's not the institution that counts, it's the mission.


http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/15/atheists-pope-francis-obama-liberal-voice-change

[pscot]

1. To whom would we pray?

[Fearless]

2. +1

Tried to wrap my head around that one too.

[CherokeeDem]

3. My first question as well....

???????????????????/

[pscot]

4. Don't get me wrong

this is the first pope in a while who seems to have the remotest idea of what the New Testament was about. I wish him well. But one swallow doesn't make it summer. As an enterprise, religion in general and the catholic church in particular are still pretty fucked up.

[idwiyo]

5. My oppinion will change when he apologises for homophobic bigotry, anti-choice BS, paedophilia,

and officially changes church policy toward full acceptance of all people, adopts pro-choice policy, makes sure all paedophiles are exposed and prosecuted, and their victims paid compensation.

Till that time he is just another bigot, and I hate bigots.

[procon]

6. Even if I wasn't an atheist

I'd object to comparing politicians and religious leaders.

Besides, the notion that as a liberal I must have a presidential "pin-up", let alone that I might want a pontifical "pin-up", is about as ridiculous as believing that the entrenched power brokers in the $$$ international religion biz are likely to adopt the humility of this pope.

[Blue_Tires]

8. +1

[searchingforlight]

7. Evidently Jonathan Freedland doesn't understand the core of atheism.

[Rozlee]

9. He's OK for a Pope.

In a historical context anyway. It won't make me rethink my status as a lapsed Catholic, well, atheist actually. I've got to admit, though. I'm highly entertained by the dismay being expressed by Sarah Palin, Pat Buchanan and the leader of the Catholic League, Bill Donohue. Francis is causing them much distress with his more liberal views on capitalism and consumerism as well as tolerance, if not acceptance, of many people they hate. I've got to admit, it's fun watching them squirm, especially the conservative Catholics. If he speaks out directly and strongly about the seriousness of climate change and other subjects like evolution, I'll enjoy it even more.

[uriel1972]

10. It's good to watch those acephalus morons squirm I admit... nt

[Igel]

11. That would be "acephalous."

And it doesn't mean "brainless." It means "headless."

Even "anencephalic" would have been more apropos. Strange, but closer.

Unless you really mean that those morons lack heads entirely. Sort of with little neck-stumps on their shoulders and nothing more. Perhaps a post-guillotine condition. Perhaps congenital. Or after a hanging that got a bit rambunctious. Still, it doesn't bode a life long enough to say even, "May have some pudding?"--presupposing that there was some way to pose the question in the absence of a buccal cavity other articulators and there was a way to shovel the dessert down the exposed esophageal opening without having it collapse.