Bernie on Pope Francis

[BigBearJohn]

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[LuvNewcastle]

1. It looks like I've finally seen something

that I disagree with Bernie about. I don't want to see religious leaders addressing Congress. I don't want to see the Pope or Joel Osteen or the Dalai Lama or any other religious figure getting up before a joint session of Congress and giving his views about our politics. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison would have been horrified by this.

Who else will be at the Pope's address? Will the President and the Supreme Court be there as well? Bernie might like what the Pope says about income inequality, but will he like the Pope's views on contraception and gay rights?

The Pope will get enough attention while he's in America. His words will be reported over and over again. Do we really need a special speech from him on the floor of our Congress? The Pope's message, I think, is for Catholics, not everybody in the world. He doesn't have that authority, and he doesn't belong in the seat of our government giving his views on the issues of the day.

[olegramps]

2. The Vatican is an sovereign country and he is the head of that government.

Although he is primarily and religious leader
however, it must be pointed out that as a sovereign government it has numerous ambassadors and we have an ambassador at the Vatican to maintain diplomatic relations.

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. Good point. I think some will argue though....

... that he is technically a "head of state".

Even though Vatican City is basically the basilica, a gift shop and some actor-dudes dressed up like Conquistadors.

[LuvNewcastle]

4. Yeah, the whole "head of state" thing is a joke.

Vatican City is surrounded by Rome. I'm pretty sure that Disney World is bigger. The Vatican is what is left of the old Papal States, and now it is only the bureaucracy of the Catholic church. We shouldn't even have an ambassador there. The only reason we do is political, since we have so many Catholics in the U.S. Besides, we have heads of state visit this country all the time, but we don't ask them to address all of Congress. But the Pope's primary function is that of a religious leader, not king of the Vatican.