Pope Francis Says He Would Baptize Martians, Asks 'Who Are We To Close Doors?

[struggle4progress]

The Huffington Post
Antonia Blumberg
Posted: 05/12/2014 2:26 pm EDT
Updated: 05/12/2014 3:59 pm EDT

... The pope's message was one of inclusion, saying the Holy Spirit is not always predictable. He told a story from the Acts of Apostles in which Peter observes a group of non-Christians receiving the Holy Spirit. Other Christians later criticize Peter for consorting with these people, to which Pope Francis responded:

"That was unthinkable. If – for example - tomorrow an expedition of Martians came, and some of them came to us, here... Martians, right? Green, with that long nose and big ears, just like children paint them... And one says, 'But I want to be baptized!' What would happen?"

Pope Francis would not be one to turn away someone seeking baptism -- even if they were an alien. He urges clergy to foster an open door policy for all to receive church teachings ...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/12/pope-francis-aliens_n_5310935.html?ir=Religion

[smartphone]

1. OK I get it, Martians okay, but loving gay couple adopting orphans?

Not so much.

Doesn't this kind of talk not make Catholics want to quit their own church? If not, why not?

Since we have never seen a Martian on planet Earth, it's kind of crazy for Pope Francis to reach out to Martians before reaching out to gay Catholics and others. But that's how he rolls.

[struggle4progress]

2. Vatican to debate teachings on divorce, birth control, gay unions

30 April 2014
Henry Chu

Contraception, cohabitation, divorce, remarriage and same-sex unions: They're issues that pain and puzzle Roman Catholics who want to be true to both their church and themselves.

Now those issues are about to be put up for debate by their leader, a man who appears determined to push boundaries and effect change.

On Pope Francis' orders, the Vatican will convene an urgent meeting of senior clerics this fall to reexamine church teachings that touch the most intimate aspects of people's lives. Billed as an "extraordinary" assembly of bishops, the gathering could herald a new approach by the church to the sensitive topics.

The run-up to the synod has been extraordinary in itself, a departure from usual practice that some say is a mark of the pope's radical new leadership style, and a canny tactic to defuse dissent over potential reforms ...

http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-vatican-family-20140430-story.html#page=1

[AtheistCrusader]

5. Too little too late.

Too many destroyed humans in their wake.

Can't disown that shit.

[trotsky]

12. "Vatican to debate"

Do let us know if anything changes.

[struggle4progress]

3. Catholic Priest Challenges Church on Hostility to Gays

In an essay, a D.C.-area priest talks about how his conservative parish welcomes all people.
BY Michael O'Loughlin
May 07 2014 4:40 AM ET

... Daly says the purpose of the Catholic Church is to be faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ, and notes that Jesus had little to say explicitly about homosexuality.

“Our purpose as a Christian church is to remain faithful to the teaching of Jesus Christ. It is significant that Jesus had nothing to say about gay relationships. If homosexuality had been important to Jesus, he would have said something about it. After all, he told us his views on divorce and adultery and many other ethical issues. But Jesus said nothing about it. Maybe it was not important to him,” he writes.

He said his parish preaches that all are welcome and then tries to live up to this belief.

“We really mean it. That includes LGBT people, too. We welcome them to the Eucharist if they are Catholics. We baptize their children. We register the children in our activities and programs, just like any child. Welcome means welcome,” he writes ...

http://www.advocate.com/politics/religion/2014/05/07/catholic-priest-challenges-church-hostility-gays

[struggle4progress]

4. Pope says priests are not 'masters of doctrine'

By: Agence France-Presse
May 11, 2014 5:59 PM

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis on Sunday ordained 13 new priests in the Vatican, telling them they were not "masters of doctrine" and should be more forgiving of their parishioners.

"It really pains me when I come across people who no longer go to confession because they get harangued, badly treated, told off," Francis said in his homily at the ordination mass in St Peter's Basilica.

"They feel the doors of the church are being shut in their faces. Please don't do this. Have mercy," the Argentine pontiff said, adding: "It is not you who are the masters of doctrine, it's the Lord's doctrine" ...

He has also said the Catholic Church should not be "obsessed" with topics like abortion, contraception and gay marriage ...

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/86546/pope-says-priests-are-not-masters-of-doctrine

[mr blur]

10. "...people who no longer go to confession.."?!

But how can grace can be restored to their souls so that they can once again resist sin?

Standards are just dropping everywhere.

[theHandpuppet]

8. All the Martians I know are protandrous hermaphrodites...

... and at various stages in their life cycle could be gay or straight. In fact, they find it bizarre that humans are but one gender all their lives.

[smartphone]

6. A Pope, Martians, the purpose of this thread is?

Please explain why what the Pope thinks of imaginary Martians is important, and what this reveals about this new Pope.

He watched too much America TV growing up? Martians somehow get mentioned?

Let's explore this a little more: as if there actually WERE Martians on Mars, they would come to Earth, and not have a religion, and need the Pope to baptize them or give them a blessing? What more proof do you need that religion is just a childish fantasy?

And we have anywhere from 3 to 15% of the human population on this planet already wanting to express same sex love and the Pope turns a blind eye? What a cruel and heartless human being he is, only caring about the poor, a little bit, and then shunning so much of humanity that could be part of the change toward caring for more humans, if only it were not for a Christianity that condemns gay people caring for other human beings.

Let's face it, Popes are just the most inhumane people ever to walk on this planet, so they want to convert Martians now.

[cbayer]

13. It was raised as a metaphor or example, not as proposing an actual event.

Actually, I thought it might be a spoof when I first read it, but he did say it. It helps to read it in context.

Calling religion a "childish fantasy" on a site and within a group that welcomes people of all faiths and those of no faiths is, well, childish in and of itself.

While I also would love to see the pope take a proactive stance regarding GLBT civil rights, saying he as pope is part of a group of people who are the "most inhumane people to ever walk on this planet" is extreme and a reflection of your own beliefs more than anything else.

[Fumesucker]

7. Why would the Pope assume that Martians don't have their own religion(s)?

[edhopper]

11. Your avatar

is a Kelly Frees martian.
Weirdly synchronous.

I think Bradbury's martians as well as Jon Jones Martian Manhunter would tell the Pope to take a flying leap.

[Fumesucker]

15. Martian baptism involves HNO3 and N2O4 as well as H20

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_fuming_nitric_acid

But perhaps I've said too much...

[edhopper]

17. Let your Nerd flag fly!

[skepticscott]

22. Why would the pope care?

It's his official position that all religions other than Catholicism are false, and do not lead to salvation. The RCC has been disrespecting other religions for centuries by trying to convert them, or forcing them to convert. They didn't stop with Europe of the Old World, why wiould they stop with Earth?

[Warren Stupidity]

9. Francis seems unaware of the theological problems extrasterrestrial intelligent life presents to his

iron age geocentric religion.

[cleanhippie]

14. Like all religious believers, he will simply reinterpret several passages

To show that Martians are perfectly accountable in "gods plan". YMMV.

[Goblinmonger]

16. Would you marry real life homosexuals in your church?

No. Well fuck off with your Martian example, then, Francis.

[trotsky]

18. Yeah, "Who are we to close doors?"

Well, except when the people trying to open them are gay. Or divorced. Or women. Or...

[Goblinmonger]

19. But hypothetical alien creatures from Mars are OK.

And how any progressive does anything but call this guy a fucking douchebag is beyond me. If Mitt Romney (or any other RW politician so clearly opposed to gay and women's rights) had said this, GD would explode. But it's the pope. "At least he's trying." What a stinky pant load.

[Lordquinton]

20. this really is a bicycle moment

Would he marry them too? Or would they just join and know they would be going to hell for being what god made them?

[Goacher]

21. Is there life on Mars?

[goldent]

23. I think Pope Francis is showing himself to be a master of the sound bite

and combine that with a bit of a "loose cannon" reputation and you have gold for the RCC.

I wonder if the cardinals who voted for him knew what they were getting? If so, I say "well done."

[rug]

24. I saw that in another article. I found this part interesting.

While Francis appears to have taken the argument to its logical extreme, this is not the first time that the Vatican has raised the prospect of baptising extra-terrestrial beings.

Speaking at the British Science Festival in 2010, one of then-Pope Benedict XVI’s astronomers said he would baptise an alien “if they asked”. While he accepted that the chances of ever getting such an opportunity were slim, Guy Consolmagno said: “Any entity – no matter how many tentacles it has – has a soul.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/pope-francis-says-he-would-baptise-aliens-9360632.html

It raises the question of what happens to Pius XII's statement on polygenism in Humane Vitae.