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24 Sep

Why Do We Care Whose Side the Pope Is On? by Matt Taibbi . . . Oh, my, this is a welcome suprise! ~J

Posted September 24, 2015 by laurabruno in Uncategorized.

I’ve missed Matt Taibbi! What a refreshing take on “Popetacular.”

15 responses to this post.

  1. Posted by skydancer4444 on September 24, 2015 at 9:55 pm

    I like Pope Francis. A lot. I find him refreshing and humble. He has declined the fancy papal quarters at the Vatican to live in more humble accommodations nearby and uses more humble cars and encourages other monks and nuns to do the same. Pope Francis also chooses less ostentatious clothing, leaving off the red and purple stoles most popes wear, and wearing only the plain traditional white clothing of the Pope. He truly does his best to live, act, and speak according to St Francis, whose name Pope Francis chose to use and whom Pope Francis does his best to emulate in the choices available to him as Pope.

    I find Pope Francis’ humility refreshing. I admire his declining the more ostentatious trappings of his position. And from what I can tell, everything he says and does is in line with the teachings of Jesus. He gently is calling Catholics, and the world at large, to follow the teachings of Christ in their thoughts, words, and deeds. Nothing more, nothing less. I wouldn’t expect a pope to do anything else. This is the only “agenda” which Pope Francis is following. No matter how much the “right” or the “left” in America or elsewhere try to claim his as their own or as their enemy.

    Pope Francis is a representative of Jesus Christ on earth. That is what he is. Referencing the teachings of Christ and inspiring people to follow them is what he does. And I think Pope Francis does what he does very well.

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  2. Posted by eat2evolve on September 24, 2015 at 11:44 pm

    Laura, can you summarize here? So much cynicism makes my brain shut down! Thank you, d 🙂

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  3. Posted by diana on September 25, 2015 at 3:17 am

    I read it 🙂 I just don’t get the cynicism. I was interested because, of course, I noticed that the Pope is in town. So what’s up with all the negativity? It’s weird to me that there even IS a pope, in the first place. But I have to say, I do like this one better than the last one. Just my opinion. xo

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    • Posted by laurabruno on September 25, 2015 at 3:57 am

      Well, I prefer Count Dracula to the previous one, so yeah, Francis is much more likable than he was! The article is based on quite solid research and doesn’t even go that far in terms of cynicism, given the Jesuit Oath.

      For starters, despite the outward show and words of caring, Francis just canonized a genocidal slave owner who brutalized the Native population. Having lived in California and seen and researched the missions there, wow, I really don’t know where to begin on that one, particularly in terms of symbolic actions. The Native Americans had quite a lot to say about it, though, and begged him not to canonize Junipero Serra, but he did anyway. The canonization speaks greater volumes than a token acknowledgment of Native American pain.

      Then there’s the showing of more sympathy to pedophile priests than to their many, many, many spiritually, physically and emotionally devastated victims, some of whom I’ve spoken with in sessions. He mentioned the victims almost like an afterthought, with the primary concern being compassion for the pedophiles.

      I could go on, but I prefer not to. Yes, it’s weird that there is still a patriarchal “gateway to God.” If Francis were truly following in St. Francis’ footsteps he would be giving away at least some of the vast wealth of the Vatican, which along with the Queen of England, owns most of the world. How many immigrant families is the Vatican housing for all its talk of compassion and in all its vast mansions and rooms? Two. St. Francis gave away all of his father’s money. If Francis really wanted to emulate him, he could start by giving away at least some of the Vatican’s gold. Jesus threw the money changers out of the Temple. This pope’s not advocating for that. He’s positioning the Vatican to be back in charge of the money, along with everything else.

      I only posted the article because people have been asking me my opinion, and I didn’t feel like devoting my own article to it. Not a fan, but then, I’m neither a fan of the Vatican nor the entire Judeo-Christian-Muslim Sky God “my God is better than your God, shame, indoctrinate and/or kill to convert” religious miasma.

      All these people getting so much media play, from Trump to the pope … what do they have in common? Big daddy government and/or big daddy religion will swoop in with more regulations, more rules, and more control to “fix” what corporations (and the Vatican really IS the biggest one) have caused. Problem. Reaction. Solution. Oh, and if he’s so concerned about overpopulation, then why, in the 21st century is there still a prohibition on birth control? So, instead of taking an obvious, direct measure to allow voluntary self-directed action by individuals to stop contributing to the so called carbon burden, he’s championing Agenda 30, which makes Agenda 21 look like a walk in the (still accessible to humans) park.

      Nice smile, though. I agree with his advocacy of the Golden Rule. I just wish he and his institution would make the first move beyond largely symbolic gestures and platitudes.

      Plant a garden. Love your neighbor. Find your OWN connection to the Divine. Some people view those religions, their doctrines and “unerring, heavily edited texts” as the problem, not the solutions, and certainly not the only gateway to the Divine.

      I seem like a cynic, but maybe I’m too optimistic for the human race. I like to believe that given real information, an end to manipulation, an end to childhood sexual abuse (which fractures souls and is pretty much institutionalized by the Catholic Church at this point) … and given even the tiniest opening of the Vatican’s DEEP coffers, humanity could right itself, find its own Divinity and move on to an age in which the Golden Rule just comes naturally, rather than being mandated from above by self-proclaimed elites. Haven’t we been there, done that? Isn’t that how we got into this mess or at least exacerbated it? But maybe I’m too optimistic. Maybe this world really does need a totalitarian papa to corral the humans into little cages for their own good. A girl can dream, though.

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  4. Posted by Comment Bump Up: Too Cynical? … Or Too Optimistic? | Laura Bruno's Blog on September 25, 2015 at 11:39 am

    […] « Why Do We Care Whose Side the Pope Is On? by Matt Taibbi . . . Oh, my, this is a welcome suprise!&nb… […]

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  5. Posted by Pope Francis set up as front man for NWO? | Exopermaculture on September 25, 2015 at 2:08 pm

    […] Why do we care whose side the Pope is on? […]

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  6. Posted by diana on September 25, 2015 at 2:41 pm

    Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question with this long comment, dear Laura. I always appreciate your observations and I don’t find you cynical at all, it was Matt’s tone (smart as he is) that blocked me from being able to discern his message. That is why I asked for you for a sensible, straightforward summary, but you didn’t have to, really! It was fine to not. So… thank you.

    Now I see what people are all hackled up about. Nothing new, really. Indeed, the Catholic Church may be one of the most devilish institutions on earth. No surprise that its leader buys into and wants to perpetuate, even elevate, the system that created him, right? The Vatican, Inc. is not going away any time soon, so if PF can do any relative good at all, I hope he will. Recognizing climate change? Bravo. (insert cynical *eyeroll*)

    As for canonizing a killer, just sounds like more gross, pandering, hypocritical business as usual. But stop. Let’s ask ourselves this: what makes a person a saint, anyway? To me, it is simple. Brave, pure and loving thoughts and deeds. Goodness. Ahimsa. Holiness is not something one bestows upon another. It comes from within. When it’s really there, you can’t miss it.

    No matter what we foolish humans do, Nature will prevail. The sky, the changing seasons, the wild things that share our planet, rocks and weeds and creatures all teach lessons and speak truths that resonate as real. If we listen… we will hear. One can only do one’s best. Ever evolving. Peace now. Blessed be. xo

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  7. Posted by manyhahama1955 on September 25, 2015 at 7:23 pm

    Yes, it is all absolutely ridiculous! The whole deal is absurdly ridiculous…like a very bad play. It amazes me that so many people STILL can’t see through the illusion of their belief systems…..the lies and deception, and it runs deep on both sides of the so called line. When are we gonna get it? There is no line. The Pope is just another puppet playing his part in the grand scam against humanity.

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    • Posted by laurabruno on September 25, 2015 at 9:32 pm

      Well, as more and more people recognize the rerun, perhaps we, as individuals and as a society, will opt for a different channel, or better yet, turn off the programming altogether and just live, free and in harmony! Much love …

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      • Posted by Sky on September 25, 2015 at 10:39 pm

        Oh, yes! I second Laura’s suggestion that we “opt for a different channel or, better yet, turn off the programming completely and just live free and and in harmony!”

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  8. Posted by sophiaschildren on September 25, 2015 at 8:12 pm

    I really appreciate Matt Taibbi’s work, so it’s nice to be reminded via your post; thanks, Laura.

    And “diss battle” … ahhh, that sparked a good laugh. I appreciated your ‘comment bump up’ post as well.

    We’ll likely see a rise in the ‘diss battles’, and it’d be lovely to see some actual reclamation of the root wisdom of the ‘religious’ traditions.

    So often the unfortunate (and historically, too often sadistic) behavior associated with (the worst of) Christianity is so far removed from the Jesian Wisdom that it’s equally stunning, though there are those who’ve shepherded the Sophian and heart-centered wisdom forward, too, thankfully.

    xoxo Jamie

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    • Posted by laurabruno on September 25, 2015 at 9:35 pm

      Thanks, Jamie! Yes, I’ve missed his humor, and if you’ve ever seen him interviewed, despite the cynicism, he’s a really interesting, articulate, heartfelt guy. I miss some of the nature loving, poetry quoting, highly sensual Episcopal churches I’ve attended in various cities. Here in right-wing Christian or Anabaptist territory, one does what they can to build one’s own spiritual community of heart-centered wisdom, quite under the radar. 🙂 xoxo

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