The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all! And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there. [Emphasis added.]
Hard to back away from that, but the Note’s author, Vatican spokesman the Rev. Thomas Rosica, sure tries.
Rosica instructs people to always keep in mind that this pope is first and foremost a pulpit preacher. “His words are not spoken in the context of a theological faculty or academy nor in interreligious dialogue or debate,” and he had “no intention of provoking a theological debate on the nature of salvation.” The subtext: when Pope Francis speaks, you must take his words with a grain of salt because he isn’t an academic, gets things wrong for the sake of stirring rhetoric, and doesn’t understand the impact of his statements.
So much for papal infallibility. New rule: popes earn infallibility only if they are more scholarly than preacherly. I guess God speaks more clearly in libraries than churches.
Rosica quotes scripture to show that “God wants everyone to be saved.” That may be, but Francis said that everyone is saved already. But I forgot — preacher not a scholar, rhetoric before accuracy, doesn’t know his own impact. So we’ll go with the Scriptures’ implication that while God wants to redeem everyone, he doesn’t.
My favorite of the Note’s arguments is that every act of good (in Pope Francis’s parlance) or of neighborly love (Rosica’s phrase) is evidence that God is working through the actor. An atheist’s good deed proves “God’s activity in the person.” So when the pope said that atheists and other non-Catholics can do good, according to Rosica he meant that non-Catholics who do good are, on some level, potential Catholics.
So the Vatican line is that atheists are capable of doing good, but they “are still going to hell,” as The Christian Post put it. This raises a well-worn objection to all faith-based religions: how could a kind and loving God condemn good people to hell? The usual answer is that good works are necessary but not sufficient — one must also have faith to get past the rope into heaven.
At least Francis and his handlers have acknowledged and not recanted that atheists can be good and moral even without a bunch of old men and old books explaining how to do it. The belief that atheists are amoral is likely the root of Americans’ hatred and fear of them. Pope Francis’s homily pulled that rug out from under the haters, and the Vatican hasn’t put it back
"Have you ever though there might be more to life?
Have you ever thought of the trouble and strife?
Have you ever thought you don't need a wife?
in this system that tells YOU what is right.
Have you ever thought that black could be white
Have you ever wanted dark to be light
Have you ever wished that wrong was right
to stop the arguing and end the fight.
Well yes.....guess what..? You're not alone
cos a mate'o'mine just heard on the phone
that an awakening is happening on this planet...your home.
Its such a good reason to have a moan
So put pen to paper and air your views
make a banner and get on the news,
have regular meetings...invite your crews
for this is the awakening...you know what to do
For this has been predicted through space and time
that the people will end up...not towing the line
and without the state...we'll be just fine
from the 1% and their hidden crimes.
The banks are corrupt
The leaders out of touch
The BBC is weird
and the planets burning up.
So we vote a change...cos we think it matters
we get a different group of mad hatters
or ask for new laws to cover the doors
of the apparent cause, to all the flaws
.
The government will not like us
on the streets with loud hailers and banners
we shout "make some new laws for these cheating scammers"
but we don't realise we are voting for laws that will hit us as well...like a row of angry hammers.
'Cos we all want change...but asking's not right
We must spread our wings if we really want flight
and not get caught up in their two party fight
Make up your own mind...don't believe the hype
You cant stop wars by bombing for peace
That's like trying to fuck for virginity at least
and when we ask for laws on hateful speech
we take away the freedom of each
So stop being offended of what people say
Its only because YOU hear it that way
Sticks and stones and come what may
Support freedom of speech everyday
So how do we make a new world for the better
I'll tell ya....I'll go through it letter for letter
Turn off your tellys and put on your wellies
'cos growing your own food is where its at.
Remove the fluoride from your diet
Its only there to keep you quiet
Get to know your neighbours and others around
and you'll soon find ...they're all quite sound.
Recognise the difference between statute and law
and the word UNDERSTAND.......it means much more.
For the acts are not real...they come from the sea
they were not meant for you and me.
It's all maritime law....it's corporate rules
and I'm sorry to say ...we have all been fooled.
There are very few laws for women and men
no harm....no loss...no damage...that's them
It's just a game...the game of life
you count yourself in when you use the dice,
and the dice is your name........
I'm watching you frown
For your names property of the Crown
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Jason Marsh, Lauren Klein, Jeremy Adam Smith, Yes! Magazine: In the year just past, new findings added nuance, depth and even some caveats to our understanding of the science of a meaningful life. Here are 10 of the scientific insights that made the biggest impression on us in 2012