DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Hey… It’s the Pope!

Pope Francis is comin’ to town.

New York and Philadelphia actually.

I’m impressed by this leader of the Roman Catholic church. (and I’m not Roman Catholic)

He’s very energetic, very visionary; his visit to Cuba - including meeting and being photoed with Fidel Castro - is brilliant. This will definitely help assimilate Cuba back into the global mainstream. A nice little improvement to world society.

I’d say he’s a great man to lead the Roman Catholics at this tough time for all religions.
Attendance at all churches is dwindling as our society moves away from religion.

Looks like the College of Cardinals got it right.

I have to ask. Are people moving away from religion or are they moving away from Church services?

Depends on who you ask, GM.

I know a lot of people that are simple moving away from church services because of the corruption from evangelicals and the who TV give me all your money nonsense.

Then I know a lot of soldiers who just stopped being religious all together after deployment.

I think the baby boomers were the congregations of the old building traditional churches. As those churches' congregations were declining many of them moved out to the suburbs so those old churches became empty.

I think there are a lot of people who want to attend church services, but the times are different now, schedules are different considering when we were young very few people worked on Sundays, even football has become a more important tradition on Sunday.

As an atheist, my own personal beliefs are that many religions, churches and congregations are important for our society.

Many are not, but I think young people will search for their own once they have kids.

I can only steak for myself but living in a small town, in a rural area of the state I have not seen one church move. It might happen in the big cities I really don't know.




I agree with this. It use to be that the dad worked 40 hours a week while mom stayed at home. Now both parents work and many more people word 50, 60, 70 hours a week and are just wore out by the time Sunday rolls around. That's part of the reason I stopped attending Church every week. I worked 70 to 80 hours a week and got between 2 and 4 hours sleep 6 nights a week. I needed my Sundays off to rest or I couldn't make it through the next week.



As a Christian I think some Churches are great while others do as much harm as they do good.

Vatican offended by White House guest list inviting LGBT dissidents


The Vatican is offended by the Obama administration's decision to invite an array of religious dissidents, including transgender activists and an openly gay Episcopal bishop, to greet Pope Francis on his visit to the United States.

A senior Vatican official told the Wall Street Journal that they are concerned photos taken of Pope Francis near the controversial guests "could be interpreted as an endorsement of their activities."

When the Pope arrives at the White House Wednesday, some of his greeters will include "Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Anglican bishop who's now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a think-tank with ties to the Democratic Party, and Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of the Catholic social justice lobby Network, and a leader of the 'Nuns on the Bus' advocacy tours," reports the Associated Press.

Sister Campbell wrote a letter signed by over 60 heads of religious orders that urged Congress to pass Obamacare, even as U.S. bishops expressed concern that the bill would provide funds for abortion and contraception, in violation of Catholic teaching. Her support for the Affordable Care Act was recognized by Obama when he signed it into law.

Other guests of concern to the Vatican include Mateo Williamson, the former co-head of the Catholic LGBT organization Dignity USA, who is transgender, and Aaron Ledesma, an openly gay Catholic blogger.

"'The presence of these figures is especially irritating,' the Vatican official said, 'because it isn't yet clear if the White House has invited any representatives of the U.S. anti-abortion movement, traditionally a high-priority cause for the U.S. bishops,'" reports the Wall Street Journal.

American politicians have used photos with Pope Francis to advance their own agendas before. In July, Bolivian President Evo Morales draped the Pope with a hammer and sickle medallion and handed him a "Communist crucifix."


And in August, Argentine president Cristina Kirchner tweeted a photo of the Pope holding a sign handed to him at a general audience that read in Spanish: "It's time for dialogue between Argentina and the United Kingdom on the Falklands." In both instances, the Vatican stressed that the Pope did not endorse these agendas, but their occurrence underlines the Vatican's agita over the White House guest list.

The White House could not be reached for response on the Vatican's reaction to the guest list.

However, on Thursday White House press secretary Josh Earnest said while he did not know all the names on the guest list, reporters shouldn't jump to conclusions because "there will be 15,000 other people there too."

The White House hopes to downplay its disagreement with the Catholic Church on life issues during the Pope's visit, but the Vatican official's comments come the day the U.S. House voted to suspend funding of taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider.

The Vatican has not responded to a Washington Examiner request for comment.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/vatica...article/2572468

-Forcing the Agenda on the World.

GAY BISHOP DEFENDS WHITE HOUSE INVITATION TO GREET POPE FRANCIS

After the Vatican protested President Obama’s guest list for next week’s papal reception because it was packed with a rogue’s gallery of opponents of Catholic teaching, retired Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson published an “open letter” to the Pope in which he pleads his case for attending the welcoming ceremony.

Bishop Robinson, who made history by becoming the first openly gay episcopal bishop in 2003 and subsequently the first to divorce his gay partner in 2014 (after having previously separated from his wife of 14 years) tells Francis of his deep respect for him, insisting that we “have so much that binds us together, and so little that separates us.”

The Bishop also voices his suspicion that the Vatican’s complaint represents “the views of those who would try to ‘protect’ you from the world” rather than those of Francis himself.

In his plea for inclusiveness, however, Bishop Robinson misses the whole point of the Vatican’s irritation at the White House guest list.

The President and his staff showed tremendous disrespect for the Pope by intentionally inviting a series of individuals who publicly thumb their noses at Catholic teaching, including a pro-abortion religious sister, a transgender woman and at least two Catholic gay activists, along with Bishop Robinson. Moreover, they were invited precisely because of their anti-Catholic positions.

The White House did not invite Bishop Robinson to the papal reception because of his scintillating wit or charismatic personality, but because he is a notoriously gay cleric. The White House is throwing an openly gay bishop into the Pope’s face, since the Catholic Church does not ordain openly gay men as bishops. This is a political statement.

It was only after Breitbart News publicized the discordant tone of the Obama guest list that the Holy See reacted by expressing its disapproval. In doing so, it made known its concern that any photos of the pope with these guests at the White House ceremony might be misconstrued as an endorsement of their activities.

The White House was infamously illuminated in gay pride colors on June 26, 2015, after the Supreme Court made gay marriage the law of the land.

Maybe Bishop Robinson doesn’t mind being instrumentalized in this way, but it is understandable why the Vatican finds it deeply offensive.

Indeed, if the good Bishop were really interested in meeting with the Pope rather than making a political statement, he could just as easily see him privately, rather than under the bright lights and ready cameras of the White House.

The same is true of the other dissenters invited by the White House.

Vivian Taylor was invited because he is a 30-year-old male transvestite who until last March was Executive Director of Integrity USA, a gay and transgender activist wing of the Episcopal Church. This is his sole claim to fame and the reason for his invitation.

“A few months ago I received an invitation from the White House to attend the reception for Pope Francis,” Taylor told CNS News. “I was told I could bring several friends with me,” adding that he is “glad we can bring some LGBT representation to the event.”

Mateo Williamson was invited to the White House event because she is a cross-dressing woman and former co-chairman of the Transgender Caucus for Dignity USA. Williamson says that though she now thinks of herself as a man, she continues to be attracted to males. “Today I identify as a gay man and before that was difficult to understand because I thought that in order to be transgender, in order to be a transgender male that I had to be attracted to females but I never have throughout my entire life.”

The White House invited Sister Simone Campbell to the papal reception because she publicly opposed the U.S. bishops when Obama’s Affordable Care Act was originally being debated, and because she fought to undermine their pro-life and conscience concerns. Campbell is the pro-abortion executive director of the social justice lobby NETWORK.

In 2012, Sister Campbell spearheaded the first “Nuns on the Bus” tour to protest proposed cuts in federal spending on social services.

The presence of these individuals—selected from among the 320 million Americans—has a symbolic value that the President is fully aware of. He is perfectly acting out the pro-gay script drafted by the LGBT activists for media coverage of the Pope’s visit.

Out of all possible guests to meet the Pope, why did the Obama Administration choose Mr. Taylor, Ms. Williamson, Bishop Robinson and Sr. Campbell? Simply because they loudly represent positions contrary to the thinking of the Catholic Church on sexual morality.

And Bishop Robinson wonders why the Vatican finds this offensive?

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/...t-pope-francis/

I just hope there's a freak snow storm on his visit.

Unfortunately, a lot of people, and a whole lot of churches, are moving away from the Bible, and God. The are making concessions to the world, instead of working to bring the Word to the world.

I have been following the story of the President's guest list to this White House event and have two opinions, which are at odds with each other...

On one hand, the President is ABSOLUTELY trying to make a political statement and score political points by inviting those that he KNOWS the right and the church would object to..

On the other hand, it is a gathering of 15,000 people so what's the big deal? If it was a dinner for 10 and his guest list was full of gay Bishops and abortion rights nuns, then I would have a MUCH bigger problem with it.

But the President has never been shy about making it well known which groups he wants to pander to.

Do you think Obama will have representatives of Tibet at the arrival of the Chinese Leader to have their pictures taken shaking his hand? Not likely.

When Obama visited the Vatican did they have reps from Iran who stand for the hanging of Homosexuals in the streets to have their pics taken shaking hands with O? No.

I see it as another low class political statement by the guy who is supposed to represent all of us. Once again our supposed leader embarrasses our Nation.

"I would love to visit and talk to gay and lesbian people. And please tell the gays to pray for me, and I shall pray for them." - Pope Francis, on his upcoming visit to the U.S.

Probably a combo of both.

As people become more educated about science and history, religion takes on less of a critical role in their life.

And as Swish points out, bad publicity from various churches isn't helping any either.

Add in any sort of religious extremism events and people tend to not want to be associated with any of it.

My guess is that people are still spiritual but it's more personal than organized.

It just shows Obama's lack of class and why so many other world leaders are disgusted with him. When you have an important world leader paying his respects it's just very bad taste to purposely offend them. I mean I could care less about the Pope. He is certainly not MY pope to be sure. Still Good manners and hospitality should be the b are minimum out of the respect for the millions and millions of people he represents.

I would also figure in the social aspect to this. 30 years ago, most people in a church would have their main base of friends and family in that same church. They no longer need church as a place to connect.

"I would love to visit and talk to gay and lesbian people. And please tell the gays to pray for me, and I shall pray for them." - Pope Francis, on his upcoming visit to the U.S.

I agree with you that it's a little bit of both. As much as I'd like to toot the horn that "education" is the reason for less church activity, I think it's unrealistic. I may not go to church but my dad goes every Sunday. He's a software engineer like I am. He's also a Bible literalist and believes in a 6 day creation and that dinosaurs walked alongside humans. He's a knowledgeable and smart guy, but believes in that where I don't. This is anecdotal to be sure but I can't help but think when people bring up the education factor it isn't with a bit of a smirk. I'm not saying YOU are doing this, just that it seems to be the vibe I get from articles/others.

For a long time you have had two groups of Christians, one group who would correlate emerging scientific theories such as evolution and deep time with the Bible and God, and one group who felt these were lies because the Bible didn't mention these things. The big difference today is the Bible-literalists outnumber the "Bible-figurativists." I think that might be the reason behind educated people leaving Christianity.

Yes, the Pope is a good Christian man in spite of being disrespected and treated like a political football by our President.

Honestly, the Pope would swing this country pretty far to the left. You're lucky that Obama really isn't using him a political football.

then why is Islam growing?

Because they're having more children than any other religious group.

Quiverfulls need to work on their PR campaign. The Duggars aren't doing them any favors

My problem with evolution, from a Biblical stand, is that for evolution to occur, death has to occur. Sin brought death into the world, so there really is no way that the Bible and evolution can both be true. In the Bible, man was created after all the animals, but not as a result of an animal evolving. None of the other animals died off before man was created.

I don't pretend to know every single step God took in creating the world. but I trust in the Bible, and evolution cannot be true if the Bible is true.

I admire your faith, but the problem comes when creationism is being forced into the science curriculum.

More proof that there's no oppression of Christians.

I'm surprised that you're not seeing this as Obama giving the pope a chance to convince these people that they're going to hell.

Just like me, if these people are sinning but turn away from their sins and turn to Christ, they aren't going to Hell.

If you are not a practicing Christian, then I fully understand why you don't see how people feel their faith is under attack....

Kind of like how white folks don't think racism is that big of a deal any more....

It's much more of a parallel to white folks who also claim of "White discrimination" and "reverse racism". All structures and arguments for both groups hinge on a structure that rewards both groups for being around. And while both groups are still rewarded for both of these, the rewards aren't nearly as strong. While it's easy to see it as a "loss" or an attack, when considering the context of other religious groups and their plights, it resembles more equality than anything.

Yes, that too. Good point!

Depends on what you mean. If you mean extremist Islamics, then the answer is about lack of education and being forced into service (or watch your whole family get slaughtered if you don't join). This isn't 100% true on all cases. Some are just irritated with US (and others) Foreign Policy in the ME region and want revenge.

How is that proof of anything ..... except that a poorly assembled "theory" which is missing any real key transitory evidence, is "science"?

If Human evolution was true wouldn't we be able to drink sea water since it is most of our planet?

Evolution is based on mutations that stabilize in a species, and those mutations occur every time a DNA is copied. When a child (of any species) is young, those mutation errors add up, so they have a higher chance of changing the animal. For humans our mutations have mostly stabilized into things like eye color, skin color, etc. Mostly benign and harmless But no one has to die for someone to get blue eyes. All they have to do is have a child who has them. That is creating life, not death.

The Bible in some respects holds up incredibly well, contrary to some belief. I believe the Creation story to be one of them, by taking into account that Moses and the Israelites weren't going to understand genetic change and allele frequency. If you take the story as one in which it was written in the understanding of the time, I think it does more to support both Evolution *AND* God than merely forcing a literal slant on the text. Things like evolution and the big bang slide in *fairly nicely* into the creation story if put into the context of humanities knowledge of the time period.

Outside of kvetching on tumblr and twitter, who is exactly attacking Christianity? Or more succinctly, who is attacking Christianity with the weight to do anything about it? The legislative branch is controlled by a political party where 75% of the representatives identify as Christian. The minority party has Christians in over 50% of their representatives. The president of the US has proclaimed to be a Christian. The Supreme Court has had a Protestant Christian majority in its entire history until 5 years ago, where now the majority religion is Roman Catholic. Still Christian. That's 3 out of 3 branches...

Outside of the general observation that Christians love to feel persecuted (maybe it makes you feel closer to Jesus? I dunno), where is the proof that this is actually happening? Claiming that non Christians can't see it is NOT evidence that Christians are at risk of going to jail as Mike Huckabee tried to spin it.

The comparison to white folks and racism is unrelated, although interestingly correlated. That majority party where 3/4 of its reps are Christian also tried to claim that racism ended with Rosa Parks...

You need to go back to school if you think a scientific theory is conjecture.

Sea mammals get their water from the food they eat actually. Some may drink salt water in a pinch (hehe) but it's not common. Seals will eat snow to get fresh water, and some sea mammals will only drink from fresh water sources.

So they didn't evolve either, who da thunk it.

However, we see mutations all the time, that die off. We see a dog with an extra leg, but there are not a lot of 5 legged dogs running around. Further, I have read that a lot of mutations and cross breeding of types of animals often create sterile offspring, and die off quickly.

Further, if "useful" mutations bring about changes in types and kinds of animals, then why don't we really see any examples of mutations being carried over from generation to generation today? An animal with 3 eyes would seem to have an advantage, yet we don't see this trait carries on.

As far as changes in kinds of animals ..... a fish becoming a frog, becoming a mammal ..... that is a ton of changes, in almost every organ of the body, that all have to be carried onward.

I just have not seen any real evidence of changes in kind.

Even Darwin himself said that the problem with his own theory is a lack of transitional forms. We have seen some that "could be" transitional ... but just as easily might not be.

Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight!

1 Corinthians 3:18
Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become "fools" so that you may become wise.

Proverbs 3:7
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.

Proverbs 26:12,16 See you a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool

Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Just a few verses for those who consider themselves wise bro. As for me I will just remain stupid