Poor Jesus. After going to all the trouble of throwing the Money Lenders out of the temple, now he has to deal with cretins like Rush Limbaugh who think that the church founded in his name is beholden to secular profiteers and godless corporations.
How else could Limbaugh explain his opinion that the Catholic church would be lost “If it weren’t for capitalism?” It is astonishing that the people who most aggressively impose their religious beliefs on others, who demand that the whole of society celebrate their holidays and insist that their values be codified into law and school curriculum, these people seem to have the shallowest grasp of the faith they profess. And Limbaugh is not alone in his Adoration of Greed. A few years ago Bill O’Reilly said on his Fox News program that…
“Every company in America should be on its knees thanking Jesus for being born. Without Christmas, most American businesses would be far less profitable.”
O’Reilly actually believes that this country should be grateful that Jesus came along because the holiday commemorating his birth is such a boon to businesses. Now that’s the Christmas Spirit, isn’t it.
Limbaugh’s tirade was sparked by a recent paper authored by Pope Francis that articulated a version of Christianity wherein a moral society cared for the least of its citizens. He explicitly repudiated Republican values like “trickle-down economics” and preached that economic “inequality is the root of social ills.” That is the sort of talk that unhinges right-wingers whose greatest fear is to be lumped in with the unclean masses who, ironically, are the producers and consumers of the goods their businesses peddle.
All of this comports with the Christian hypocrite dogma spewed by political hacks who are only trying to exploit people who follow Christ’s teachings. These pundi-vangelists couldn’t care less about faith or service. However, the Republican Party shares something in common with the worst aspects of the Christian church. They are both trying to sell stories on faith to ill-informed people who are motivated by fear. But these religious scam artists are only concerned with their own welfare. They have no real compassion or generosity. Their tunnel-blind self-interest is a stark affirmation of the wisdom of the revered Catholic Dom Helder Camara, Archbishop of Recife, who said…
“When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.”
Racist Limpballs adheres to the ideology of supply side jesus and the Piss Down Your Back and tell you it’s Raining Economic Prosperity of the anti-human, let’em die, kill the poor, guardians of Plutocracy and Vulture Capitalists.
I’m just surprised he found time in his day to stop dreaming about raping Sandra Fluke and attack the Pope.
For his sanity hath died for our sins…
Didn’t Dimbulb say there wasn’t any such thing as “unfettered capitalism”? Now, here he is defending it. Shocking, isn’t it.
Not to be too picky but “shares something in common with” is redundant. Otherwise great insights as always, Mark.
It was good to hear the Pope mention trickle-down economics by name as being the failure that it is! He didn’t dance around the subject he just came out and called it for what it is-bullshit economics.
Trickle-down economics is not economics – it’s a political term used to attack supply side economics or some other economic system you/libs don’t like. Trickle down is a broad characterization – he could be communist you know, if he supported that, would you jump on board? Can you think for yourself or do you just wait for the next famous person to say something you like to jump on the bandwagon.
You really need to study up on trickle-down economics. It is not some vague political term as you erroneously believe, and it is not the same thing as supply-side economics. And as for this:
>Can you think for yourself or do you just wait for the next famous person to say something you like to jump on the bandwagon.
I think you just described Rush’s dittoheads (and anyone watches and believes Fox News).
So are you suggesting Voodoo economics is an economic system too – it was also used GHW Bush to describe supply side economics. Are you suggesting also that Pope Francis is a political supporter of the democrat party? I don’t think this pope has taken a side as you suggest – he just takes the side of the people against human greed – which is an individual trait, not a collective one. Nice try goof, trickle down is a political description created by politicians, which may be why you hold on to it as that is all you know.
The pope is a supporter of Jesus’ teachings and the example of his life. If that resembled liberal thinking more than the GOP, so be it. It isn’t progressives and liberals shooting people AND CHILDREN down in America… it is the conservative religious hater mongers whose stated aim is to replace democracy and the constitution with religious fanaticism and biblical punishment. Theocracy.. the very thing the founders were protecting us from. The GOP and corporate cash has trashed our government.. well, we are taking it back. You seem to amuse yourself by insulting people and showing off how clever you think you are, Steve. Little kids do that because they don’t know any better. In adults it is rather repulsive and completely unecessary – if you have a real point to make that is ..
Mark, looks like this pope is your new best friend. You like to use what he says when you interpret his words to support your positions. When will you use the Catholic church’s position on abortion (pro life) and/or it’s opposition to birth control except for natural family planning? Didn’t you actually take a position against the catholic church once when this president took his position on birth control being required as part of the ACA. You’re a mess – hate Rush Limbaugh for whatever reasons you feel necessary, but stop acting like you have some moral superiority over him or anyone else that doesn’t think like you do. The church also teaches free will – why don’t you let people exercise that free will and be as bad or as good as they want to be. Maybe you can start a new moral majority with the state as your god.
As usual, you ignored every point I made and, instead, lamely tried to psychoanalyze me (a vocation for which I’m pretty sure you’re not qualified). Are you completely unable to make a substantive, on-topic response?
By the way, your knowledge of Christian teaching is severely flawed. The church does NOT teach people to exercise free will. It teaches people that God gave them free will, but that good Christians will submit to the will of God instead. The whole point of religion is to make people resist their own free will if they want to please God and be saved.
Actually, I did not ignore your point, you made it in way you always do, pick and choose pieces you can use to justify your position while, in this case, ignoring the fact that the catholic church believes so much that is wholly opposite your beliefs, but easily ignored to score attack points on someone you hate.
With respect to free will – you somehow managed to say we have free will but at the same time we don’t – not sure how that is possible.
I can’t stop laughing. Your explanation for why you think you didn’t ignore my points is an admission that you ignored my points. You don’t like the points I made so you raise others.
Also you admit that you don’t understand free will in Christianity, even after I explained it in the simplest form possible. Your so funny.
Steve, on some level I think you are trying to understand; however, as you live in York, PA… you are surrounded by Rush groupthink. So I applaud your efforts. I will address one point you make regarding the Catholic Church’s position on abortion. It is against it. Everyone is against abortions! There is a bizarre myth that some love and want abortions! Nonsense! Abortions are a tragedy. Even those who support a woman’s right to choose are not promoting abortions! The focus is now and always has been on preventing abortions first and foremost in the right to Choose community. This is the common ground we should all be able to focus on and build from. I hope that there are only a very small (infinitesimal!) number of wackos who can’t see this as the common ground we all want to promote! Looking for the common ground and building together from there is the way of Christ. Focusing on the argument and division is the way of Satan. All my best to you, Mark & Steve!
Oh, in other words Free Will.
Steve is a TROLL and unpleasant to boot. Ignoring him will save this debate a lot of time and irritation.k Besides, it is obvious he doesn’t actually understand what he is talking about.
Mark, this ‘Steve in New York’ is an obvious Rush Limbaugh kind of idiot! He has nothing useful to say, and does not offer any different interpretation of the Popes declaration! Also, I didn’t see that you were claiming the Pope supported the point of view of the Democratic party; but you definitely do show statements from the Pope that are echoed in the policies of the Democratic party!
The problem with Right wing idiots is that they have declared themselves the Righteous followers of Christianity,while having completely obliterated the teachings of Jesus from their belief systems! The Pope is only reiterating the very.things written in the New Testament that are directly attributed to Jesus! How sad! I don’t know why you even bothering to respond to ‘Steve in New York’, as it isn’t worth your time! He has no valid contradictions to what you or Rush Limbaugh have said; and only seems to seek to insult and ridicule you personally! That is such a “Sarah Palin’ method of using insults to hide lack of intellectual comprehension of the topic!
You’re quite right. Most of the time I don’t respond to such trolls. But every now and then I’ll respond, either because I’m in a weird mood, or because sometimes I like to feed the trolls. I find it useful to have examples of wingnut logic I can point to.
Should have read further down before I wrote…. Susan says it better than I did and I am made redundant… Nice here, but I am going because I already agree with the general tone.. except for the troll from York…
Limbaugh is a moron and should just be ignored. He is slowly but surely going extinct as less and less people are paying attention to him
ah the “fat Oxycontin popping Viagra eating sex touring” Tea Turd GOP spokesman speaks….
Flush Rush’s Bust! http://www.change.org/petitions/flush-rush-limbaugh-s-bust-remove-the-rush-limbaugh-bust-from-missouri-s-state-capitol
Hi Mark- This isn’t connected to the article but since you mentioned TROLLS, thought I would put it out. Yesterday I went slumming. Fox news posted a story out of Lawrence, Kansas about a woman who would regularly bring the homeless into her house. To feed and let them stay occasionally for a few days. Seemed like a story that AATP would post, so I went in. Good human interest story. She was told by the City Commision that she needed a permit to continue doing what she was doing. Story is good, the problem is in the 4,000 or so responses to the story. Around 10 percent of respondents blamed Obama for this travesty. Ignoring that it was a local commision who made the decision and being Lawrence Kansas, it is most likely that the commision is republican. This shows me that these trolls don’t need much prodding from tea-billie pundits. They are ready to believe lies that they make up themselves.
That guy on MSNBC says an insulting remark about Sarah Palen and gets gets a flury of critisism, apologises but is kicked off the Network anyway. Rush Lumbargh the stinking gorella says insulting remarks such as the above, on the air every day, never apologises for anything, and the head of SIRUS pats him on the back and calls him ”King”. (This is why I will never subscribe to satalite radio.) Please don’t tell me the CEO’s who run the media are mot biased.
We had a ”Stop Beck” campagn to get him off the air, It is high time to start a ”Stop Rush” canpagn.
how do we get a petition going to get rid of Rush, like they did with the similar, (but not quite as perverted as Rush), Glen Beck?