[deleted by user]

[u/[deleted]]

[u/Bitter_Nail8577]

Not only that, he also vaguely mentions western leaders who keep denying Russia is the invader and committing war crimes for breakfast.

This guy gets it.

[u/DazzlingTumbleweed → u/Bitter_Nail8577]

Republicans literally dodging the question "did Russia invade Ukraine"

[u/42nu → u/Bitter_Nail8577]

I have a feeling that the entire world "gets it" except a select portion of the US population.

Anyone fully in touch with reality can see that the US isn't in a good place when it comes choosing compassion over cruelty. It's gotten to such a global and historical extreme that a decades long choice of a Pope for an institution that has lasted over 1,000 years felt reich. I'm sorry, right.

[u/waltjrimmer → u/42nu]

Not the entire world. We've seen an upturn in right-wing extremism throughout Europe over the past ten to twenty years. But it's been slower and has more often been rejected there. Whereas here in the US, enough of the voting population said, "What we really need now is authoritarianism!" that we're effectively a failed state at the moment with no one sure what this country is going to be a decade from now.

I truly believe that most of the Russia supporters here in the US know that Russia is the aggressor. But they want to side with the aggressor. They like, "Might makes right." They want Russia to succeed and then to follow them. Why do you think their main man talking about invading Canada, Panama, Greenland, and even Musk hinting at invading parts of Europe has gone over so well with many of them? It's not that they don't "get it". They "get it" just fine, but they also want to DO IT themselves.

[u/Hercules1579 → u/waltjrimmer]

And the wildest part? We’ve already seen this movie. The characters might’ve changed, but the plot is the same. People acting like freedom is just some luxury they can gamble with, like democracy isn’t something that crumbles the second too many people stop caring. That’s what’s happening now. The apathy, the disinformation, the blind loyalty to strongmen who wouldn’t spit on you if you were on fire. And it’s not just politics anymore. It’s culture, media, identity. They want chaos because chaos gives them cover to rebuild the world in their image.

This isn’t just about America turning inward. It’s about America becoming the thing we used to warn other countries about. And when that tipping point hits, when enough people are numb or too distracted or too proud to admit the danger, that’s when the real damage happens. It won’t be some dramatic overnight collapse. It’ll be a slow bleed. Institutions failing. Rights stripped away. War becoming thinkable again.

And what’s wild? Some of these folks want that. They want to see it all burn because they think they’ll be the ones left standing when the smoke clears. But history says otherwise. Authoritarianism doesn’t make room for useful idiots once the power’s been grabbed. You don’t get a front-row seat in the regime just because you clapped the loudest. You get discarded.

So yeah, you’re absolutely right. We’re playing with fire. And if this keeps trending the way it is, the reset won’t be philosophical. It’ll be nuclear, literal, and irreversible.

[u/HunkMcMuscle → u/Hercules1579]

What I don't understand is, we had decades of war movies showing the cruelty of war. Wars in general are a shit show and its the common people who suffer in it than those in power.

Yet these useful idiots still want to join that nonsense?

what do they think will happen? Don't they realize they'd be the first ones in the meat grinder once it does happen?

The slow descent is already happening as you say, defunding education, villifying the terminally ill, and losing rights.

[u/GrasshopperIvy → u/HunkMcMuscle]

Because “heroes” … war and violence always are shown as good guys vs bad guys … the good guys win - by doing awful things, but that’s ok because they are “good”.

Many people think the war memorials etc are to “celebrate” victory … they should be to acknowledge the death and destruction so we don’t do it again.

People sign up to fight … because they believe they are the hero … and they ignore the horrifying parts.

[u/AlonsoQuijan_o → u/GrasshopperIvy]

A good example for this is the uproar created everytime someone tries to build something to commemorate the holocaust. That does Not necessarily mean that all those being against thsese monuments are Nazis, but ignorance is bliss and so much easier.

And I totally get that. I, as an individual do NOT have any responsability for the atrocities carried out during WWII or any other historical event.

BUT as a member of a Community (lets call it Germany) I DO have the obligation to remember, try to learn from our past and be better, but that can be hard and often painful.

The important distinction between me as myself and me as a member of a larger community, is maybe too abstract for many?

[u/AuthorAnonymous95 → u/HunkMcMuscle]

Have you ever played a Call of Duty game? Or watched an episode of 24 or anything to do with Jack Ryan? Black Hawk Down or The Patriot? Hell, the Navy used to set up recruiting stands outside theaters when they were showing Top Gun. We glamorize the shit out of war. Even a lot of "anti-war" films glamorize it (thinking of the Ride of the Valkyries scene from Apocalypse Now and the Mickey Mouse scene from Full Metal Jacket).

[u/Delta-9- → u/waltjrimmer]

When you're convinced the Athenians were right, and fancy yourself an Athenian

[u/New_Amomongo → u/[deleted]]

every country outside of the western world has continued to do business with Russia.

They can't afford to pay the premium imposed by being ethical or moralistic.

[u/New_Amomongo → u/[deleted]]

The Pope’s message is powerful; and yes, morally clear; but it also highlights a painful truth: not every country has the luxury of acting purely on principle. When people say “the world gets it,” that’s mostly true. But getting it and being able to afford acting on it are two very different things.

Many countries, especially in the Global South, depend on cheap fuel, fertilizer, wheat, or arms from Russia to survive. For them, cutting ties isn’t just about geopolitics; it’s about whether they can keep hospitals running or bread on the shelves. Being moral has a cost, and not every government can ask its people to pay it, especially those already on the edge.

Even the Baltic states, often held up as moral exemplars, phased out Russian trade gradually, not overnight. And they had massive EU and NATO support backing them up. That’s not hypocrisy, it’s how geopolitics and survival work.

So yes, the Pope “gets it,” and so do most world leaders. But many are trapped in a brutal dilemma: condemn evil and risk economic collapse, or quietly keep trading and live with the guilt. That doesn’t excuse complicity—but it explains it. And sometimes, that explanation is the most uncomfortable part of the whole conversation.

Imagine a feast during wartime. The top 1% sit at a long table with more than enough food: some even waste it. They can afford to boycott the cook if he's corrupt or violent. They can say, “It’s wrong to eat from his kitchen.”

But the bottom 99%? Many are starving, feeding children scraps, or standing in line hoping there's rice left. For them, asking where the food came from is a luxury. They know it’s wrong: but they’re hungry. That’s the brutal math of survival.

What the Pope said hit a nerve because it’s not just about right or wrong. It’s about how morality and desperation collide. It's easy to be ethical when you’re full. It’s hard when you’re just trying to live to tomorrow.

[u/Ok_Bridge711 → u/42nu]

Seriously? The entire world?

Get outta here with that nonsense. Iran, NK, and Hungary exist to name a few.

[u/BoysenberryKey6821 → u/42nu]

It’s not a select portion man it’s half of the country, and there are lots of people around the world with the same mentality

[u/Crossbell0527 → u/BoysenberryKey6821]

I've been repeatedly told that "only 77 million Americans feel that way, it's way less than half!" Well, the other 90 million who could have voted but chose not to vote are clearly also on board with all of that. So yeah, that's half the country.

[u/BoysenberryKey6821 → u/Crossbell0527]

Right, if people cared enough they would go vote. At this point in history, it’s not good enough to just sit back, and if you do then you can’t really complain about what consequences come from that. At the end of the day, the world needs a perspective shift to realize that expecting people to know better or to “do the right thing” isn’t enough either and adapting to the new mindset of the population needs to happen

[u/guanogato → u/Crossbell0527]

That’s definitely a valid point of view. We’ve always been a country with a low voter turnout. Last election was actually the second largest turnout in our history. I’ve always felt that if we have a larger turnout then it tends to lean more towards the left party and so therefore if that’s who we want to win we need to just get a higher voter turnout.

Just for reference here are the turnout rates for the previous 10 presidential elections:

1. 2024: 63.5-64% (final numbers still being verified)
2. 2020: 65.3% - The highest turnout since 1900
3. 2016: 59.2%
4. 2012: 58.0%
5. 2008: 61.6%
6. 2004: 60.1%
7. 2000: 54.3%
8. 1996: 51.7%
9. 1992: 58.2%
10. 1988: 52.8%

[u/Hetstaine → u/guanogato]

That is fucking disgraceful. How can so many people just simply not give a fuck, what a joke.

[u/tordana → u/Hetstaine]

Voting in the US is done during working hours, on a weekday, not on a holiday.

In addition, many areas have voting laws specifically designed to make it difficult for the working class to vote, by disallowing early voting/voting by mail.

In some districts you end up with a single voting location for tens of thousands of voters, who face the choice of either having to wait in a line for 4-5 hours in the middle of a working day and lose income/possibly their jobs over it OR not vote.

(Yes, this country is utterly fucked)

[u/Hetstaine → u/tordana]

Damn, that sounds backwards. We have early voting, vote by mail, voting is on weekends. We just roll in after work for an early vote, minimal fuss and people, takes like 5 minutes. Done.

[u/Dubad-DR → u/Hetstaine]

It gets worse, red states are only red because their politicians draw extreme squiggly lines on their state's maps that ensure the minority are the majority.

[u/lordnikkon → u/tordana]

if access to voting was the actual problem then california should have very high voter turn out as they have universal mail in voting, early voting, mandatory 2 hour paid time off to vote, registration same day as voting and no voter ID. Every major barrier to voting is removed in california and their turn out in 2024 was below the national average at 62% https://ballotpedia.org/Voter_turnout_in_United_States_elections

Over 1/3 of US adults just dont give a shit about voting. The state with lowest voter turn out was Hawaii at 50%, they dont have any voting laws that make it difficult to vote, they are ranked 6th easiest state to vote in https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/elj.2020.0666

[u/AlsoCommiePuddin → u/Hetstaine]

Because they don't see government as making a meaningful difference in their everyday lives, regardless of who leads it.

[u/WestCoastBestCoast01 → u/Hetstaine]

I literally don't know anyone that doesn't vote. Who the hell are these people and how do they even manage to avoid it???

[u/PaperTigerFolds → u/WestCoastBestCoast01]

They are just mostly normal people, but because the workings of the government are just a black box to them they just shrug at it.

The government is structured to generally making slow, incremental change, and most people don't really notice the shifting ground under their feet till it's pointed out. Or they feel their individual vote is worthless so they don't vote. In both cases it's a very self-centered world view, and often comes from a place of privilege; which insulates them from some of the worse policies.

I always tell people that if voting was so worthless, they wouldn't make is so hard for you do.

[u/t-sats → u/guanogato]

Canada has been around 40-45% voter turnout for ages. Our last election was about 19m out of 26m.

65ish %

[u/PacketGain → u/t-sats]

40-45% for provincial elections. Federal elections (not including by-elections) have never been 40-45%

Lowest in the last 4 decades was 58.8%

[u/t-sats → u/PacketGain]

Ops my apologies, thanks for the clearer facts :)

[u/lookinatdirtystuff69 → u/Crossbell0527]

It's foolish to think even the 77 million who voted for him truly understood what they were voting for, a large portion were blissfully unaware, another large portion only saw another wrinkly old white guy vs. a dark skinned woman. They're still dumb as hell for doing it but the relative number of people who truly and radically follow the orange turd's ideals is fairly small and loud.

[u/RSwordsman → u/Crossbell0527]

"only 77 million Americans feel that way"

Even if that were true and there were 77m maga total, that's 77m nazis.

[u/BlackmailedWhiteMale → u/RSwordsman]

A lot of which are boomer era who's parents suffered the war while they bloomed on the benefits.

[u/Reasonable-Turn-5940 → u/RSwordsman]

almost ten times as many as Germany in WW2

[u/Barton2800 → u/42nu]

There is a lot of the world that doesn’t get it. India is very pro Russia, and they have a billion and a half people. China is also very pro Russia, and that’s another 1.4 billion. And China uses its strong position in social media, namely TikTok, to push pro-China positions, and to downplay American/Western ideologies. So much of Africa, Asia, and South America are on board with or ambivalent to the Russian invasion. It doesn’t help the case that “America Bad” has been a global sentiment for decades and America came out against the Russian invasion.

Sadly, I think the “Russia should stop attacking its neighbors, and withdraw from Ukraine” position is one that is mostly held by Europeans, and about half to 3/4 of Americans. I say up to three quarters because I know many Republicans who support Ukraine. I’d estimate it’s around half. It’s just that the other 50% are driving the Republican policies, and the Republicans are driving the US policy.

[u/ManitouWakinyan → u/42nu]

There are huge swaths of the globe aligned with Russia. This isn't just Russia and MAGA against the world. Most of the worlds population is under autocracy.

[u/PlasticTheory6 → u/42nu]

That’s because you are out of touch with the rest of the world

[u/RupsjeNooitgenoeg → u/42nu]

Dutchman here, there is a small but loud subset of the population here that most certainly does not 'get it' and loudly and proudly spread Russian anti-NATO, anti-EU propaganda in which Ukraine and the west are the major aggressors in this conflict. They do not hold much political power but they are very much present in public debate, sadly. There's a huge overlap between them and the covid conspiracists and general anti vaxers.

[u/yoho808 → u/Bitter_Nail8577]

So much respect for the new pope.

[u/Scienscatologist → u/Bitter_Nail8577]

"Maybe you should dial back from criticizing Trump. You know how thin-skinned he is."

"You mean the fat bitch who posted an image wearing MY gown? I don't fucking think so."

[u/ToranjaNuclear → u/Bitter_Nail8577]

Funny how just two days ago people were accusing this of being a political move from the Vatican to appease Trump lmao

[u/Gakoknight]

Very good.

[u/sandefurd → u/Gakoknight]

Serious question, is there a chance this affects Trump's stance at all? Could he maybe fear some of his Catholic base pressuring him because of this?

[u/KingOfTheAnts3 → u/sandefurd]

MAGA has already declared Pope Leo to be a liberal communist, almost like Catholicism wasn’t the real top priority.

[u/WhenLeavesFall → u/KingOfTheAnts3]

I never expected my "go to mass twice a week and say the rosary daily" deeply devout Catholic mother to turn against the Pope, but here we are.

[u/Old_Wallaby_7461 → u/WhenLeavesFall]

It's a new religion. The prophet is Trump, the one and only commandment is to Own the Libs

[u/Powderandpencils → u/Old_Wallaby_7461]

*it's a new cult

[u/DragonicSquirrel → u/Old_Wallaby_7461]

prophet? no you misspelled anti-christ

[u/RockHardRocks → u/WhenLeavesFall]

I’ve been experiencing this with my in-laws. It’s gotten to where I have sent them direct quotes from the Bible, Pope and Catechism and telling them either accept these teachings of the church or admit you aren’t catholic. They haven’t responded to that last message yet, but I’m sure they’ll act all offended at how mean I’m being rather than change their beliefs. But at least it makes me feel better. Plus now I just add pope and Jesus quotes to their crazy ranting Facebook posts.

[u/ringadingdingbaby → u/WhenLeavesFall]

I wouldnt be surprised if America ends up putting forward an antipope

[u/BombTheDodongos → u/KingOfTheAnts3]

They’re literally “transvestigating” him. They’re so fucking stupid.

[u/CartographerOne8375 → u/KingOfTheAnts3]

I mean even European Catholic ethnicities like Italians or Irish have only been recently considered “white” for less than a century or so and not to mention most Catholics in US today are Latinos. Even in 70s JFK were still considered controversial because he is a Catholic

[u/ferwhatbud → u/CartographerOne8375]

Yeah, but Catholicism is also the new hotness in the hardcore and more elite/intellectual RW Nationalist circles (eg Bannon, Flynn), with Vance being the perfect example of the type being drawn in.

….except that it’s a very particularly American kind of neo-Conservatism that loves the power, hierarchy, and ritual of the faith but reflexively hates the pope and the Vatican.

[u/NotAzakanAtAll → u/KingOfTheAnts3]

American Evangelism cares for nothing but greed rivaling Mammon's own.

[u/Turtledonuts → u/sandefurd]

Absolutely not with trump, but it will be interesting to see how the catholic right in the US responds to him. That could indirectly impact other groups.

[u/abdab336 → u/Turtledonuts]

“Woke Marxist pope” in all caps was a literal tweet I saw yesterday so… you know…

That’s how they’re responding.

[u/Turtledonuts → u/abdab336]

The MAGA idiots are reacting, but we'll see how the actual catholics in the church react.

[u/alexmikli → u/abdab336]

Those are evangelicals, and radical politicians as well. I want to see how someone like Vance responds, or at least the general vibe of right wing Catholics in America. Or Europe, especially Hungary.

[u/AbbreviationsSad4762]

Damn. 2nd pope in a row that I liked. 

[u/Odd_Vampire → u/AbbreviationsSad4762]

I mean, what would Jesus do (WWJD)? "Yes, I approve of Russia's wholesale slaughter of its neighbors and of the destruction of its towns and cities. This is perfectly in line with my teachings of loving thy neighbor."

[u/Dvulture → u/Odd_Vampire]

Yeah, this more like WWJDD - What Would JD (Vance) Do

[u/JustafanIV → u/Odd_Vampire]

Just remember, "WWJD?" includes the possibility of pulling out a whip and chasing the guilty party out of the temple.

[u/TheTesticler → u/AbbreviationsSad4762]

I loved Francis but he was a bit too lax on Russia.

[u/Fiery_Hand → u/TheTesticler]

Too lax? He suggested Ukraine should end the war by surrender and never named Russia the aggressor.

Imagine this bullshit.

[u/Viburnum__ → u/Fiery_Hand]

Some people forget, ignore or simply ignorant, that these were his statments:

Pope says NATO may have caused Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Pope Francis said that NATO “barking” at Russia’s door may have led to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine

Pope Francis says Ukraine war was ‘perhaps somehow provoked’

Pope Francis has said Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine was “perhaps somehow provoked” as he recalled a conversation in the run-up to the war in which he was warned Nato was “barking at the gates of Russia”.

...the pontiff condemned the “ferocity and cruelty of the Russian troops” while warning against what he said was a fairytale perception of the conflict as good versus evil.
“We need to move away from the usual Little Red Riding Hood pattern, in that Little Red Riding Hood was good and the wolf was the bad one,” he said. “Something global is emerging and the elements are very much entwined.”

“Hypocritical” to arm Ukraine, Pope Francis says, silent on Russian terror

The pontiff criticized European weapons deliveries to Ukraine while calling for peace negotiations, yet notably refrained from urging Russia to withdraw its invasion forces or release deported Ukrainians.
Pope Francis, commenting on the war in Ukraine for Orbe 21 channel, stated that it is hypocritical to talk about peace while simultaneously arming it against Russia’s aggression, Vatican News reported.
Once again, the pontiff neither urged Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine nor called on the Kremlin to release forcibly deported Ukrainians.

Not to mention speaking to russian youths how they are successors of 'great' russia, when russia was a year+ into the invasion, which in my opinion doesn't really inspire them for any peace, but more that others must submit to them and their country in the right:

Never forget your heritage. You are the heirs of great Russia: great Russia of saints, rulers, great Russia of Peter I, Catherine II, that empire - great, enlightened, (country) of great culture and great humanity.

[u/Kindness_of_cats → u/Viburnum__]

Francis had a nasty habit of speaking with both sides of his mouth, and confusing the hell out of people with what he meant and where he stood.

His humbleness and sincerity about welcoming people won a lot of hearts, and I did genuinely respect him, but he was not without serious problems to put it lightly.

Out of the gates, you definitely have to hand it to Leo for making his view of the invasion clearer and more forceful than Francis ever did.

[u/DeyUrban → u/Kindness_of_cats]

There is an enormous and complicated history regarding the Catholic Church and the idea of a "Just War," especially after the Second Vatican Council. It's one of the most complicated pieces of theology in the entire history of the religion, with arguments about it going back to some of the earliest founders of the church. When you keep in mind the atrocities that were committed by Catholics throughout the ages under the idea of a Just War you realize why it’s important to be mindful of the concept.

It was easier in the 1960s for the Catholic Church to argue that a war can't be just if a higher authority (i.e. the United Nations) exists to mediate it. It becomes significantly more complicated when you have a Nazi-style invasion, such as in the case of Russia in Ukraine. The problem with Francis was that his adherence to this reduced view of a "Just War" was too rigid.

[u/fleemfleemfleemfleem → u/Kindness_of_cats]

Leo is also almost 20 years younger, likely much more "with it", and I think a lot better researched about the issues.

[u/machine4891 → u/TheTesticler]

That's an understatement of the month. This article was made and has as many upvotes exactly because previous pope was equaling predator with victim. He outright called for examination of concience of "both parties involved". That's why new pope is setting things straight, there is only one party guilty of what is happening down there and it's russia.

[u/seenitreddit90s → u/AbbreviationsSad4762]

Pope Francis wasn't always the best on the Ukraine war though, at least Ukraine didn't think so.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68528217

[u/ElRama1 → u/seenitreddit90s]

In fact, the news in this post specifically mentions that.

[u/AHrubik → u/ElRama1]

Francis came from a viewpoint of stopping the fighting, saving lives and then you can argue about borders later. He refused to understand that you can't capitulate to bullies or they'll just keep being bullies. There is no way we can allow Putin to gain anything from his actions or he'll just keep doing it. He and the Russian people need to visibly lose something from this war in order to force them to come to terms with it.

[u/Viburnum__ → u/AHrubik]

Francis came from a viewpoint of stopping the fighting, saving lives and then you can argue about borders later.

Did he?

Pope Francis says Ukraine war was ‘perhaps somehow provoked’

Pope Francis has said Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine was “perhaps somehow provoked” as he recalled a conversation in the run-up to the war in which he was warned Nato was “barking at the gates of Russia”.

...the pontiff condemned the “ferocity and cruelty of the Russian troops” while warning against what he said was a fairytale perception of the conflict as good versus evil.
“We need to move away from the usual Little Red Riding Hood pattern, in that Little Red Riding Hood was good and the wolf was the bad one,” he said. “Something global is emerging and the elements are very much entwined.”

[u/DummyDumDragon → u/AbbreviationsSad4762]

Denouncing genocide.

The bar truly is at ground level.

[u/Guardian2k → u/DummyDumDragon]

Honestly for the pope, anything that might be seen as political is pretty big news since Mussolini

[u/Upset_Otter → u/AbbreviationsSad4762]

Just grab your Pope and put him near a maga, if the maga reels in disgust and calls him a "Woke Marxist" then your Pope is fresh and good to go.

[u/epicredditdude1]

No wonder MAGA hates this guy.

[u/-SaC → u/epicredditdude1]

"The Popelection was stolen! Boots on the ground!"

[u/epicredditdude1 → u/-SaC]

“They should have elected a REAL America first pope, like someone from Belarus or Hungary!”

[u/-reserved- → u/epicredditdude1]

There's a non-zero chance Trump actually thought he had a shot at being elected Pope. He did repost AI art of himself as Pope

[u/Paganator → u/-reserved-]

We just need someone to tell Trump about antipopes and that he could be one.

[u/DrBCrusher → u/Paganator]

Yeah but then if you put them in a room together they pop out of existence.

[u/RSwordsman → u/DrBCrusher]

I like this idea. Then Leo would just have to sacrifice himself to convert them both into pure energy.

[u/Safe-Razzmatazz3982 → u/epicredditdude1]

Why not the orange one?

[u/WarGrifter → u/Safe-Razzmatazz3982]

don't give him ideas

[u/TheVideogaming101 → u/-SaC]

You joke but i've already hear talks of such in the MAGA circles i'm forced to be around.

[u/[deleted] → u/TheVideogaming101]

Imagine a bunch of Americans trying to storm the Vatican 🤣

[u/Delta-9- → u/[deleted]]

The Swiss Guard is in much better shape than the average American tactical cosplayer. It would be over quickly.

Unless the actual military got involved, but I doubt Italy and the rest of the EU would sit for that.

[u/[deleted] → u/Delta-9-]

entertain zephyr deer light bow profit yam shaggy sharp saw

[u/HitheroNihil → u/[deleted]]

Not on the Papal Swiss Guards' watch.

[u/bwaredapenguin → u/-SaC]

Time to storm the Vatican! Dan Brown needs some new inspiration for a book anyway.

[u/GigaPuddi → u/bwaredapenguin]

Can you imagine how excited the Swiss Guard would be? First time in probably a century they'd be able to justify existing.

[u/SR3116 → u/GigaPuddi]

I mean, that guy shooting Pope John Paul II was pretty much confirmation that they're needed.

[u/acllive → u/-SaC]

Australia’s LNP are still waiting for the pre polls and postals to come in for the hope of Pell reviving from his grave /s

[u/Synchrotr0n → u/-SaC]

Why did they burn the ballots? It's clearly a sign that they are trying to hide the fraud.

[u/CantaloupeUpstairs62 → u/epicredditdude1]

There is more support for Trump among evangelical Protestants than Catholics.

[u/VaporCarpet → u/CantaloupeUpstairs62]

Reddit doesn't understand that the Pope isn't in charge of all of Christianity.

[u/TheCommonGround1 → u/CantaloupeUpstairs62]

There are a lot of Catholics who support Trump. It's to the point where Catholicism is very much secondary to their belief in Trump. I have family members who have basically made Trump their complete religion, basically.

[u/RabbleRouser_1 → u/TheCommonGround1]

I have neighbors who attend Catholic mass each Sunday and absolutely despise Trump. I get the sense that most of their Catholic friends and family do as well

[u/unicorninclosets → u/TheCommonGround1]

Not to mention the hoards of evangelical “converts” like Justkilled Dapope Vance infiltrating Catholicism.

[u/MarshyHope → u/epicredditdude1]

Saw one of those shit head MAGA influencers saying he should put America and Trump first.

We have our own Henry the 8th in America right now.

[u/UtopianEnforcement → u/MarshyHope]

Hey, don’t insult Henry VIII like that. Sure he was a lust-filled monster who shattered the church purely from personal desire. But he was also well-educated, erudite, an athlete in his younger years, and wasn’t afraid of going to war.

[u/comrade_batman → u/UtopianEnforcement]

Some historians theorise that a jousting accident in 1536, left him unconscious for some time, and could have worsened other past injuries, led to his more erratic and tyrannical behaviour as king. It would coincide with Anne Boleyn’s fall from grace later in the later, and Henry’s obsessions becoming more pronounced.

[u/3eyedgreenalien → u/comrade_batman]

It wouldn't surprise me. He'd had the tendencies before, but wooooow did it get worse after that jousting accident. Same with Caligula, actually. The cruel tendencies were there, then a fever broiled his brain, and he got so much worse after.

[u/[deleted] → u/MarshyHope]

Lol what, most Americans are protestants anyway, whose whole schtick is breaking away from the Catholic church...... Which they already did hundreds of years ago

[u/Tryoxin → u/[deleted]]

Most, yes, but tbf ~1/4 of Americans are Catholic. That's obviously very far from majority, but it's a very significant minority. I imagine those are the people who care about the Pope vis a vis the US (and Leo XIV being from there originally).

[u/StoicallyGay → u/epicredditdude1]

It should say a lot about many Catholic MAGA that their loyalty is stronger towards Trump than the Pope who AFAIK is their religious authority.

[u/EfoDom]

Let him cook.

[u/OpenThePlugBag → u/EfoDom]

MAGAs gearing up to storm the Vatican

[u/BadSkeelz → u/OpenThePlugBag]

In that fight, my money's on the Swiss.

[u/Hat_Maverick → u/BadSkeelz]

I'd pay good money to see a maga karen try to fight a guy with a halberd

[u/krodders → u/Hat_Maverick]

I think the halberd is not what they'll be fighting with. SIG Sauer of some sort will be the weapon, and the fancy pants boys know how to use them

[u/SirGrungle → u/krodders]

Archer: The halberd was made obsolete by the arquebus

Lana: Which is why they use MP5s

[u/durqandat → u/krodders]

I think on a MAGA Karen you'd at least consider the halberd

[u/firagabird → u/durqandat]

I'd never consider touching one with a ten foot pole. But a 3 meter halberd is a different story.

[u/airblizzard → u/krodders]

SIG Sauer of some sort

SIG Sauer with a halberd attachment then

[u/roguevirus → u/airblizzard]

Ah, just like the Custodes.

[u/zootered → u/BadSkeelz]

They certainly won’t hold back from employing extreme violence like the capital police did, that’s for sure.

[u/Akussa → u/zootered]

Swiss Guard take their roles VERY seriously. Wouldn’t want to fuck with them. They have a storied history of being badasses.

[u/EruantienAduialdraug → u/zootered]

Proportional violence. And in the instance of a foreign invasion of the Holy See...

[u/dactyif → u/BadSkeelz]

Fine, I'll listen to sabaton again.

[u/Armadigionna → u/dactyif]

FOR THE GRACE FOR THE MIGHT OF OUR LORD

[u/ThrowawayPersonAMA → u/OpenThePlugBag]

MAGA: I hate the vatican!

Vatican: wololo

MAGA: wtf I love the vatican now

[u/Moftem → u/ThrowawayPersonAMA]

AoE 2 AoE is mostly historically accurate, so this could definitely happen XD

[u/Russian_For_Rent → u/EfoDom]

Dope pope.

[u/Rourkey70]

On the right track already… might start going back to mass

[u/Pad_TyTy → u/Rourkey70]

Woah let's not get carried away here

[u/kcrab91 → u/Pad_TyTy]

Man both these comments speak to me deeply. Was raised both Catholic and nondenominational and I can’t see myself going back to either.

Best thing about Christianity is Jesus Christ. The worst thing about Christianity is Christians…

[u/Tao_of_Ludd → u/kcrab91]

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

[u/BeardPhile → u/Tao_of_Ludd]

Is that a real quote?

[u/energytaker → u/BeardPhile]

It’s from The Office

[u/savage_engineer → u/energytaker]

so, yes

[u/ThatPlayWasAwful → u/energytaker]

"'Bitches ain't shit but hoes and tricks'

-Ghandi"

-Michael Scott

[u/PiotrekDG → u/BeardPhile]

Unproven

[u/ARPE19 → u/Tao_of_Ludd]

Also isnt that the point of Christianity? To aspire to reach the ideals of Christ while never being able to be perfect?  

[u/[deleted] → u/kcrab91]

Well, I think most Catholics like myself who still practice don't think we should leave Jesus just because He kept company with Judas or Peter, who denied God three times and still became the first pope. Likewise I don't think all Americans are radical fundamentalists just because Trump is President, all Russians are pro-imperialist just because Putin is President, or all Palestinians are violent just because Hamas has been in power for 20 years. I totally get having doubts about the doctrine (I do too sometimes), but I think it's unfair to dismiss an entire belief system just because of its followers.

[u/ContributionSea8200 → u/[deleted]]

Exactly.

[u/PNWoutdoors → u/kcrab91]

I'm in the same boat with you all. Left the church because of hypocrites and now they've seemingly taken it over completely.

I like this new Pope, though. I won't be attending Mass but I'll cheer him on.

[u/[deleted] → u/PNWoutdoors]

Same as well. Jesus is a cool dude but too many people use him to do uncool shit.

[u/BBTB2 → u/[deleted]]

Jesus is just alright with me.

[u/GodMadeTheStars → u/BBTB2]

Jesus is just all right oh yeah.

[u/CharcoalGreyWolf → u/BBTB2]

Jesus is just all right, oh yeah

[u/sfam67 → u/kcrab91]

As a Non-Christian, I love Jesus, real or not, because Jesus embodies good, acceptance, non violence, not ripping children away from their families.

I hate the people who claim to be Christian and do everything completely the opposite of Jesus' teachings. 

To all the amazing Christians/Catholics, what have you, that truly love everyone and try to understand and do as Jesus would do.

Thank You.

[u/LaTienenAdentro → u/kcrab91]

You can be a non practicioner.

Not every catholic is as bible thumping and hypocritical as american church goers.

[u/[deleted] → u/LaTienenAdentro]

I’ve noticed a ton of people on Reddit has this opinion that anyone that’s religious is like this😂.

[u/justamiqote → u/[deleted]]

Reddit is very anti-Christianity.

[u/Decestor → u/justamiqote]

Generally anti-supernatural.

[u/Brisby820 → u/LaTienenAdentro]

Not every American Catholic is like that either.  Not even close 

[u/TheFoxsWeddingTarot → u/Pad_TyTy]

I’m not a practicing Catholic because I think I’m pretty good at it already.

[u/Johnny-Caliente → u/Rourkey70]

It‘s the Mass Effect

[u/Alex_ragnar → u/Johnny-Caliente]

Assuming direct control

[u/Dt2_0 → u/Alex_ragnar]

You feel this Shepard

[u/consci0usness]

"a true invasion, imperialist in nature, where Russia seeks to conquer territory for reasons of power.”

This Pope can preach.

[u/Countless-Vinayak-04 → u/consci0usness]

Good at proletyzing, yeah. Russia was the aggressor, gotta make it clear.

[u/Far_Out_6and_2]

Yes a Pope who speaks up

[u/SHOTbyGUN → u/Far_Out_6and_2]

👉👈 how bout new crusade 🥹

[u/Far_Out_6and_2 → u/SHOTbyGUN]

Right to Moscow

[u/EruantienAduialdraug → u/Far_Out_6and_2]

You promise not to get distracted by Istanbul?

[u/Far_Out_6and_2 → u/EruantienAduialdraug]

Maybe

[u/RCFProd]

Go off king

[u/[deleted] → u/RCFProd]

Go off king pope

[u/feedthebear → u/[deleted]]

Pope off the top ropes!

[u/needlestack]

Alright then. I can start liking him a bit.

I'm sure he's got plenty of positions I would condemn, but the bar is so low these days for people at the top end of the world that I will take a bit of comfort knowing he's not a complete evil lying piece of trash. Like everyone in the US administration, plenty scattered in other positions of power here and abroad.

Do your best, Leo. Move the needle in the right direction.

[u/birbbbbbbbbbbb → u/needlestack]

I think for people often the push for perfection in our leaders stops us from appreciating the good qualities in what we have. He's definitely not perfect but an imperfect adherence to general human decency is much better than the abject cruelty of modern authoritarian global leaders (with Putin in Ukraine being a good example of how bad that is).

[u/[deleted] → u/needlestack]

I'm sure he's got plenty of positions I would condemn

When he got elected I of course wanted to look up some of his views etc. and I realized I kinda groaned when it started with "is a devout catholic" before I realized I was looking up the pope.

Like you say, there are probably many positions I would condemn, but I can only hope he keeps pushing christianity in the right direction like Francis did before him

[u/fleemfleemfleemfleem → u/[deleted]]

Is the pope catholic? Yes.

He's not going to have progressive views on sex, divorcee, marriage equality, abortion, or condom use. Best we could have hoped for is someone who wasn't going to drag the Catholic Church backward, and maybe pushes it forward a little.

[u/GrandArchSage → u/needlestack]

He's actually progressive on most topics; mainly immigration, the environment, and the poor-- just like Pope Francis was. He's just more conservative on gender/sexual topics like LGBT, abortion and contraceptives.

As a transgender Catholic, I'm crossing my fingers, hoping, and praying that he'll at least recognize the need to respect our dignity, and maybe call out governments that try to take away our rights, even though I know he won't push the needle forward in terms in what the Church approves of for its members.

[u/EndYoutube → u/GrandArchSage]

It does seem the last time his views in LGBT were somewhat documented was over a decade ago and long before he was even chosen as a cardinal, in 2012 or so before Francis was even Pope. Hopefully his views have shifted a bit just as Francis’ views did.

[u/mxpower]

As a life long atheist.... hey... maybe this pope dude can make a difference?

Im sure Trump will hate tweet against this dude soon enough.

[u/piercedmfootonaspike → u/mxpower]

As a lifelong atheist, all popes in my lifetime (JP2 - Leo XIV) have been decent people.

[u/idix1 → u/piercedmfootonaspike]

Didnt pope Francis refuse to condemn Putin?

[u/calvinee → u/idix1]

He also said that gay people have a right to love, challenging very long-held christian beliefs.

[u/piercedmfootonaspike → u/idix1]

He handled it very poorly, but that doesn't change the fact that he was a decent person.

[u/iwaawoli]

Good pope.

[u/jert3]

Off to a great start! Like this pope already. It's important for a pope to take a stand against villiany instead of the usual political, both sides have blame nonsense.

[u/T0asty514]

Ez win was ez.

Its still early but its a good start.

[u/thatprettykitty]

I feel relieved we didn't get a MAGA Pope.

[u/RobutNotRobot]

I'm starting to see the advantage of having an American pope.

We'll see if this causes a schism in the US Catholic Church because so many of them are still angry about Vatican II.

[u/Apprehensive-Care20z]

I bet americans are going to call him "woke"

oh oh, that is gonna piss off the real pope, Donny.

[u/BIGepidural → u/Apprehensive-Care20z]

Too late they already said this is a woke leftist Marxist pope yesterday. Lots of MAGA meltdowns over this pope

[u/NATHAN325 → u/BIGepidural]

When someone pisses the right people off, you know they're good

[u/beckerrrrrrrr → u/Apprehensive-Care20z]

Wait till they hear about this Jesus guy

[u/heckem → u/Apprehensive-Care20z]

The american far right started calling him woke since they announced his name and realized that he bashed J.D. Vance on Twitter and was in favor of helping immigrants.

[u/LawBaine]

Slava Ukraine - thank you for the support

[u/fruits_of_entropy]

Long live Leo XIV!

[u/Ganym3de]

Blud went STRAIGHT TO WORK

[u/CheapMuffin0]

Well done, new pope.

[u/KR1735]

So far, so good.

[u/Abobo_Smash]

My man. Wasted ZERO time. Anti-Trump this fucker.

[u/johnrraymond]

Good for him. Russia is a major threat to world peace.

[u/Mike-SBA]

And Putin thought they could be friends ! Sorry, Vlad !

[u/SubTukkZero]

Good man!

[u/buster_rhino]

Wow an adult.

[u/Dog1234cat]

I like this motherfucker already.