Santorum Wants To Silence Pope Francis

[metis]

Interesting article:

Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum says he loves Pope Francis, but he wants the pontiff to stop talking about climate change.

Santorum, a devout Catholic, told Philadelphia radio host Dom Giordano on Monday that the pope should "leave science to the scientists."

His comments come as the pope, who earned a master's degree in chemistry before turning to the priesthood, becomes increasingly vocal about climate change. Pope Francis is preparing a groundbreaking encyclical to be released in the coming weeks that's expected to make the case that taking action to fight climate change is a moral and religious imperative...

“The church has gotten it wrong a few times on science, and I think that we probably are better off leaving science to the scientists and focusing on what we're really good at, which is theology and morality,” Santorum said. "When we get involved with political and controversial scientific theories, I think the church is not as forceful and credible."...

Despite his pleas to the pope, Santorum has a history of rejecting established science. He denies that climate change is man-made and has dismissed global warming as a "hoax" despite the fact that 97 percent of actively publishing climate scientists agree that "climate-warming trends over the past century are very likely due to human activities," according to NASA.

Santorum has also rejected evolution and instead believes in "intelligent design,” according to Discover magazine. Pope Francis says evolution does not contradict church doctrine. -- Rick Santorum Wants Pope Francis To Stop Talking About Climate Change

What do you think?

 

[Ingledsva]

Interesting article:

Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum says he loves Pope Francis, but he wants the pontiff to stop talking about climate change.

Santorum, a devout Catholic, told Philadelphia radio host Dom Giordano on Monday that the pope should "leave science to the scientists."

His comments come as the pope, who earned a master's degree in chemistry before turning to the priesthood, becomes increasingly vocal about climate change. Pope Francis is preparing a groundbreaking encyclical to be released in the coming weeks that's expected to make the case that taking action to fight climate change is a moral and religious imperative...

“The church has gotten it wrong a few times on science, and I think that we probably are better off leaving science to the scientists and focusing on what we're really good at, which is theology and morality,” Santorum said. "When we get involved with political and controversial scientific theories, I think the church is not as forceful and credible."...

Despite his pleas to the pope, Santorum has a history of rejecting established science. He denies that climate change is man-made and has dismissed global warming as a "hoax" despite the fact that 97 percent of actively publishing climate scientists agree that "climate-warming trends over the past century are very likely due to human activities," according to NASA.

Santorum has also rejected evolution and instead believes in "intelligent design,” according to Discover magazine. Pope Francis says evolution does not contradict church doctrine. -- Rick Santorum Wants Pope Francis To Stop Talking About Climate Change

What do you think?

Santorum is obviously another idiot with his head buried in the sand.

Global warming cartoons: climate change denial

*

 

[Marisa]

I think it's very telling that a devout catholic wants the pope to STFU.

 

[Popcorn]

Quoting the quote...

“The church has gotten it wrong a few times on science, and I think that we probably are better off leaving science to the scientists and focusing on what we're really good at, which is theology and morality,” Santorum said. "When we get involved with political and controversial scientific theories, I think the church is not as forceful and credible."...

Can't argue with that.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

What does he expect the Pope to do? Ignore the part where god told humans we are stewards of the earth?
And, of course, Santorum should probably practice what he preaches.

 

[jeager106]

What does he expect the Pope to do? Ignore the part where god told humans we are stewards of the earth?
And, of course, Santorum should probably practice what he preaches.

Well said!

 

[Ouroboros]

What do you think?

Santorum should follow his own advice and let these things be decided and talked about by the scientists. He should shut up, and give way for what science says about global climate change and evolution.

 

[sun rise]

Given how Republican politicians think they know more about science than the scientists, I smell hypocrisy at best. That is no surprise to me.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Santorum, a devout Catholic, told Philadelphia radio host Dom Giordano on Monday that the pope should "leave science to the scientists."

I view it as positive that Catholics are once again willing to disagree with pontiffs. I'm sure that Mr. Santorum's motives are at least partially political, and he has fallen in with the political party that tends to disbelieve scientists about things. A lot of Mr. Santorum's constituents would probably agree with him wholeheartedly in many of the points he has brought up. Additionally it is politically expedient for Mr. Santorum to set himself apart from the Pontiff, so that his local non-Catholic supporters are not concerned that he will slavishly obey. This is usually something that every Catholic politician has to address in most US localities. "What if the Pope told him to do so & so...would he just obey the Pope?" So it is expedient for Santorum to both distance himself from the Pope and to ingratiate himself with his Science-denying constituents. Now as to whether he would personally, genuinely disregard Science once elected -- that is uncertain.

His party has shown itself to be quite two-faced when it comes to supporting the Christian right. Remember that immediately after Republicans swept the House several years ago (2010 or 2012), Mr. Bohner almost immediately removed the most conservative Christian (and Tea Party) reps from the appropriations committee, making them ineffective and putting in less conservative members. The Tea Party carried the Republican Party in 2010 and 2012, yet the Republican Party then turned towards center after elections. Despite decades of loyal Christian patronage and activism on behalf of the Republican party there has been very little action by the party to actually address their concerns. Romney's platform was two-faced in its stance, being pro-life in name and pro-choice in detail. The party has focused upon chatting Christians up at election time and ignoring conservative issues at voting time. It seems like Mr Santorum fits the pattern nicely.

 

[BSM1]

Interesting article:

Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum says he loves Pope Francis, but he wants the pontiff to stop talking about climate change.

Santorum, a devout Catholic, told Philadelphia radio host Dom Giordano on Monday that the pope should "leave science to the scientists."

His comments come as the pope, who earned a master's degree in chemistry before turning to the priesthood, becomes increasingly vocal about climate change. Pope Francis is preparing a groundbreaking encyclical to be released in the coming weeks that's expected to make the case that taking action to fight climate change is a moral and religious imperative...

“The church has gotten it wrong a few times on science, and I think that we probably are better off leaving science to the scientists and focusing on what we're really good at, which is theology and morality,” Santorum said. "When we get involved with political and controversial scientific theories, I think the church is not as forceful and credible."...

Despite his pleas to the pope, Santorum has a history of rejecting established science. He denies that climate change is man-made and has dismissed global warming as a "hoax" despite the fact that 97 percent of actively publishing climate scientists agree that "climate-warming trends over the past century are very likely due to human activities," according to NASA.

Santorum has also rejected evolution and instead believes in "intelligent design,” according to Discover magazine. Pope Francis says evolution does not contradict church doctrine. -- Rick Santorum Wants Pope Francis To Stop Talking About Climate Change

What do you think?

Sooo.....maybe the Pope can tell us how many degrees the earth has warmed up in the last few years. Seems no one else can. You would think the Pope knows a guy...

 

[Levite]

Interesting article:

Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum says he loves Pope Francis, but he wants the pontiff to stop talking about climate change.

...

What do you think?

Rick Santorum probably would like the Vatican to rein it in over that whole forgiving Galileo thing, too....

 

[gsa]

He's quite wrong, as the Catholic Church has a horrible record on morality. It often makes the record on science look good.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I wonder if Santorum is aware that the science department at the Vatican does indeed support evolution, as well as climate change?

 

[Selinagirl]

The denial of man-made climate change is only to support the industry and protect it from the duty to use climate-frinedly technology. It is ridicoulus, the companies make billions every year but it is tooexpansive to i stall a simple filter in the chimney.

I think this encyclica is the best thing a pope is abotu to do in the last decades. I still will leave the RCC, but it is a good sign.

 

[Marisa]

I view it as positive that Catholics are once again willing to disagree with pontiffs. I'm sure that Mr. Santorum's motives are at least partially political, and he has fallen in with the political party that tends to disbelieve scientists about things. A lot of Mr. Santorum's constituents would probably agree with him wholeheartedly in many of the points he has brought up. Additionally it is politically expedient for Mr. Santorum to set himself apart from the Pontiff, so that his local non-Catholic supporters are not concerned that he will slavishly obey.

Actually on some things, like acceptance of scientific theories (like evolution) and social issues (like use of birth control) the current Pope and the "average" Catholic are more progressive than Rick.
Guttmacher Statistic on Catholic Women’s Contraceptive Use

This is usually something that every Catholic politician has to address in most US localities. "What if the Pope told him to do so & so...would he just obey the Pope?" So it is expedient for Santorum to both distance himself from the Pope and to ingratiate himself with his Science-denying constituents. Now as to whether he would personally, genuinely disregard Science once elected -- that is uncertain.

This is a question I, personally, would ask of any politician trying to convince me that his/her personal deity chose him/her for the oval office.

His party has shown itself to be quite two-faced when it comes to supporting the Christian right. Remember that immediately after Republicans swept the House several years ago (2010 or 2012), Mr. Bohner almost immediately removed the most conservative Christian (and Tea Party) reps from the appropriations committee, making them ineffective and putting in less conservative members. The Tea Party carried the Republican Party in 2010 and 2012, yet the Republican Party then turned towards center after elections. Despite decades of loyal Christian patronage and activism on behalf of the Republican party there has been very little action by the party to actually address their concerns. Romney's platform was two-faced in its stance, being pro-life in name and pro-choice in detail. The party has focused upon chatting Christians up at election time and ignoring conservative issues at voting time. It seems like Mr Santorum fits the pattern nicely.

While I can never know, I have my doubts as to just how committed some of the most religious politicians are. It seems rather politically expedient today to say the christian god has chosen a given candidate for higher office, but truth be told I can't remember when I've heard a democratic candidate utter such words, while in 2012 4 of 9 GOP nominees claimed just that. The problem with extreme political ideologies is that they are extreme, and most people (while either liberal or conservative) are not. As far as choice is concerned, one can be personally against elective abortion all they like. I'd wager most people are, given the birth rates these days. But the job of a representative of the people is to preserve rights, and that includes the rights of people that would use the right to choose to make a different choice. Mr. Santorum, on the other hand, moralizes sex to the point of believing that it is a gift from god which is to be used for procreation only, and not only would he criminalize elective abortion, has alluded to feeling that chemical birth control should also be unavailable. Given the statistics on the use of chemical birth control (see link above) that's an extreme position.

 

[columbus]

“The church has gotten it wrong a few times on science, and I think that we probably are better off leaving science to the scientists and focusing on what we're really good at, which is theology and morality,” Santorum said. "When we get involved with political and controversial scientific theories, I think the church is not as forceful and credible."..."

Can't argue with that.

I can. The Church has gotten into trouble in the past by contradicting science. That is not the case here. The politics and controversy is largely a result of people avoiding the broad scientific concensus.

It is about time the Church started grappling with the defining moral issues of our day. Climate change is a biggie. Fiddling around with contraception and marriage equality is ridiculous.

I hope that the Pope manages to start framing the debate as a moral issue. He could do that.

Tom

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

“The church has gotten it wrong a few times on science, and I think that we probably are better off leaving science to the scientists and focusing on what we're really good at, which is theology and morality,” Santorum said. "When we get involved with political and controversial scientific theories, I think the church is not as forceful and credible."...

Can't argue with that.

And therefore you're suggesting that today's Pope should not allow science to inform his moral and religious imperatives?

 

[Marisa]

“The church has gotten it wrong a few times on science, and I think that we probably are better off leaving science to the scientists and focusing on what we're really good at, which is theology and morality,” Santorum said. "When we get involved with political and controversial scientific theories, I think the church is not as forceful and credible."..."

I can. The Church has gotten into trouble in the past by contradicting science. That is not the case here. The politics and controversy is largely a result of people avoiding the broad scientific concensus.

It is about time the Church started grappling with the defining moral issues of our day. Climate change is a biggie. Fiddling around with contraception and marriage equality is ridiculous.

I hope that the Pope manages to start framing the debate as a moral issue. He could do that.

Tom

Not to mention that Santorum's conveniently forgetting the church's kerfluffle over child molesting priests. I'd say that was a morality fail.

 

[jonathan180iq]

People take Rick Santorum seriously?

Odd...I didn't know that...

 

[metis]

Quoting the quote...



Can't argue with that.

As Gandhi stated, anyone who argues that religion and politics need to be separated does not understand religion. Let me also add that they don't understand politics either. It's more a matter of the degrees of separation that must be decided upon.

The issue of global warming has some dire consequences if the projections are even remotely close to being correct. Should the Pope and other religious leaders ignore that? Maybe they also negate taking positions on things like murder or rape? Maybe all the religions should get out of doing anything about charitable giving and just preach?