What do you think about Pope Francis?

[DavidFirth]

Please vote and feel free to express your opinion about the pope.

I did not start this thread looking for a debate, but rather just to hear what everyone on here that cares to has to say about him.

 

[Twilight Hue]

As Sister Zita would say, " Just a man in a hat"

 

[Sunstone]

As Popes go, he's great. He also seems pretty decent for a human.

 

[BSM1]

Seen one Pope, you've seen them all.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Please vote and feel free to express your opinion about the pope.

He's the smiling, charismatic spokesperson put in place to give the Church a nicer, more modern spin without making substantial change.

 

[Altfish]

As far as Pope's go he's ok BUT in the modern world pope's have too much influence.

 

[Katzpur]

I think he's a marvelous pope! My favorite one ever.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

As Popes go, he's great. He also seems pretty decent for a human.

As Popes go, the people who selected him are, for the most part, the same people who selected Benedict.

Doctrinally, I don't see Benedict and Francis as that different. The main differences I see:

- Francis is better at media relations and is more comfortable in front of a camera.
- Francis is better looking and Benedict is rather homely

I think those two facts alone contribute to a huge amount of the difference in perception of the two men. The media seems much more enamoured of Francis, so they're more inclined him to give him the benefit of the doubt and to interpret what he says in the nicest way possible (which generally prompts a bunch of Vatican PR people to say "no, no, that's not what he meant!" but this gets much less media interest than the original story).

 

[Father Heathen]

He seems to be more tolerant, accepting, and compassionate than what you would normally expect from the Church.

 

[shunyadragon]

Pope Francis is the Pope of Roman Church much more powerful than any Pope. Popes do not change the Roman Church.

 

[LuisDantas]

As Popes go, he's great. He also seems pretty decent for a human.

I very much agree with this.

 

[Jainarayan]

Meh, I don't care. Irrelevant, as in what he or the church says or does is not binding on me spiritually.

 

[sun rise]

To me he's gone to a Biblical based view of Catholicism rather than a legalistic one. He seems to have taken 2 Corinthians 3:6 to heart for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

And he's done this without changing core Catholic beliefs but by giving them a different emphasis.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I very much agree with this.

I'm not sure I could ever describe a dictator - or someone who purports to be one - as "pretty decent."

 

[metis]

I believe he's a "good pope" and only time will tell if he's a "great pope". What I really like about him is his compassion for the poor and disenfranchised versus hyping p.c. dogma.

 

[metis]

Meh, I don't care. Irrelevant, as in what he or the church says or does is not binding on me spiritually.

My main mentor over the last three decades has been Gandhi, and yet I'm not Hindu. IMO, one doesn't have to belong to the same religion to admire someone.

 

[David1967]

Please vote and feel free to express your opinion about the pope.

I did not start this thread looking for a debate, but rather just to hear what everyone on here that cares to has to say about him.

I voted other, because I am not Catholic and don't feel qualified to make a comparison between him and other Popes. But he seems like a kind compassionate individual. I like that.

 

[David1967]

My main mentor over the last three decades has been Gandhi, and yet I'm not Hindu. IMO, one doesn't have to belong to the same religion to admire someone.

Couldn't have said it better. Gandhi set a good humanitarian example regardless of the brand name he identified with.

 

[Sunstone]

Doctrinally, I don't see Benedict and Francis as that different.

Evidence?

 

[Jainarayan]

...IMO, one doesn't have to belong to the same religion to admire someone.

That's true. I like the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh and I'm not Buddhist. I mean it in his capacity when he speaks ex cathedra.