Pope Francis: Atheists Are Alright!

by Good German on May 26, 2013 in News
Mary Elizabeth Williams writes at Salon:

In a message delivered Wednesday via Vatican Radio, the new pontiff distinguished himself with a call for tolerance and a message of support – and even admiration – toward nonbelievers.

Naturally, a guy whose job it is to lead the world’s largest Christian faith is still going to come at his flock with a Jesus-centric message. But he’s taking it in an encouraging new direction. In his message, Francis dissed the apostles for being “a little intolerant” and said, “All of us have this commandment at heart: Do good and do not do evil. All of us. ‘But, Father, this is not (a) Catholic! He cannot do good.’ Yes, he can. He must. Not can: must.”

And the pope spoke of the need to meet each other somewhere on our on common ground. “This commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: We need that so much. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.” It was a deeper affirmation of his comments back in March, when he declared that the faithful and atheists can be “precious allies… to defend the dignity of man, in the building of a peaceful coexistence between peoples and in the careful protection of creation.”

That’s a message that’s vastly different from Catholicism’s traditional “We’re number one!” dogma. Six years ago, the Vatican reasserted the church’s stance that while there may be “elements of sanctification and truth” in other faiths, “that fullness of grace and of truth… has been entrusted to the Catholic Church.” In other words, close but no cigar, everybody else.

The pope was not, of course, addressing the non-believers of the world in his Wednesday sermon, or trying to win them over. Instead, he was telling his Catholics about the importance of cutting outsiders slack. And it’s a hugely important message for Christians to hear. It’s not about being right. It’s about being loving. And it’s a necessary concept, one that needs to be expressed again and again, in a world in which the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor in Virginia is justifying his repulsive hate speech against gays and lesbians because “I’m a Christian, not because I hate anybody, but because I have religious values that matter to me.” Coming within a week when atheists have been stepping into the spotlight here in America with their own messages of live-and-let-live tolerance, it’s downright refreshing to get a similar message from the biggest Christian in the world.

There are plenty of atheists out there who will no doubt take the pope’s message with a grain of salt or even flat-out disdain. The last thing somebody who doesn’t believe in heaven could possibly need is some guy in a funny hat telling them that they’re okay in God’s eyes anyway. But maybe, whatever we believe or don’t believe, we can consider that the man is on to something when he speaks about “the culture of encounter.”

Read more here.

My bad, it should have read "absence of action is non-use of power." not reaction. If I sit and do nothing I'd be no better than the so-called "god" that I protest. Let's play out this scenario, a scenario in which the bible was about modern day times instead of playing on people's minds with stories about magic and fairy tails. The bible, a story about nothing more than a bunch of people following an invisible deity based on nothing more than faith. Would so many people be so quick to follow a god that has never shown action. If you are so persistent in the belief that we are gods, then I choose to show action for a god that does not show action will ultimately be alone, like a wallflower at a party; no one follows the guy standing in the corner stewing over his own beliefs.

I don't consider calling religious people "silly" as insulting them, if you seen a guy running down the street flailing his arms around then would you not say "look, he's being silly!". It's not an insult if it's the truth. A long time ago people thought the earth was flat, the more educated people that knew it was round may have thought those people to be "silly" and they would have been correct.

Religious people spout their beliefs off every day trying to convert people, so how am I any worse for doing the same. Only difference is that my beliefs are based on science and fact, not clinging on to an ancient and dying concept.

"one of the most fascinating and historically accurate artifacts of our time." that's an opinion based on your own religious beliefs. That compilation of books was written so long ago that there's no possible way of validating much of any of it.

Yes I know of the komodo dragon, obviously I was speaking of the dragons of myth. Ones that fly and burn down villages with their fiery breath.(nice dodge on the question though.)

God has no religion, that's true enough, even a high priest has spoken those words. But people still follow it and religion is all based on interpretations from the bible and the bible was written by man following the teachings of god. So the entire argument between god and religion is pretty redundant.

"Unfortunately, YOU are a fool among the ignorant masses of man-made religion. Believe it or not, you are a religious idiot in every bit of the word, indulged in your biased beliefs of deception.. " Really, I wasn't aware that atheism was a religion. Fairly sure the more accurate description of it is "lack of religion".

My comment against your intellect was based on my disappointment in your previous harshly lacking argument; I'm able to name about a thousand reasons why god either does not exist or is a horrible corrupt deity, while the only arguments on the side of religion are the bible and your faith.
"I consider myself one of the most brilliant minds among the living world" With claims like that you'd better have something to back it up.

I'd really like someone to watch this video before commenting again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88GTUXvp-50

Arkham is worth the wait, hang in there girl :) I mostly play the old republic, I am a star wars nerd

Oh and "IntellectualGenius" you offered a few narrow-minded sentences to the argument, it seems to me that you're more condescending than intellectual. True intellectuals think outside of the box, your views are obviously very inside the box and your argument(if it can even be called that) is small, empty and once again just refers back to that badly misinterpreted book. Would I persuade you that dragons exist if I pointed you to a very convincing book on dragons? From the few words you've spoken here I'd put msharmony ahead of you on the genius poll.(not meant as an attack on msharmony, just at "IntellectualGenius" falling short on his claims).

Read your profile and you seem to be a genuine guy. Good looking, seemingly down to earth, and attentive to the needs of your partner; You'll make a woman really happy some day!

Still
I
Need
God's
Love
Everyday

Good evening ladies beautiful ladies I am 5'10 165 pound white male save dad I'm new here North Little Rock Arkansas I own my own business I own two houses one that I rent and the other one I live in It's a big 2 bedroom Happy lucky if I use more than the couch Anyway it's good to be here I hope I get some messages

hi ! welcome here

I didn't find love cause I wasn't searching, but the irony is that jerks found me!

Do I need to hide to let love and jerks not find me at all?

Last time I engaged in serndipitous mussings I discoverd ejaculation and that was about 30 years ago.
So its been keeping me busy ever since I just don't have the time to be serendipitous ever since as
It seems my hands are always full I thank you