Religious Arguing/News here---->

[HairOfTheDog]

Get back to being a server . . . bring me my bread and wine!

Socialist!

Personally, I think that the Catholic Church's message condemning contraception and abortion -- delivered by the Pope and all of the church's clerics worldwide -- contributes to inequalities in wealth distribution and taxes the earth as much or more than capitalism.

But, I get what the Pope is saying about how the systematic unfettered pursuit of money, money, money -- with disregard for human rights and without deliberately working to minimize inequalities -- contradicts Jesus' mission. I know that not all capitalists are greedy and apathetic about the welfare of others or the planet though.

Pope Francis did deliver his speech to the "flock", in Latin America this time. The Pope's not violating Canon Law in delivering addresses and meeting with world leaders. Anybody who isn't interested in his views, doesn't have to listen to them, read them, or heed them. There's no reason, IMO, he should have any restrictions placed upon his speech or interactions in addressing human rights issues and Christian values/obligations, regardless of the audience and regardless as to whether his messages include political tie-ins.

It was interesting when Boehner invited Netanyahu to address Congress and gave him a platform to preach the Jewish State of Israel's opposition to the secular U.S. engaging in nuclear negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran; with Netanyahu using that platform to passionately proclaim that Jewish religious persecution and destruction of Jewish land are direct threats of those negotiations.

I think it will be equally or more interesting when Pope Francis accepts Boehner's novel invitation and addresses the U.S. Congress in September. If Pope Francis uses that platform to again proclaim that all of humanity is threatened by greedy capitalism and unaddressed environmental issues, it'll be fun reading the GOP responses. (ETA: Boehner's invitation, uncoordinated with the White House, was issued way back in March of 2014.)

These are fascinating times.