The longer Pope Francis stays in office, the more I begin to think that he’s purposely taunting American Republicans.
He believes climate change is being caused by humans. He’s compared the Christian right to ISIS; he supported Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran; he called Christian ideology “an illness,” and he has declared war on capitalism and wealth inequality.
On Sunday, he drove a stake right through the hearts of gun lovers by saying that gun manufacturers can’t be called Christian.
‘If you trust only men you have lost,’ he told the young people in a long, rambling talk about war, trust and politics after putting aside his prepared address.
‘It makes me think of … people, managers, businessmen who call themselves Christian and they manufacture weapons. That leads to a bit a distrust, doesn’t it?’ he said to applause.
He also criticised those who invest in weapons industries, saying ‘duplicity is the currency of today … they say one thing and do another.’
Source: Trust.org
Now, nowhere did the Pope say that people who own guns can’t be called Christians, simply that people who manufacture them are profiting off of killing and it’s hard to argue that that’s Christian. Naturally, though, the right-wing freaked out.
This Twitter user thinks that Christians are being slaughtered in the U.S. Well, nine were last week, but their Christianity isn’t the reason, and if it weren’t for the gun, there would surely have been fewer, if any, casualties.
Again with all due respect to Pope Francis, global warming & guns isn’t our big problem. Christians are being slaughtered for their faith!
— Take Back USA (@SetUSAFree) June 23, 2015
Again, he didn’t say it about people who carry guns, just manufacturers, but as always, RWNJs think it’s about them:
Are the cops outside the Vatican who are carrying guns, are they allowed to call themselves Christians? http://t.co/gee4ctXUlH
— 2nd_To_None (@2nd_To_None) June 22, 2015
This was the most common talking point:
Re: The Pope’s declaration on guns. A colleague just called to tell me that the Swiss Guard also carry H&K machine guns + SIG Sauer 9mm
— Dr. Anthony Napoleon (@Napoleonlegal) June 22, 2015
Oh popey, the irony of condemning weapons owners & makers while surrounded by armed guards. http://t.co/RKdynY1m2F http://t.co/soxNNAPFU2
— Bob Klassen (@ItsGodzirra) June 23, 2015
@4_God_Country @FriedrichHayek Pope should lead by example & disarm Swiss Guard. Easy to take away others’ guns when u have a private army
— Matthew Cowart (@mcowartlaw) June 23, 2015
While I’m not Christian, I agree wholeheartedly with the Pope. Guns manufacturers are about putting profit above people’s lives, as is the NRA. Yes, a peaceful person can own a gun and be protected by a gun, but they are not instruments of peace.
Featured image via Wikipedia
