‘Not With Any Specific Ideology In Mind’
From the AP, Nicole Winfield reporting, we learn [emphasis mine]:
Bolivian President Evo Morales’ controversial gift of a “Communist crucifix” to Pope Francis threatened to overshadow the pope’s visit to Bolivia on Thursday, with the Vatican and Bolivia both insisting that no offense was intended or taken.
Morales gave Francis the crucifix carved into a hammer and sickle upon Francis’ arrival in Bolivia Wednesday, immediately raising eyebrows given Morales’ past attacks on the church and his socialist bent.
(L’Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP)
It turns out, the crucifix was originally designed by a Jesuit activist, the Rev. Luis Espinal, who was assassinated in 1980 by suspected paramilitaries during the months that preceded a military coup. Francis, a fellow Jesuit, stopped his motorcade to pray at the site where Espinal’s body had been dumped.
The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said Thursday the pope had no idea that Espinal had designed the crucifix and was surprised to receive it — a reaction clearly visible in the footage of the encounter. Some reports suggested the pope told Morales “This isn’t good;” one of Francis’ friends sent a tweet quoting him as saying such. But Lombardi said it wasn’t known what the pope had said.
Lombardi said Espinal had designed the crucifix as a symbol of dialogue and commitment to freedom and progress for Bolivia, not with any specific ideology in mind. Lombardi said he personally wasn’t offended by it.
“You can dispute the significance and use of the symbol now, but the origin is from Espinal and the sense of it was about an open dialogue, not about a specific ideology,” Lombardi said.
Really? You think we’re that dumb?
Many of us were born at night, but not last night, Father Lombardi.
Tell the murdered dead of Russia and China and Cambodia and Cuba — of any and all nations where Communism has ruled or still rules — you’re serious. And over 100 million Souls will laugh bitter laughs at you.
This Pope’s Regime is very, very troubling.
Reblogged this on That Mr. G Guy's Blog.
Certain forms of art do not lend themselves to a clear signaling of intent. In fact if a sculpture needs a card or pamphlet to correct an observer’s initial conclusion, it’s failed art.
Exactly.
Failed art, my ass.
The intent of this ‘art’ (hateful symbolism disguised and prettified) is clear to me: to poison Christ’s teachings with a dangerous political philosophy that does nothing but degrade said teachings. Also, to steer Catholicism to Communism; hell bent for leather that’s where it’s headed.
Pontifex should’ve tossed it on the ground as if it had burned him.
That he didn’t, speaks volumes.
I’m starting from the assumption that the work’s creator honestly described his intention. Now, if he lied, that’s different.
Furtermore, Pope Frank’s ties to liberation theology are no longer in question, so the only surprise in the story is his alleged remark, “This isn’t good.”
Did he say like Basil Fawlty – ‘Don’t mention THE WAR!’.
On Fri, Jul 10, 2015 at 9:58 AM, The Camp Of The Saints wrote:
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Liberation Theology which is without question a Soviet-inspired attempt to co-opt and subvert Roman Catholicism is yet another iteration of the problem which Christ confronted during his walk among us: He came not as a political savior but as personal one. He came to save Man from Sin, not from earthly travail. Any attempt to massage His message into a political manifesto is doomed to fail.
Yes, it is doomed to fail, but I favor speeding-up the fail process.