As the fallout from the clergy abuse scandal continues to plague the Catholic Church, Pope Francis is now blaming the church's problems on a familiar adversary: Satan himself. According to Francis, these revelations have been so damaging that only the Vatican's most feared and eternal enemy could be responsible.
Speaking to a crowd during mass at St. Peter's Square, Francis asked his fellow Catholics to offer daily prayers to Michael the archangel to "counter the attacks from the devil who wants to divide the Church." He continued, explaining that the church needs to be "saved from the attacks of the malign one, the great accuser."
However, Francis didn't blame all the Vatican's problems on Satan. He went on to point out that the church "must at the same time be made ever more aware of its guilt, its mistakes, and abuses committed in the present and the past."
The Devil Looms Large
Since grabbing the Catholic reigns in 2013, Pope Francis has made it quite clear he believes Satan is not only real, but active in modern life. "We should not think of the devil as a myth, a representation, a symbol, a figure of speech or an idea. This mistake would lead us to let down our guard, to grow careless and end up more vulnerable," he wrote back in April.
As the Catholic Church has been hit with wave after wave of sexual abuse scandals spanning four continents, there has been plenty of blame to go around. But critics argue that Francis is refusing to fully acknowledge the Church's failings when he implies that the devil is responsible.
Did the Pope Know?
There is some speculation that the pope's "great accuser" remarks were directed at Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, the Vatican's former ambassador to Washington. One of the pope's harshest conservative critics, Viganò recently accused the pope of having personal knowledge of sexual misconduct by a former U.S. cardinal and refusing to act on it.
In his latest statement, Viganò insisted Francis "compared me to the great accuser, Satan, who sows scandal and division in the Church, though without ever uttering my name." A top Vatican official then responded by issuing his own scathing open letter, accusing the archbishop of mounting a "political frame job devoid of real foundation."
Satan: Pedophile or Patsy?
With the Catholic Church engaged in a public civil war, perhaps it's no surprise that Pope Francis has chosen to pin the blame on his faith's ultimate spiritual insurgent. As a PR strategy, though, it seems ill-conceived. While claiming Satan is a central figure in this fiasco might play well with Catholic followers, to many others it comes off as a dismissive tactic meant to take heat off the Vatican.
It's also miserably counterproductive. At least pedophile priests can be tracked down and prosecuted. Even if Satan could somehow be proven responsible, what are we going to do? Indict him?
83 comments
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Pastor Dsve
Now for the 64 thousand dollar question. DID THE DEVIL MAKE THE COP SHOOT THIS GUY OR WAS IT THE DEVIL WHO MADE THE REAL GUN MAN GO IN AND SHOOT PEOPLE IN THAT BAR. AND WAS IT THE DEVIL WHO MADE THOSE PEOPLE GO TO A BAR IN THE FIRST PLACE. Time to stop passing the buck. We blame the devil for everything. And when that doesnt work we blame Trump.
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Pastor Dsve
Saw in todays news where police shot a BLACK security guard at a bar shooting because they mistook him for the gun man. What? are you telling me they shot him because he was a black man with a gun? So that makes him the suspect? He had a suspect in custody. He was holding him at gun point for the police AND the cops shoot HIM. Trained professional law enforcement officers my foot. Too dam gun hoo. Shoot first ask questions later caused this poor man his life. WHY? Maybe we should not take guns away from American citizens but take them away from stupid cops. If the man is not shooting at you or anyone else maybe just maybe he's not the shooter. Did this cop even order him to drop his weapon before he blew him away? And then why shoot to kill? He couldn't just shoot him in the leg or somthing? There is more than one way to handle a situation and this cop picked the wrong way. Shoot first doesn't work when someone dies who shouldn't have.
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Karen
ok, just saying your a believer, a holy man or layman, does not protect you from evil(satan). It also does not obsolve you of wrongs. God is a forgiving God, when you do wrong or wrong is done to you Faith should help you deal with it. Prayer is to help us to be strong in the face of evil. Wrong is wrong and punishment should be equal to all.
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Pastor Dsve
We as ministers of the Universal Life Church can change the World for the better if we all band together for the same cause. If we feel strongly enough about the abuse in the Catholic church, gun control, or any other topic .As long as we all feel the same way on any subject we should do more than just SPEAK about it. We should contact who ever we need to in order to bring about change. United We Stand.
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John Owens
We do not feel the same about very much.
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Past Security Enforcement Loss Prevention Officer
maybe we should
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John Owens
When you all adapt my point of view, we will, but not before that.
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The Doctor
Sorry but most peoples POV do not include wanting to rape our sisters. Thats just you Icono
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The Doctor
Oh apologies Icono that is your alt handle that confessed to that. Well not like everyone here does not already recognized that you and bob are clearly the same poster.
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Rev. John D. Partin
So, Icky oh no class!, instead of your ever smartening up and agreeing with reasonable people and common sense, everybody else has to become as stupid as you are in order for us to be together and feel the same about things! Not going to happen!!
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Daryl Stangl
Pope Francis is right on. In 2003, I encountered this evil he refers to when my daughter accused me as her father of sexual molestation which was completely untrue. It was by the leadership of the Angels of Light that I was led to uncover the real perpetrators. It is now my life mission to educate the world about the real actions of the fallen angels to discredit many who are trying to fight the evil they do.
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Lionheart
Oh, please stop it and grow up!
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flugo
No, these things happen! There are some spiritual beings out there . . . . . and they aren't all benign!
Many years ago I was under severe temptation to molest my sister. I received counseling from my minister. He explained that there were evil beings called 'Illumi-naughty' that try to get people to do watt they shouldn't do. He exorcised the bad influences from me and now I'm ok.
We mustn't assume all beings of the spirit realm are actually 'Angels of Light'.
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flugo
You gotta be wary of these 'beings of light'. All are not benign 'Angels of Light!
As a younger guy I felt sorely tempted to molest my sister. The pressure was intense and mounting!
A respected mentor warned me that these strong temptations came from the evil 'Illumi-Naughty', the host of spiritual beings in conflict with 'Angels of Light'!
I am far more perceptive and judicious when encountering temptation now.
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The Doctor
Thanks for pointing out you are a would be sister rapist that chose to keep it in the closet. This explains alot about your posts and general human nature. Because no if you want to rape your sister even if you resisted the urge to do so, that was more likely based on fear of what society would do to you then any divine guidance.
In the future I will be thinking of you exclusively as the man that wanted to rape his sister.
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Pastor Dsve
The Pope Trump the dope I think we are over run with fools these days. Does anyone pay attention to anything either one of then have to say?
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Lionheart
Of course we do. If you live in the United States of America he is our President, mine and yours. We had to put up with our last President selling us out and depleting our armed forces but we had to support him because he was our President. They all have their issues but as long as they all have the love for their country and the legal citizens who voted them into office they need our support.
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Pastor Dsve
I was raised Catholic so my advise to you is stsy far awsy from the Catholic Church. Too many things they teach don't line up with the Bible. In what book, what chspter is it written THOU SHALT NOT EAT MEAT ON FRIDAY.
Let me know if you find it. They make up stuff. Holly Water? No such thing my friend.
And that little waffer is not now nor will it ever be anything but a little waffer.
Father Sarducci can't forgive your sins.
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Rev. John D. Partin
Read your Bible, Learn the Truth, I'm not the Catholic Church's apologist. but they do have their own answers to your objections against eating meat on Friday and holy water and the eucharist and it is only fair to listen to their side of it and not just consider one side of the story, which isn't even done to criminals on trial, before reaching a decision about their practices. https://forums.catholic.com/t/where-in-the-bible-does-it-say-to-not-eat-meat-on-fridays-of-lent/101324/17 https://www.catholic.com/qa/which-bible-verses-support-the-use-of-holy-water www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/scrip/a6.html
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Lutherans Pray for Everyone
I pray they Change their training, and promote good clean healthy legal normal behavior in all their employees.
Most USA corporations have annual training & retraining to prevent all forms of sexual harrasment or worse behaviors.
As one of Planet Earth's largest church-corporations, they need to work with modern solutions to improve performance and reduce incorrect behavior.
Much larger corporations put every employee through ethics training, etc...
Preventing problems is good for everyone. Set aside mythology, use current training, and even the employment contract should explicitly spell out what to do and what Not to do. Businesses do this with their employees, priests can also benefit from such techniques.
Also, there exists a far larger pool of married men with families, all wanting to work in ministry...
Take this time, Right now, and learn from the dozens of other branches of faith how to promote successful healthy families as ministers, reverands, elders etc. Being a minister's wife or family is a good experience for most people.
The protestant churches are more than willing to share their training and practices that are more effective.
They won't demand Copyright payments for their training and planning of married ministers. It really does work, as thousands of churches in America and across the world demonstrate everyday.
The singles only priest restriction WAS an idea. They Tried that idea.
Now learn from every other church and Try something new!
It will benefit everyone when the Church becomes even MORE pro-family, and supportive of all wives & husbands, mothers and fathers.
DO BETTER by changing the system. Lutherans, Methodists , Presby, etc all have demonstrated for hundreds of years YES, THIS WORKS !
Believe in God, Believe in Families. and everyone is happier.
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Pastor Dsve
My advice to you is to stay far away from the Catholic church.
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flugo
Superb observation! Very appropriate! Put aside 'religion' and church tradition, and focus on Jesus, families, transparent interactions.
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flugo
PRAYING LUTHERANS: Very good post. Level headed, objective and a sensible alternative to the present!
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Lionheart
Since when has praying (talking to an imaginary being) ever done anything for anyone? Jews speak and nod to a stone wall but they are still persecuted. It certainly didn’t do anything for the millions during the holcaust, though there are some that still erroneously think that by praying it helped them score a goal or find their lost car keys.
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Daria
The Catholic church will continue it’s abuses as long as it survives because it’s founded entirely on the paradigm of extreme hierarchy: pope over clergy, clergy over laity, men over women, “christians” over indigenous peoples, humans over every other living being on Earth. It is the rule of fear over love. The institution can only maintain this hierarchy with continued abuse and violence, which in the end WILL bring down the abusers with the abused, one way or another. Time for a complete paradigm shift if we want something better, healthier, more beautiful and equitable.
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Paul
Very disappointing but unfortunately not surprising. I saw a video of a deposition of the higher ranking person I don’t remember what office they held and they sounded like a mindless zombie. prosecutor was asking them about whether they knew that pedophilia was wrong or not and they were saying that they didn’t know whether it was wrong or not at the time. Prosecutor says well what about now and the guy responds something like he thinks it’s wrong but he’s not sure...
Blaming things on the devil is the ultimate and not taking responsibility for personal behavior .
It’s been around from day one and it’s still a worthless and empty excuse.
I’m pretty sure there should be some kind of get out of hell free card for anyone who experienced any kind of abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy. Pretty sure the church would never grant that, But since they’re in the business of making up rules maybe they could make one up that would actually benefit someone who is hurt at the hands of their leadership.
The other thing I don’t get is how so many Catholics remain locked into this sham.
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James j
There have been many stories of how the churches became rittled with these evil doers ! So by the churches allowing them to remain, it also allowed them to become holders of influential positions! Most often this leads to them being delt with by the church rather then excamunication or casting them out! At this point I feel the churches need to decide to acknowledge that their exposure to the teachings has done little to reform them and remove them!! There will always be evil that will not be turned around and will do it’s best to deceive you!! Beware!!!!
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Pastor Dsve
How about doing something nice for someone today. HAVE YOU?
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Minister Colleen
Agree, especially when answers are so far off topic. I've found a site, you-are-beautiful .com, where I purchase stickers saying same, and hand out to people throughout the day who need a lift, or offer above normal service. You would not believe how many reply smiling (some even teary) with "you just made my day". I mail them to those I send cards and now my grand nieces in college are giving them out to friends who need a boost. It's a simple, inexpensive way to make people feel good/loved. Check it out and read how it started. Very positive movement for these times.
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Pastor Dsve
ok, can we move on now? Why do you harp on a subject for weeks? We have been over this so let's talk about something better now
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Mike Williams
Satan is alive and well in the guise of the "Clintons", Pelosi, Feinstein, Schumer, Cuomo, Sanders and the rest of the Progressive Socialist Democrat movement. Pray to your GOD that he smites these demons !!!
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Rev. John D. Partin
Mike Williams, what about the lies and sins that Republicans have told and committed? Trumpelstiltskin has told over 7,000 lies since he stole the Presidency, according to The Washington Post, and he had sex with his own daughter Ivanka!! Besides, he is a racist and ordered children to be separated from their parents at the border with Mexico and wants to keep Muslims indiscriminately out of this country!! Then there are all of the other corrupt Repiblicans who let that sexual predator Kavanaugh on to the Supreme Court and there is Richard Nixon and Watergate. So, before you point the finger at Democrats and accuse only them of being "demons", you might want to look at your own party and conservatives a lot more closely and clean up your own house first! Let him who is without sin among you cast the first stone. There is plenty of sin to go around for all politicians without your or anyone's placing it all on Democrats or liberals. The only two good Republicans that I have ever heard of were Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.
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Rev. John D. Partin
Of course, I meant "corrupt Republicans", though "Repiblicans" fits them, too!
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CRAIG
I look at the Devil/Satan/etc as metaphorical and symbolic of the human psyche. Everyone has the potential of giving into "evil" and behaving along said immoral acts. If the Pope literally means another being is influencing the priests and making them commit acts against their will, then we've got a whole other problem which needs addressing and I'd be of the mind of this argument being a cop-out as opposed to trying to fix the real problem.
Otherwise, we're looking at the priests giving into the metaphorical Satan and not having the morality and willpower to deny these terrible and life scarring acts.
Personally, I always thought it was silly for priests to try to maintain celibacy throughout their lives. Priests are human like everyone else and say what you will, denying primal urges and needs more often leads to an eventual outburst. I do not and never would consult a priest for marital advice considering they have no real fundamental understanding of what married life is all about because they've never experienced it.
This is just one more arena in Christianity where it's time to embrace change and get into the 21st century...physically and metaphorically.
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Bill Fox
If Satan had the power to "make" us do evil, we would all do evil. No, wait. We all do evil. If Satan had the power to "make" us do the most evil things, we would all do the most evil things. That said, we are accountable for own conduct, regardless of the temptation or the tempter. In the Judgement, we will stand alone. Satan won't be there.
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Reverend Elizabeth Ivy
Beautifully written, Reverend Johnson!
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Reverend Sheila E Johnson
This human experience is one of day and night, good and evil, love(all things positive) and fear(all things negative). We each have this duality in us, we have the good and the bad. Yes, each person (and priest) must take a 100% responsibility for their actions whether it was a positive loving action or a negative unloving action. If one embraces their darker side and bring it to the light, you heal that darker part of yourself and become more light and love.
If you look at the consciousness scale, you will see that there are the darker lower energies, such as shame, guilt, fear, (which is what many refer to as Satan) and then there are the higher vibrating energies, love, then gratefulness, top of the list enlightenment (which many refer to as Christ). It is truly our own journey and which end of the scale we choose. Again, the ego (or sin mind) will trick us that this darker part of us is outside of us, when in fact it is within us. Although sometimes, one may have a hard time accepting love as well.
In the end, we truly are one, one with and of God/Universe/ Spirit/Divine that created ALL, the good and the evil, love and hate. if we judge, and STAY angry and continue to hate, we just throw more energy in the negative energies.
Love is the greatest of these, forgiveness is the most difficult but will help to create more love in the world. Forgiveness and moving into love will help heal this world and all the atrocities that we see and witness (and some have actually gone through).-
Lori
Nice.
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Daria
Yes. Thank you.
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Preacher Man
I think most of us would agree that the Bible forbids all forms of sexual perversion. I think it is also fair to say that the Bible prohibits these perverse activities regardless of age and/or gender. Taking this into consideration, how can anyone support the LGBT angeda and turn right around and condem the Roman Catholic Church? One is no less of a sin than the other.
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Ken Dixon
Are you conflating some sort of agenda (political or otherwise) with the condition of being LGBT? To do so, one would have to make the false assumption that all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people think and act the same way.
And how can a person be forbidden or prohibited from simply existing as himself or herself?
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Preacher Man
I'm quite sure that all murderers don't think alike either. Are you saying you want them to be free to exist as himself or herself?
Forbidden means just that. Those who choose to make their own rules shall pay a heavy price for their arrogance.
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Daniel
Blaming the Devil is a simple diversion tactic that the pope is using to try and silence the victims. I thought that the pope was supposed to of had some big conference to address the problem. Is blaming the devil the only result of their conference? It’s not as simple as just letting the priests marry and raise a family. There are lots of kids who are abused by their parents or other family members, so that, in and of itself, would not solve the problem. I think it would help to address where the problem stems from: the Roman catholic church is the last remnants of the Roman empire where these sorts of abusive practices were considered “Normal”. Thus, The Catholic Church should start by acknowledging it’s long standing cultural tradition of continuing the Roman practice of men having sex with boys. By Acknowledging how These abusive traditions were part of the cultural foundation of the Roman Catholic Church, There would be more of a chance of preventing it from continuing.
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Rev. John D. Partin
Daniel, if the Catholic Church were the only church in which molestation of children was happening and the Romans were the only people who had ever had sex with young boys or girls, you might be correct in your thinking. Unfortunately, that isn't the case because child molestation is found in every denomination and many (if not all) other people than just Romans have molested their children. Horatio Alger was a Unitarian minister and had sex with young boys and many other ministers don't have to go out looking for children to molest or lure them into confession booths or rectories or camping trips, since they already have them at home. What about the child molestation committed by Boy Scout leaders?
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Daniel
It could be said God created the people and the people created the devil. During the times of the Christ the definition of sin was ANYTHING that was used to try and separate yourself from God. Many other definitions have been used various religious leaders. Even the term hell was something later created, well been loosely based on the name of Oden’s daughter “Hel” Who was the gate keeper of the Nother room. So it becomes fairly obvious that blaming Satan is a sin because it acts as a method or excuse for trying to separate oneself from God. for those who insist on believing in the devil I think of another saying are used to here: The devil can’t force you, and God won’t force you.
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Stan
Hail Satan!
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Past Security Enforcement Loss Prevention Officer
Hail Trump same thing
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Pastor Dsve
Just go out and have a good day. Try to make some one happy. Spend time with your children and grand children. Life is too short to worry about things we can not control.
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Ken Dixon
The LDS leaders have told members to cease using the term "Mormon" because it pleases Satan.
Maybe if the Catholics adopt that name, Satan will stop messing with them.
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Alan J Meunier
There IS no “Satan” nor "Devil". “He” is a scapegoat for when folks do not want to take responsibility. “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” Isaiah 45:7
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Pastor Dsve
Ok we all had our say on this but did we come up with a way to prevent the abuse from happening again? How can we make sure it doesn't happen again? Is there something we can do? I myself don't have an answer that would solve this problem nor do I think I ever will at this point. I just don't know how to make it stop, but I wish I did. I would love to hear from anyone out there who can tell me how to make this stop once and for all.
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James
The devil dies and can tempt us. When we follow that lead , we commit sin Then it can be a crime. Then we would be held accountable for our actions. Actions are physical and we are punished for physical sin. Whether it is desease, jail, bankruptcy, divorce addiction, or our families taking apart, all the way to to countries burning, the devil running wild, and sin being openly accepted.. So are we really not believing that Satan is /was real? Is the soul real, is the spirit real, is there a God? Isn't this a church and a church must believe in a deity of some sort. So again I point out that the devil /Satan leads us to temptation and then we choice to follow. Free will and all!!
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Pastor Dsve
GLAD TO SEE WE ARE DONE WITH THE BIRT AND ERNIE BEING GAY TOPIC LOL. NOW MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE GUNS IN THE WRONG HANDS.
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Lori
It's only observation, but I think the look on the Pope's face kind of has a devilish way about it. Perhaps the devil is more involved than we know. The Catholic Church is going down. It's long over due. All this BS is for those who are weak minded and can be sucked into the whole devil thing. There are so many that eat it up. It's time for them to grow up and become people of thought instead of parroting bible scripture, with insane and destructive interpretations.
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Lionheart
Religion appears to be a neurological disease that only afflicts homo-sapiens who are either ignorant, or have low intelligence. The worst, and dangerous, kind are those that are afflicted with both traits. The only cure for them is an open mind, and education. Sadly, if they are heavily afflicted, their minds are pretty well shut tight. All we can do is love them as best we can. You have to have been where they currently are, in their head, and in remission yourself, to properly understand them. Otherwise, don't even try!
On the brighter humourous side, my dog is safe from the illness and so of course doesn't have a god in his life (apart from me) and is still a very good boy.
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Pastor Dsve
This is why I have my Ordination with the UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH. Being Multi denominational I can minister to inmates and others of ALL FAITHS. I RESPECT A PERSONS RIGHT TO WORSHIP THE GOD HE OR SHE FEELS RIGHT FOR THEM. I WAS RAISED CATHOLIC BUT LEFT THE CATHOLIC CHUR H BECAUSE I FOUND OUT THEY DIDN'T TEACH ME ALL I NEEDED TO KNOW.
I ONLY GOT THEIR SIDE OF THE STORY, NOT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS.
ANYWAY. WORSHIP AS YOU SEE FIT. JEWISH CHRISTIAN OR WHAT EVER.
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Pastor Dsve
I left the Catholic church many years ago. As a kid I didn't know these nuns were feeding me a BS line. No Meat on Friday? Try and find that in the Bible.. You won't even find it in your Funk and Wagnel.
They made up stuff, rules if you will. And now they are making up this Devil made me do it crap.
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flugo
The pope is full of crap! The Church pedophile problem is due to the priests CHOOSING to abuse the vulnerable.
'THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT?' I thought these religious leaders represented a higher/stronger force in the form of Jesus and/or Holy Spirit. Why didn't they employ the services (if they really wanted to) of these divinities to help them keep from abusing the innocent? What a crock!
And, NO where in the Bible is it meant for religious leaders to be celibate. NOWHERE!
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Gary Hynous
According to some accounts, man was given free will by God and blew it by eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden and man's use of free will has been a problem ever since vis-a- vis the recent events in the church. How deep pedophilia goes in all religions and in this case Catholicism is still to be determined. Why not let priests marry and raise a family and end this nonsense about being married to the church. Parents can sin as do we all...mortal or venial..take your pick. Of course Catholics can sin for 5 days. go to confession on Sat., church on Sunday and, being forgiven, begin the cycle all over again in the next week.This is a universal problem but when priests or any spiritual leader is involved it shakes our faith and perhaps our beliefs.
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flugo
Like my Catholic dad used to say: 'Sow your wild oats during the week, then go to church on the weekend and pray for crop failure!'
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Ben
The devil made me do it, worked in the courts back in the burning times. And that was cause for execution. So, let's execute these priests, like they did witches.
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Frank Villari
Child abuse, not clergy. Nobody is abusing the clergy, though it might be said they're abusing themselves. Faith in God has always encouraged evil to step up. One always hopes that clergy is up for the challenge, only to find many falling short of our expectations. There is not one righteous among us. Not one.
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Barry
Here we go again, blaming some entity For the disgusting behaviour of his Holy men.Admit the fact that these men are sick Pedifiles and they know as well as chose to do their dirty work.
Lock them up !
The Devil made me do it went out many years ago.
Take responsibility !
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Maria
Satan is definitely alive and stronger then ever! Both don’t forget God have us the ability to choose right from wrong! So we do have the option to turn away Satan!!! Choose to do right!
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Pastor Dsve
ok the whole free will thing I learned in Carholic school as a kid. You wanna really see evil piss off a nun. They were no joke with that yard stick. No child abuse laws in the 60's so they beat us with it when ever they felt like it. So maybe I did see the devil after all and he wasn't dressed in red ...she was dressed in black.
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Pastor Dsve
Did you ever notice all the BAD people we warn our kids about always seems to be a MAN? The boogie MAN. The Guy your mother warned you about. The devil. How about the bad WOMEN. There are just as many bad women in the world as there are men. Don't think so? Take a look at the inside of a women's prison. Rikers Island women's unit. Yes they have women who have killed people. There have been WOMEN on death row. Doing life bids. Their crimes are just as bad as the men if not worse. Like the ones who killed their own children. So maybe this devil is Female or there is more than 1 devil. How do we really know for sure?
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JASON D BENDER
Statistically speaking, men are way worse than women! not even close.
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Lionheart
I'm not sure how your God gave us the ability to choose right from wrong. Your God is okay with slavery and stoning people. Your God wants people to remove foreskins off little innocent babies. Your god killed every man, woman, and child on the face of this earth, except one family ruled by a drunkard. Your god wants us to tell little children they are born in sin and will go to your hell if they don't accept your beliefs. It seems your god has difficulties of his own make right and wrong decisions. In fact, it's possible that your Satan might have actually killed less people throughout history.
As for me, I think I'll just choose to not harm anyone and help those who need help. I'll leave your god, and your Satan, to you guys that created them and want to believe in them.
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Carlos
The instances in the bible where god kills humans is 2,476,633, Instances of satan killing is 10. These are Job's children. The number of 2,476,633, greatly, underestimates God's total death toll, since it only includes those killings for which specific numbers are given. Still, 2 million is a respectable number even for world class killers. If one includes the killings then one has include the victims of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the many plagues, famines, fiery serpents, etc., with which the good book is filled. The numbers are even more lopsided with god weighing in at roughly 25 million and satan at 60 . There is an excellent book called Drunk With Blood: God's killings in the Bible by Steve Wells which takes an objective and 'humorous' look at the statistics and cites chapter and verse to bolster these figures.
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Lionheart
Yes, let’s blame the Devil and take away the responsibility of human beings.
“Sorry officer, it wasn’t me it was the alcohol”
“Sorry officer it wasn’t me it was the drugs”
“Sorry officer it wasn’t me it was the Devil”
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Pastor Dsve
We have been told for way too long that every bad thing is the fault of the devil. Flip Wilson we are Not... the devil didnt make us do it, we did it on our own.
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Pastor Dsve
And how do we know there IS a devil? Have you ever seen him? Did he show up at your house for supper last night?. No No I don't mean your problem son or daughter, I'm talking the real red cape pitch fork guy. The tripple 6 on his head and all that. Has he ever visited you? I DIDN'T THINK SO. FICTION JUST LIKE SANTA CLAUSE AND THE EASTER BUNNY.
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Hoggdogg
You dont know what you talking about SATAN is real he here to destory and take all he can get you suppose to be prision ministry
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Pastor Dsve
One thing you learn in prison. Don't be fooled. Not everything you are told is true. Unless it can be confirmed and found to be 100% on the money, take it with a grain of salt. Just because someone told you there is a devil doesn't mean it's true. Nuns told me eating meat on Friday was a sin but no where in the Bible will you find that, so did they lie about the devil too?
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Alan J Meunier
There IS no "Satan". "He" is a scapegoat for when folks do not want to take responsibility. "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." Isaiah 45:7
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Pagan Priest
Sure there's a Satan. I read about him on the Internet so it must be true.
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Barry
You got it !
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Rev. Rene
Like any modern P.R.Firm, the leader of the church of Rome has a good story to tell us: it's NOT their fault, or responsibility, it's satan's!!! So instead of fixing the problem, (Hint; the Bible says nothing about priests having to be celibate) he can now go on having "addressed" the problem and leave it behind! Well done! Big kudo's.
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Gerry
A Church in crisis and it needs to address the sexual abuse issues head on while reconsidering the role of the clergy taking the dominant role within it. It needs the laity to have equal say in the Church's future and bring its teaching on personal morality to be more inclusive, less judgemental, respectful and compassionate to the real issues facing catholics today.
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Guairdean
It's interesting to see the Pope say that Satan is more powerful than Christ. Aren't the priests supposed to be able to resist the urgings of Satan? Isn't "The Power of Christ" supposed to protect them? What about their victims? Where was this power for good when lives were being destroyed? Where was the Vatican's concern for "the least of our brethren"? "The devil made me do it" was a great comedy routine back in the 70's, but it's a poor excuse for ignoring the problem for decades while children suffered. When priests are defrocked and locked away and not just shuffled to new hunting grounds, when real change is made, when the problem is addressed as a failure of the Vatican to address the issue and take REAL action, when all of these things happen I'll believe there is genuine concern for the victims. Until then, it's just more lip service and shell games.
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Dragon Priest
Satan is myth but the church is diabolic in nature.
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Sue
I don't think the Pope is saying Satan is more powerful than Christ! Satan is not only alive and well in the human aspects of the Catholic church, but everywhere you turn in our present day encounters: universities, politics, in the home and in our own personal lives. I don't think the Pope was excusing the atrocities of abuse in the church. When we take our faith for granted Satan moves in and he has certainly taken hold of many in the Catholic church. The church needs to clean house on the immorality of its clergy. As for all of us, it is our obligation to pray for ALL of our Christian brethren, regardless of affiliation!
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I think the Catholic Church is at fault and with its unrealistic expectations causes priest to fall. People are sexual, there are people attracted to the same sex yet you fault those who love the same sex instead of faulting the churches ignorance for creating shame based people who are forced to lie. The blood of the children and the priest who fall is on the leadership of the church.