Why is Pope Francis unpopular among Catholics?

[Erose]

it is just being an effective communicator
if people keep taking your words our of context, you work harder to be understood
especially if your words are being taken out of context by groups that are antagonistic to the Faith

What if they are being taking out of context by lets say one country's media? Is he being taking out of context in Spanish or other countries, as he is here? I don't know quite honestly.

 

[benedictaoo]

Can someone explain to me why Francis is unpopular with Catholics, especially with from what I've seen on this site. From the outside, I don't understand it, he's humble, serves the poor, passionate about ecumenism, speaks out against the evils in the world, and haven't seen him say anything that goes against the teachings of the RCC.

To me it's because he seems to be ignoring the real problems his compassion for certain people are creating.

 

[s_gunter]

To me it's because he seems to be ignoring the real problems his compassion for certain people are creating.

No Shade. OK. That's a "not in my backyard" philosophy. Since when did we become a scaredy cat nation?

Hehe. Don't answer that. That's thrown out there whenever someone wants their "safety zone." Looks like both sides of the aisle wants a "safety zone," doesn't it?

 

[topcare]

Can someone explain to me why Francis is unpopular with Catholics, especially with from what I've seen on this site. From the outside, I don't understand it, he's humble, serves the poor, passionate about ecumenism, speaks out against the evils in the world, and haven't seen him say anything that goes against the teachings of the RCC.

When I was Catholic something did not seem right plus I saw liberalism sweeping in, so instead of complain I left. I miss B16 he was a great Pope

 

[Landon Caeli]

Can someone explain to me why Francis is unpopular with Catholics, especially with from what I've seen on this site. From the outside, I don't understand it, he's humble, serves the poor, passionate about ecumenism, speaks out against the evils in the world, and haven't seen him say anything that goes against the teachings of the RCC.

He aims to please non-Catholics. He is not here to make Catholics feel good about their faith, but rather, he challenges our faith, while helping non-Catholics.

...It's the same trend we see in many governments who look to others outside of their own for ways to help. I call it "bastardization"... Some see that as a positive, others do not.

 

[Martinius]

He is unpopular with Internet forum Catholics and a few other wild eyed groups. Among everyday Catholics, he is very popular.

I would agree. The many Catholics I know and have talked to, including some clergy, like Francis a lot. I personally don't know of any Catholics that dislike him, except around here. I have recently visited several Catholic bookstores and libraries, and the writings of and about Pope Francis are prominently featured in all of them. Along with books by and about the two prior popes, of course.

 

[Rhamiel]

here is an example

several times the Pope has warned us about "Fundamentalism" being a negative thing in all religions, and warns about this in the context of our own faith

60% of Catholics in the USA support gay marriage, only 24% of Catholics attend mass weekly in the USA and it is far worse in Europe
culturally, Catholics are pretty much indistinguishable from the general population when it comes to divorce, remarriage and cohabitation

Europe, the USA, and Canada are suffering horribly from religious indifference among Catholics and Latin America is not doing much better
we have been in crisis mode for at least 40 years and the Holy Father chooses to focus his concerns on "Fundamentalism" within the Church.....

also using that term in regards to Catholicism is vague enough, at first it was used for a branch of Evangelical Protestants who decided to stop arguing about periphery issues and focus on the "fundamentals" of the faith as they understood them.
So another example of vagueness.

The Pope has also shown a favoritism for Leftists
so that is also jarring

 

[dzheremi]

Perhaps it is fair to wonder how much Pope Francis may be tailoring that message to the Western media narrative, rather than just seeing him as being manipulated by the media after the fact. After all, I can't speak for other countries, but I know in the USA many people are unaware of the actual historical roots of the term "fundamentalist", and generally use it to me "someone who is committed to whatever doctrine/dogma they have to the point of being inflexible and closed off to other viewpoints" (particularly in the face of finger-wagging that if they do not change, they will be on the 'wrong side of history', that their religion will die out, etc).

Say what you will about Pope Francis, but one thing I don't think anyone would charge him with being is inflexible and unwelcoming to other points of view!

 

[benedictaoo]

here is an example

several times the Pope has warned us about "Fundamentalism" being a negative thing in all religions, and warns about this in the context of our own faith

60% of Catholics in the USA support gay marriage, only 24% of Catholics attend mass weekly in the USA and it is far worse in Europe
culturally, Catholics are pretty much indistinguishable from the general population when it comes to divorce, remarriage and cohabitation

Europe, the USA, and Canada are suffering horribly from religious indifference among Catholics and Latin America is not doing much better
we have been in crisis mode for at least 40 years and the Holy Father chooses to focus his concerns on "Fundamentalism" within the Church.....

also using that term in regards to Catholicism is vague enough, at first it was used for a branch of Evangelical Protestants who decided to stop arguing about periphery issues and focus on the "fundamentals" of the faith as they understood them.
So another example of vagueness.

The Pope has also shown a favoritism for Leftists
so that is also jarring

Yep. Chastising Catholics for being staunch.

 

[s_gunter]

I know that the words fundamentalism, extremism, and fanatic are used as synonyms in USA English. Is it the same in Argentine Spanish?

 

[Fantine]

People don't understand that Francis is asking them something much more challenging. To be unselfish. Live simply. It's much harder than not using birth control.

He's not a laissez-faire Pope. Embraced in its entirety, his message would stop most Americans in their tracks.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Pope Francis is a contemplative, and being such, will not be liked by fundamentalists in Catholicism and Christianity in general.

Jesus wasn't well liked by the rigid fundamentalists of his religion either and look what they did to him

God bless Pope Francis and all who hear to his words.

Jim

 

[Rhamiel]

Pope Francis is a contemplative, and being such, will not be liked by fundamentalists in Catholicism and Christianity in general.

Jesus wasn't well liked by the rigid fundamentalists of his religion either and look what they did to him

God bless Pope Francis and all who hear to his words.

Jim

Jesus was also rejected by those in his community who compromised with Greek practices

the Herodians I think they were called?

basically you are comparing apples and oranges

 

[Open Heart]

I googled "Catholic terrorist groups"

I don't remember where I saw it now, but it was a spoof of Whoopie Goldberg who said Christian fundamentalists were as dangerous as Islamic fundamentalists. The video showed this nun getting on a bus, pulling back the folds of her habit to expose a bomb, and yelling "Hail Mary full of grace!" just before she exploded. LOL The idea being no one ever sees stuff like that.

 

[concretecamper]

Among everyday Catholics, he is very popular.

75% of everyday Catholics don't go to weekly Mass, don't regularly receive the sacraments, and divorce amongst everyday Catholic equal that of the general population..of course they like him....who am I to judge

 

[s_gunter]

I don't remember where I saw it now, but it was a spoof of Whoopie Goldberg who said Christian fundamentalists were as dangerous as Islamic fundamentalists. The video showed this nun getting on a bus, pulling back the folds of her habit to expose a bomb, and yelling "Hail Mary full of grace!" just before she exploded. LOL The idea being no one ever sees stuff like that.

I'm not sure where you're going with this, or what you're trying to say...

 

[Open Heart]

I'm not sure where you're going with this, or what you're trying to say...

I'm sharing a funny.

 

[Paidiske]

He aims to please non-Catholics. He is not here to make Catholics feel good about their faith, but rather, he challenges our faith, while helping non-Catholics.

That reminds me of the line - I am not sure where it originated - that the job of the clergy is to "comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable." Perhaps Pope Francis sees it similarly?

As far as Catholic fundamentalism goes, no, you don't tend to see it play out in terms of bombings and the like. But you do see, in some places, what I might call a very hard-edged Catholicism; one which, instead of being open to what God might be up to in people who are not exactly the same as those who hold it, is very quick to put down and condemn. And I think it's a vicious circle, because if I know you condemn me before I ever get close to your church, why would I feel welcome to visit? And then they wonder why Mass attendances and the like drop...

That's not a comment on anyone here, by the way, just thinking back over my experience of a small subset of Catholics in real life, and wondering if the Pope is trying to say to these people that God is bigger than they think, and might surprise them yet.

 

[Rhamiel]

I don't remember where I saw it now, but it was a spoof of Whoopie Goldberg who said Christian fundamentalists were as dangerous as Islamic fundamentalists. The video showed this nun getting on a bus, pulling back the folds of her habit to expose a bomb, and yelling "Hail Mary full of grace!" just before she exploded. LOL The idea being no one ever sees stuff like that.

true
nor do you see devout Christians killing people because they think the Bible tells them to every day
I mean yeah it sadly does happen that some disturbed individuals will pervert the teachings of Christianity and does that
but it does not happen every day

with Islam this is EVERY day
with Islam has also set up Sharia law all over the world that requires homosexuals and apostates be put to death
even places where it is not legal, it is a common practice

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Jesus was also rejected by those in his community who compromised with Greek practices

the Herodians I think they were called?

basically you are comparing apples and oranges

But was arrested and convicted to death by the law abiding Temple Sanhedrin.

Jim