After telling Catholics not to obsess with abortion, the Pope tells doctors NOT to perform abortions

Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 20 September 2013 | Associated Press

[Mrs. Don-o]

Pope Francis encouraged Catholic doctors to refuse to perform abortions today in a bizarre U-turn on comments yesterday that condemned the church's obsession with 'small-minded things'.

In a remarkable 12,000 word interview published on Thursday, Francis said he was resolved to reform the church, which had a tendency to get caught up in 'small minded things'.

‘It is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time,’ he said. ‘We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods.’

But today he seemed a different man, telling gynecologists: 'Every child that isn't born, but is unjustly condemned to be aborted, has the face of Jesus Christ, has the face of the Lord.'

He also talked fervently about the impact of money and greed on society.

'The widespread preoccupation with profits and today's throw-away culture, that enslave the hearts and minds of us all, come at a high cost: they serve to destroy the human race, above all the weak.'

'Greed,' he said, 'is a sin against the First Commandment. One cannot worship God and money.

'Here is why. Money becomes idolatry. And Jesus tells us that you cannot serve money and God. It must be one or the other.'

Describing money as 'a seduction that makes you to slide slowly into perdition', he added: 'Money corrupts thought, it corrupts faith.'

The medical profession, he added, is a paradox because 'while we allow people new rights, we do not always protect life as a primary value and a basic right of every man.'

Speaking to a congregation of Catholic gynecologists in Rome, he declared, "Every unborn child, though condemned to be aborted, has Christ's face." He urged them to refuse to participate in abortions.

[Heart-Rest]

"IMHO, Francis is playing the media. This isn’t the first time he’s said something provocative that gets the global media scrambling, misquoting, hearing what they want to hear, and then having their balloon popped when everybody is paying attention."

It seems sort of reminiscent of that old "rope-a-dope" technique in boxing, where the media expend all their energy flailing away at one of his vaguely disquieting statements, then he goes "BAM!!!", laying out not just the precise teaching of the Church, but the moral reasoning behind the teaching as well, for all the world to see and hear.

(Some shaky "Catholic" CINO's -- like certain American politicians -- may be listening to him as well, thinking at first that he "believes" just like they do.)

[marron]

Now, I actually disagree with pope on one point. I don't think that the Church obsesses about gays and abortion and such. I think that the Church is always defending itself and that the Progressives are obsessed.

I think you are right. I think normal people have never been obsessed about these subjects, nor normally would the church. It is the "progressive" Left that is obsessed and driving the conversation.

Its all they want to talk about. And they are the ones who misunderstood, perhaps willfully, the pope's remarks. Love the sinner, care about the sinner, Christ died for the sinner, we are all sinners. But sin is still sin.

Hence, Francis says, have sympathy for the woman who has had an abortion, she is in pain. Understand that the homosexual is a wounded soul. Christ loves them and can give them new life. Understand that you can't really preach to them until you have shown them that God loves them because they aren't going to hear you.

But sin remains sin. The church's teaching did not change.

[CaraMiaR]

The pope is saying hate the sin, love the sinner. You can be sure he is a staunch Catholic. I read an interview with him before the papal election and his opinions do not deviate from the doctrine. The difference is he is a shepherd. He cares for his whole flock.

[Lion Den Dan]

Amen.

[GatorGirl]

Amen!

[wintertime]

he tells us not to obsess about rules and put love first,
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

If we put Christ first in our lives we won't need to be thinking about “rules” because all the right rules will just automatically fall right into place, exactly where they should be. It's simple really, and Pope Francis “gets it!”

It's the godless Marxist lib-Progs who are the fools constantly obsessing over man made “rules”.

[wintertime]

Pope Francis’ point about “not obsessing” about the currently disputed moral principles, is that the first duty is always to evangelize: to invite people into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

AMEN!

[wintertime]

Pope Francis’ point about “not obsessing” about the currently disputed moral principles, is that the first duty is always to evangelize: to invite people into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

AMEN!

[Not gonna take it anymore]

Amen!

[Mrs. Don-o]

Now that was funny!