[Born to Conserve]

The Catholics are going to have to save the planet by themselves.

[MeshugeMikey]

have there been “peaceful demonstrations” for “earth’s rights” yet?

imagine “the planet” wearing a black shirt....bearing the words no justice no peas!!

[Alex Murphy]

Smith is referring to an article at Commonweal which discusses the Pope’s upcoming encyclical and expectations that he may address the issue of climate change. For Smith’s part, he argues against such a move coming from the Vatican as it would cause a great schism because it would shatter the RCC’s intense focus on the unique dignity of man. I’ll leave that question for Ed, who is far more well versed on the habits and thinking of the Holy See than I ever will be. But Papal policy aside, there are some more general concerns about such a policy which should resonate with the layman.

PFL

[Talisker]

Earth rights mean nothing other than empowering governments with totalitarian powers to violate human rights.

Anyone who believes something else is a child.

[mjp]

The nature rights movement is real and extremely subversive to human freedom and thriving.

The premise that nature possesses intrinsic value-that nature is valuable in and of itself, apart from all contribution to human life and well-being is an anti-man premise because it logically implies hatred for man and his achievements.But the nature of man as a rational being is God-given.It is the application of his reason in the form of science, technology, and an industrial civilization that enables him to act on nature on the enormous scale on which he now does. Thus, it is his possession and use of reason-manifested in his technology and industry-for which he is hated.

[Lazamataz]

The Pope has signed on with fascists and communists.

These are clearly the very end times.

[livius]

The Pope has no authority to do this, and nobody in the Church has any obligation to accept it.

This Pope is a leftist, a fool and probably only got to be pope through chicanery and politicking. (Also, I’ll never be convinced that he wasn’t involved in forcing BXVI to resign.)

Whatever he says that conflicts with or does not support the established doctrine of the Church can be dismissed. It’s just his opinion.

He’s very autocratic and has intimidated and silenced many people, in addition to the opposition he has just (borderline illegally) removed and sent to Siberia. So people are scared of him.

But nobody has to accept anything he says unless it is in harmony with Catholic doctrine...and this would not be. Man is the gardener of the garden, and while creation may be his responsibility, it has no rights of its own. Especially as defined by an elderly Argentinian who hasn’t had a real job in his life where he supported himself, and who lives in a clerical residence in Rome, tended by nuns.

[Gamecock]

4:3 he makes an ex cathedra proclamation.

[Jeff Chandler]

The courts should bestow rights upon the earth . . . as soon as the earth petitions the courts.

[fwdude]

“Who are we to judge?”

[Zionist Conspirator]

So the Catholic Church has gone from the "reactionary" teaching that the earth is the center of the universe to the "progressive" one that it is no such thing . . . but that we should all worship it.

What a wacky religion!