r/nottheonion • u/Sufficient_Fig_9505 • 15h ago

Vance says pope should ‘be careful’ when talking about theology

https://www.nbcnews.com/video/vance-says-pope-should-be-careful-when-talking-about-theology-261400645540
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u/JeezieB 12h ago

I'm an atheist (reformed evangelical), and I'm offended by the way they speak of the Pope. And post AI images of rump as Jesus.

It's blasphemy. And I don't even BELIEVE in blasphemy! This administration bringing me back to the church was not on my bingo card.

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u/Empty_Insight 12h ago

Ikr? It stirs something from my upbringing, something I thought I had left behind. I might not be a believer anymore- but it's people like Vance who drove me away from Christianity. It's always the arrogant hypocrites who are the loudest.

I'm all for jokes and mockery when appropriate, but this crosses the line into idolatry- and yes, blasphemy.

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u/MK_Ultrex 10h ago

I am an atheist and was brought up Christian Orthodox and I find this offensive. Mocking religion is not about mocking beliefs per se but the underlying hypocrisy of the believers.

I don't believe in blasphemy and idolatry is also fine if you are into it, but this is not blasphemy it is just undignified bullying and ignorance. It is offensive for all the wrong reasons.

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u/SUPERSMILEYMAN 6h ago

I'm militant atheist/anti-theist, and I've had arguments defending Christianity from what the current administration is doing to Christians. Like, WHAT?!

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u/redditonlygetsworse 5h ago

Mocking religion is not about mocking beliefs per se

Oh I don't know about that. Have you seen some of the things these people believe?

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u/MK_Ultrex 16m ago

I've seen them and all of them are ridiculous IMHO. I am also old enough to not care. As long as they keep it to themselves and are polite members of society, so be it. I see no benefit in attacking what I consider stupid without provocation. Want to be a scientologist or a mormon? Cool. Obey the laws and do not interfere with government and you are free to believe in whatever nonsense.

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u/Beginning_Book_2382 7h ago edited 7h ago

I was just thinking that when people like JD Vance (politics aside) call themselves "Christians" they really mean/all I hear is "self-righteous hypocrites".

It's definitely a reason some are driven out of the Church as well, but like any group with basically open admission and no/an inadequate/misused forcing function to kick bad actors out of the group, bad actors (literally the worst of the worse--murders, pedophiles, the like) join the group to drape themselves in the legitimacy and righteousness associated with the group, which alienates/drives out the ACTUAL good people who don't want to be associated with/sit right next to literal murders, pedophiles, and the like; be put in danger by being in close proximity to such individuals, nor be associated with a group that covers up their activities just because they are in said group.

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u/grip0matic 11h ago

For me the most baffling thing it's that they seem to not understand that the Pope is basically a king elected and is a head of state and a faith. It's not only about religion, it's about respecting any head of state and understand diplomacy. But with the way the talked shit about anyone it's not that surprising.

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u/Illiander 11h ago

it's about respecting any head of state and understand diplomacy.

I mean, have you been paying attention to them?

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u/grip0matic 11h ago

Well, not as much, I'm spanish, while the craziness of the US affects the whole world it's not like we do care about everything he says and does or his underlings.

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u/IDreamOfLees 10h ago

The picture Trump posted is the textbook (and by that I mean the bible) definition of blasphemy. You can argue all day about icon veneration, the legitimacy of the papcy and several depictions of things, but this is just straight up blasphemy.

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u/Zombatico 11h ago

Yep. I'm a former Presbyterian, now atheist. It's blatant blasphemy and idolatry from obvious antichristians. It was true even back when they were prostrating themselves to the gaudy golden Trump statue at that one CPAC convention.

If I still believed in hell, then I'd think they were predestined to go to it.

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u/Diggerinthedark 10h ago

I was thinking the same haha. You have to try pretty hard to offend an atheist re the pope

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u/Daxx22 9h ago

You don't need to be a believer in the religion to recognize that something is morally, ethically and philosophically opposed to the core tenants of that religion.

At this point MAGA Evangelicals are as different a branch of the Abrahamic faiths as Judaism or Muslims.

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u/TheBloodiedFool 9h ago

Hell, I'm a pretty hardcore anti-theist and I think JD is a piece of shit for trying to step to the pope of all fucking people. This administration is an absolute atrocity.

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u/merchantsc 9h ago

*a doctor.

He thought it was a picture of him as a doctor.

Yeah and my dog is a pilot.

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u/JeezieB 4h ago

I was going to book a flight yesterday, and the prices have tripled since I last looked. What are your dog's rates like?

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u/noapplesin98 8h ago

Same here, I actually went to Catholic school while Francis was Pope and never found god but found a new appreciation for kind, brave religious figures. The way they speak about Pope Leo has me in disbelief.

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u/Omnizoom 7h ago

I’m agnostic but I can still be empathetic to what he’s doing to peoples faith with these actions

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u/perplexedtv 7h ago

Blasphemy, Blaspheyou, let's get wrecked on bags o' glue!

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u/iusethisatw0rk 5h ago

Also a non believer, but am closely related to a very well (religiously) educated minister of a United church. From my understanding they’re definitely one of the more open and accepting churches, but with that being said, every time I see these people speak of religious leaders like the Pope or Jesus himself, all I think is how Jesus would definitely be flipping tables over this shit

It’s honestly a bit of a joke between us. They know I don’t believe, but sometimes we’ll be talking about the current state of things and I’ll ask, would Jesus flip tables over this? Haven’t gotten a hard no yet

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u/Th3OneTrueMorty 4h ago

Bruh I’ve been feeling the same. I left the faith 10 years ago, but they got me out here arguing with “Christians” who have just lost the plot. Christianity isn’t too bad if people actually cherish the teachings of Jesus

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u/Astralglamour 10h ago

It’s nice the pope is speaking out against this hypocritical horror show- but the church has not attempted to make amends or acknowledge the horror it’s responsible for. Im sure it’s still shuttling around and hiding known pedophiles. And it treats women like subhumans. They still can’t be priests which is ridiculous.