The Pope and Politics

Pope Francis is here in America.  Does it really matter?  For millions of Catholics, the answer is clearly yes, but for millions more, the opposite is true.  Think about it.  The media is playing up the pope's views on illegal immigration and climate change and saying next to nothing about his views on abortion, gay marriage and other social issues.  The reality, however, is that the liberals who are now trying to use the pope's message don't really care what he has to say.  Think of those liberals who push amnesty for illegal aliens.  How many of them do you think also oppose abortion on demand?  It can't be too many, that's for sure.  And how many of those people who oppose gay marriage also worry about climate change?  The pope's view really doesn't matter for most of this stuff.

Now let's be clear.  On the social issues of life and marriage, the Catholic Church has very strict doctrinal views.  On the other hand, there is nothing in the teachings of Jesus about climate change or illegal immigration.  That hasn't stopped the pope from weighing in on these subjects, however.

The reality is that the pope will be leaving in a few days.  Other than some monumental traffic jams, his political statements won't make much difference either way.  His spiritual views on the other hand, will have a lasting impact.  That is as it ought to be.