In Theory: How important were the words of the pope?

During his trip to the United States, Pope Francis delivered a historic speech to Congress, urging politicians to come together to pursue “the common good.”

But as Francis became more specific in his concerns, “the pattern of applause in the House chamber made clear that papal calls to abolish the death penalty, welcome immigrants, combat climate change and work against income inequality were more welcome on the Democratic side than among Republicans,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

Although he did not mention abortion directly, his call to “defend human life at every stage of its development,” also drew applause from Republicans.

Q. What do you think was the most important development to come out of Pope Francis’ visit? Do you believe there were any political leanings in his speech? Did Francis’ visit change your perception of him?

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I think the pope is a sincere person and genuinely hopes and works for the “common good.” My opinion of him in that regard has not changed. However, as a humanist, I feel you can and should be good without god so, although I arrive at many of the same conclusions as the pontiff, I don’t get there the same way.

As far as the most important development to come from his visit, we have yet to see. I hope it has changed the mind of some big money, anti-environment, pro-death penalty, anti-equal rights conservatives. From what I hear, the speech was political, but it would be impossible to bring any substance to a speech that was completely apolitical. I am just glad he is on the side of liberals when it comes to many things.

Certainly, I disagree with him on issues of women’s choice, homosexuality and more. I believe conclusions must be arrived at via a process of reasonable investigation and not through supernatural guidance. When you are “divinely commanded,” it leads to well-meaning men like Pope Francis deciding that contraception and access to proper reproductive care is not tenable despite the fact they are some of the best ways to end the cycle of poverty, reduce the instance of abortion and help improve the live of millions. It leads to a presumably well-meaning person like the newly sainted Junipero Serra standing by during the theft of Native American lands and often forcibly converting indigenous peoples to Catholicism against their will, believing it to be in their best interest.

That aside, many of the pope’s statements were positive and, in this world, where nobody completely agrees on anything, I’d like to take this moment to celebrate the possibility of the world’s Catholics leaning, and even redirecting their activism toward vital causes like abolishing the death penalty, welcoming immigrants, combating climate change and working against income inequality.

Joshua Lewis Berg

Humanist Celebrant

Glendale

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First of all, Pope Francis did not change my opinion of him; I have thought well of him since he first became pope.

I can’t think of anything he did while he was here that really stands out, except that he is the first pope to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress. I did find it interesting that he did tell so many people to pray for him, even Speaker of the House John Boehner. For the pontiff to ask so many “ordinary” people to pray for him speaks to his humility, and I think everybody responds to such an approach from the leader of roughly a third of the world’s Christians. (He doesn’t speak for Protestant Christians nor for those of the Eastern Orthodox branch of the faith.)

Did he do anything “political?” I think the answer was yes, but he was so very subtle about it. His urging of us to care for the poor and for immigrants might rank higher for liberals than for conservatives — but he didn’t come right out and tell Republicans that they’re wrong! Also, it could be argued that his urging of us to care for human life at all stages might be a swipe at liberals who are pro-choice as opposed to pro-life. So, in a way, the pope was very political: He had something for everybody. He said things that everybody could point to and say, “Look, he thinks the same way I do!”

I don’t mean to be overly critical; he has a big job with a lot of factions within the Catholic faith. And he certainly does not want to alienate any of those factions. So being the pope, even as wonderful a one as Francis, is a very “political” job, and I personally wish him well in any of the reforms he wishes to accomplish.

The Rev. Skip Lindeman

La Cañada Congregational Church, United Church of Christ

La Cañada Flintridge

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The President of China is a more important factor than the pope in the lives of Americans due to the intertwining of China’s huge economy with ours, yet his visit here at the same time as Francis’ attracted very little attention. Even I know a lot about the pope, but I have to look up the name of my fellow atheist — Xi Jinping.

Francis has become a celebrity and everyone is really taken with him. What’s not to like? He puts a humble, loving and sensible face on what is widely seen as the remote, unforgiving and doctrinaire Roman Catholic Church, which is experiencing declining membership along with other mainstream religions.

Yet he has changed nothing, really. No married or women priests, no compromise on family planning or on a woman’s right to the autonomy of her own body. Divorcees still need an annulment to be allowed back into the Church.

He is as wily a politician as any to speak on the floor of the U.S. Congress. Good for him to consistently support a reverence for life that doesn’t end at birth. The G.O.P. sitting on their hands for most of his speech is further confirmation that Pope Francis is on the moral high ground.

Roberta Medford

Atheist

Montrose

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I don’t care for the pope. I don’t care. He’s a guy. I’m a guy. I don’t think he has any great insight or spiritual acumen superseding anyone else, including me. You have to understand that the Protestant Reformation occurred because our fellow Catholics were errant. When the Protestants (Catholics who protested) pointed out the awful errors of their then-Catholicism, they were not given an opportunity to express their differences, they were simply excommunicated — excommunicated in the same way Christ was excommunicated to death on the cross. So I have no care for anything this dude says or “pontificates” upon. As far as I’m concerned, he is a lost person needing biblical salvation, and his own brand of felonious Christianity, that denies the Gospel (according to the Council of Trent), will hopefully fade. So when he blathers on about the death penalty, I say, “What does God say?” God says that we should put to death those deserving of such (Gen 9:6).

I do agree with the Catholic position on abortion and can’t believe that American people, generally speaking, don’t mind murdering infants, but I still don’t join Catholic ranks only because we share a common value. I’m sure there are many cults and religions that value something we all accept as virtuous, but I won’t grant them my imprimatur, nor should you.

Does the Bible speak to climate change? No, so neither should we, really. Respect the atmosphere, value earth, do right by nature, sure, but blah blah blah about the polar ice caps or the Los Angeles heat wave — forget about them.

The pope did nothing for me, and I don’t really think he did anything for anyone else. Many view him like a movie star because they were raised Catholic, but the same probably don’t even know what they believe or why, and the pope is just an idol to them. He doesn’t really say anything we don’t already know or expect, and he doesn’t have the good sense to stay out of stuff that religion ought to ignore. Do I think the pope incited any change? No. He will be forgotten until the next time he decides to make an appearance here, and people will again laud his coming and make a big production of his appearance, but it all amounts to nothing.

Rev. Bryan A. Griem

Tujunga