Pope Francis' Comments on Trump in 'No Way' a Personal Attack, Vatican Says

[brooklynite]

Source: ABC News

Pope Francis' suggestion that Donald Trump was not Christian was in "no way" a personal attack or an "indication of how to vote," the Vatican said today.

The Rev. Federico Lombardi, the pope’s spokesman who was standing beside the pontiff on the plane Wednesday night when he made his comments, told Vatican Radio that Francis' remarks were simply a restatement of his frequently voiced views that immigrants deserve respect and dignity and should be treated fairly.

"In no way was this a personal attack, nor an indication of how to vote," the Vatican statement said today, adding that the pope believes that people "should build bridges, not walls."

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/International/pope-francis-comments-trump-personal-attack-vatican/story?id=37056289

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Okay, who had 24 hours in the "walking back the Pope's comments" pool?

Trump 7, Pope 0

[daleanime]

1. Of course it's not an attack.....

it would be simply a opinion, if not for the unfortunate fact that it's true.

My own personal opinion of tRump isn't fit for public consumption.

[Helen Borg]

2. Come on! We want a Pope-Trump debate now!

That would be fun. To see Trump call the Pope a loser! Man, that would be so amazing.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

3. Added the Pope...

"Seriously though, he's a huge douchebag, am I right, folks?"

[malthaussen]

4. Proving that the Vatican has just as many weasels as D.C.

But really, anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of European history should be aware of that.

It is interesting, though, how often "Vatican spokesmen" disown something the Pontiff has said.

-- Mal

[TexasProgresive]

5. Reading the text of what Pope Francis said

I believe that the spokesman is correct. Francis was going out of his way to give Trump "the benefit of the doubt." The reporter was asking a kind of got ya question, sort of like the questions of the scribes and Pharisees to Jesus.

When asked by a reporter Wednesday, "Can a good Catholic vote for this man?" Francis responded by saying, "Thank God he said I was a politician, because Aristotle defined the human person as 'animal politicus.' So at least I am a human person. As to whether I am a pawn -- well, maybe, I don't know. I'll leave that up to your judgment and that of the people."

He continued: "And then, a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not in the gospel. As far as what you said about whether I would advise to vote or not to vote, I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he said things like that. We must see if he said things in that way and in this I give the benefit of the doubt."

[NobodyHere]

6. I'm sure the pope will be tearing down the walls around the Vatican shorty.

[TexasProgresive]

7. Those walls have an open doorway. One can enter and leave at will.

Yes, the Vatican does have walls, and some are quite large. But anyone can stroll through the Pope's front yard -- St. Peter's Square -- at nearly any time. Only metal detectors stand between the iconic landmark and the millions of tourists who come to see the historic headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.

In other words, Vatican City may have walls, but the front door is always open, said the Rev. James Martin, a Catholic priest and editor at large at America magazine.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/18/world/vatican-walls/index.html

That's just repeating Fartmouth's (trump) retort.

[William Seger]

8. There is no wall at St. Peters Square

Anyone can walk into the Vatican.

[Kelvin Mace]

9. The Church is filled with spinless cowards,

even at the very top.