Limbaugh, Palin, Provoke Catholic Anger For Pope Comments
Rush Limbaugh has angered both Catholics and non-Catholics after referring to the Pope’s views on capitalism as “pure Marxism.”
On his radio broadcast on Nov. 27, Limbaugh said the pope “doesn’t know what he’s talking about when it comes to capitalism and socialism,” and that his apostolic exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” was either written by someone else or “gotten to him.” He added the document was “pure Marxism coming out of the mouth of the pope.”
Sarah Palin also landed in hot water a few weeks ago for saying she was shocked by some of his “liberal” statement, and doesn’t trust what the media is reporting about about him.
“Somebody did get to Pope Francis,” religious scholar Reza Aslan told The Washington Post. “It was Jesus.”
On Palin, he said, “These two paragons of the far right – both of whom regularly invoke the teachings of Jesus to bolster their own political views – have suddenly turned their backs on the man whose actual job description is to speak for Jesus.”
Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good had this to day about Limbaugh:
We are disturbed by Rush Limbaugh’s incendiary comments last Wednesday, November 27th about Pope Francis and are joining together with Catholics and other allies throughout the nation to support the Holy Father. To call the Francis a proponent of “pure marxism” is both mean spirited and naive. Francis’s critique of unrestrained capitalism is in line with the Church’s social teaching. His particular criticism of “trickle down economics” strengthens what Church authorities have said for decades: any economic system which deprives the poor of their dignity has no place within a just society.
Contrary to what Mr. Limbaugh suggests, the Catholic Church isn’t built on money, but on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ.
We call on Mr. Limbaugh to apologize and retract his remarks. We urge other Church organizations and leaders–both ordained and lay–to also condemn Mr. Limbaugh’s comments.
