In Reply: Pope Francis (Patch Feature Article)

1. Neither the papacy nor one's choice of religion are prizes in some popularity contest.
2. The Pope is very much apart from American politics.
3. Not since the Council of Jerusalem, c. AD 50, has Christianity been in any way a democratic organization; that Council decided that non-Jews could join The Way (the Nazarene Sect of Judaism) without first adhering to Judaic customs and law.  It was about that time the followers of The Way began calling themselves "Christians".

Certainly, American politics holds fast to its "traditional culture war touchstones", abortion and homosexuality among them.  In the Bible Belt of mid-America, I do not foresee politicians dropping either topic from campaign platforms during my lifetime.  
But let's talk about both of these for a moment.

Abortion

I believe abortion to be wrong, tantamount to homicide.  My wife shares this belief.  However,  I am a male and will never have to face or make any decision about having an abortion.  As Christians, we both adhere to the teaching against judging others, and as Americans we both recognize the rule of law, which has made abortion legal in our society.  I certainly do not take upon myself the right to judge any woman faced with such a heavy and terrible decision.    As Christians, it is also expected of us to forgive the trespasses of others, but more importantly, to retain the cardinal virtue of Hope, in the case of abortion, for repentance and forgiveness from God.  Do we all not share in that HOPE, for our own salvation?

"Gay Marriaqe" 

This topic really should be referred to same-gender marriage, but American lexicon and culture seem fixated on both its underlying sexual nature, and for euphemizing homosexuality, I think to maintain an aura of "dirtiness" or smarminess about the subject on the part of heterosexuals, and to clean-it-up for polite conversation among its adherents.  

I am against "gay marriage" purely on the basis of historical societal norms which I value.  But that is my personal opinion, and I chose my own spouse 45 years ago, when marriage was ever only between a man and a woman.  My children are all in traditional marriages and we have a goodly number of grandchildren.  So, "gay marriage" is not an issue for me or my family on any meaningful level other than as a matter of personal opinion and something called "traditional values".

But as I enjoy my teen-aged grandsons and my preteen and grade-school and pre-school grand kids, it is abundantly clear that "traditional values" have been and will continue to be changing...radically, among our younger generations.  And surprisingly, those changes are generally for the better.  The over-arching nature of the changing values of youth in America and around much of the world is toward TOLERANCE.

Pope Francis hews very closely to the teachings of Jesus, and puts those teachings into personal action.  He is not part of our political or legal system.  Therefore, it makes little to no difference the degree of liberalism, radicalism, or faux-conservatism which American politics and politicians may wish to infer from his teachings from the balcony above the Vatican piazza or from his humble actions in the dark streets of the City of Rome.

While Francis is the head of the Roman Catholic Church, his examples and his words are valuable and valid certainly for all Christians, but also for anyone with an open heart and mind, regardless of affiliations, meaning, without regard to your religious convictions or your political persuasion, including non-believers and Independent voters.