Trump Posts AI Image of Himself as Pope on Truth Social

[Hans Blaster]

Most of the growth in African Christianity is due to Africans themselves, their churches are mostly autonomous now days in terms of governance.

I meant the general notion of Christianity.

Of course. My point is that religion as a phenomenon can and does change, including the emergence of completely new or syncretic forms of religion. Which makes it more problematic to predict the future of religion.

Just look at the Protestant Reformation, only 500 years ago, for instance. It created very different forms of Christianity from Roman Catholicism. It's possible the next century will see completely new forms of religion to compete with older forms.

which doesn't have anything to do with noting non-Christian things aren't Christianity.

Religion isn't necessarily defined by a set of dogmatic beliefs or propositions about the world. Common rituals and practices can be just as important, if not moreso. The Quaker religion is a good example of this. Shinto in Japan is another.

Do these represent Christianity stay at 31.4% of world's population?

They can be. There are UFO based religion, for instance.

which is why I said "generally" in parentheses.

Belief in vampires predates Christianity, and is found in many cultures, even if it was given a Christian explanation in premodern Europe.

Techinically it is Modern Europe that the vampire lore that people currently believe dates from.

 

[mindlight]

South America has its own kind of occulture, where Catholicism or Catholic symbols frequently blend with local religions. Brazil has alot of African-influenced religions and new religious movements, in particular. And I suspect Neo-Pentecostalism in Brazil will eventually fall victim to the same kind of political coding and nationalism that happened in the US, limiting its appeal.

Overall Protestants grew faster than Catholics round the world the last hundred years. But that masks deep differences. Chinese house churches, African Christianity and the Iranian underground are examples of often against all odds Protestant growth. But in Germany the heart of the Protestant reformation Protestants have declined from two thirds to one third of the population while Catholics have held their share and now outnumber Protestants in Luther- land. Overall more conservative churches are where the growth is while Western liberals are in freefall.

Catholicism can learn a lot from Pentecostals who are growing faster than Islam and converting people. Catholics mainly grow by birthrate. To beat Islam we need to convert Muslims. Atheists look like dying out by themselves. I want an evangelistic pope with a success record in bringing new people in to the church from Muslim backgrounds. But Catholics are not doing that in China or Iran so he will probably have to be African or from the Middle East.

 

[Trogdor the Burninator]

I've no time at all for the monarchy, but I would have been equally insulted if Trump had pictured himself as the next king while the queen was still being mourned.

Let's face it. The guy has no class whatsoever.

Think on the bright side - at least we know that when Trump dies, the memes are going to be absolutely epic.

 

[Nithavela]

Think on the bright side - at least we know that when Trump dies, the memes are going to be absolutely epic.

It will be a half year long period of mourning and every joke will be punishable.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Think on the bright side - at least we know that when Trump dies, the memes are going to be absolutely epic.

People are saying he will only be dead 3 days...

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Pretending? Please don't be so insulting. Almost all of the secular members of this forum have shown nothing but respect for religion (which is a world away from how we might consider personal religious views, which vary depending on who you talk to). It's the same as showing respect to the position of the president. Which you can do without having any for the person holding that position.

I've no time at all for the monarchy, but I would have been equally insulted if Trump had pictured himself as the next king while the queen was still being mourned.

Let's face it. The guy has no class whatsoever.

I’m finding the problem isn’t that the president has no class. It’s that the rest us don’t either.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois said in a Facebook post that by publishing the image "Trump mocks God, the Catholic Church, and the Papacy."

Paprocki added the image was "deeply offensive" — especially as Catholics continue to mourn Pope Francis and prepare for the papal conclave. "President Trump owes an apology to Catholics and all people of good will," he said.

--

Elsewhere, I've seen commentary (which is spot on, I think) that American Catholics don't care all that much what bishops and cardinals think (evidenced by their views on various hot button issues), and a good many of them far prefer Trump to ecclesiastical leaders of their own church. Which certainly says something.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Elsewhere, I've seen commentary (which is spot on, I think) that American Catholics don't care all that much what bishops and cardinals think (evidenced by their views on various hot button issues), and a good many of them far prefer Trump to ecclesiastical leaders of their own church. Which certainly says something.

Well, "commentary" can say anything. But I think even bishops and cardinals preferred Trump to Biden because of one issue: Abortion.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Atheists look like dying out by themselves.

I don't see where you get that notion.

 

[FireDragon76]

Overall Protestants grew faster than Catholics round the world the last hundred years. But that masks deep differences. Chinese house churches, African Christianity and the Iranian underground are examples of often against all odds Protestant growth. But in Germany the heart of the Protestant reformation Protestants have declined from two thirds to one third of the population while Catholics have held their share and now outnumber Protestants in Luther- land. Overall more conservative churches are where the growth is while Western liberals are in freefall.

In developed nations, both liberal and conservative churches are in freefall.

Catholicism can learn a lot from Pentecostals who are growing faster than Islam and converting people. Catholics mainly grow by birthrate. To beat Islam we need to convert Muslims. Atheists look like dying out by themselves. I want an evangelistic pope with a success record in bringing new people in to the church from Muslim backgrounds. But Catholics are not doing that in China or Iran so he will probably have to be African or from the Middle East.

I support religious freedom, including the right to convert to another religion, but why do we need to "beat" islam? The narrative of a civilizational conflict seems problematic from the standpoint of a Christian witness called to love ones enemies.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

In developed nations, both liberal and conservative churches are in freefall.



I support religious freedom, including the right to convert to another religion, but why do we need to "beat" islam? The narrative of a civilizational conflict seems problematic from the standpoint of a Christian witness called to love ones enemies.

"Loving enemies" is not something that Christians want to do.

Maybe that is why it is in freefall. It is not lived. But then that whole Jesus thing about dying to self and taking up our cross is really not appealing.
Perhaps that is why the gate seems so narrow.

 

[Michie]

"Loving enemies" is not something that Christians want to do.

Maybe that is why it is in freefall. It is not lived. But then that whole Jesus thing about dying to self and taking up our cross is really not appealing.
Perhaps that is why the gate seems so narrow.

Of course the loving part must exclude Trump.

 

[Postvieww]

Trump just said in a press conference he had absolutely nothing to do with the pope picture, but his wife did say he looked cute. Common on, find a serious topic if one wants to bash Trump. This one is a non starter. It was a joke which Trump didn’t start.

 

[o_mlly]

But then that whole Jesus thing about dying to self and taking up our cross is really not appealing.

Perhaps that is the reason that most Protestants removed the corpus from their crosses. Hard to accept suffering as His gift as St. Paul did in Romans 5:3-5.

 

[Michie]

Trump just said in a press conference he had absolutely nothing to do with the pope picture, but his wife did say he looked cute. Common on, find a serious topic if one wants to bash Trump. This one is a non starter. It was a joke which Trump didn’t start.

I figured it was people riffing off his comment about being the best pick for pope. That’s why I did not jump on the condemnation bandwagon.

 

[JosephZ]

Trump just said in a press conference he had absolutely nothing to do with the pope picture,

He must think Americans are stupid.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Trump just said in a press conference he had absolutely nothing to do with the pope picture, but his wife did say he looked cute. Common on, find a serious topic if one wants to bash Trump. This one is a non starter. It was a joke which Trump didn’t start.

Not a very good look for some of the posters here that initially defended or dismissed this stunt when even Trump is trying to distance himself from the fallout from this joke.

 

[FireDragon76]

"Loving enemies" is not something that Christians want to do.

Maybe that is why it is in freefall. It is not lived. But then that whole Jesus thing about dying to self and taking up our cross is really not appealing.
Perhaps that is why the gate seems so narrow.

The story of the Bible is calling, capitivity, exodus, exile, the offer of salvation, judgement, and resurrection, repeated over and over. Each time, the temptation of God's people is earthly power and the pride of life. I see no reason to think that has ended.

 

[Michie]

Not a very good look for some of the posters here that initially defended or dismissed this stunt when even Trump is trying to distance himself from the fallout from this joke.

I dismissed it. Still do.

 

[JosephZ]

Reporter: “Some Catholics were not so happy about the image of you looking like the Pope.”

Trump: “Oh, I see. You mean they can’t take a joke? You don’t mean the Catholics, you mean the fake news media? The Catholics loved it. I had nothing to do with it. Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the pope and they put it out on the internet. That’s not me that did it. I have no idea where it came from. Maybe it was AI, but I know nothing about it. I just saw it last evening.”