Setp. 24, 2015

Pope Francis addresses U.S.Congress and the nation

WASHINGTON – The speech by Pope Francis to Congress on Thursday appeared to be a mixed blessing for conservatives, particularly those of deep faith, from whom it elicited a mixed reaction.

    On the one hand, the pope extolled America as the land of the free and the home of the brave. On the other, he called upon the nation to warmly welcome the record flood of immigrants critics say threatens to change the character of the nation as a bastion of freedom.

    He condemned international violence in an apparent call to thwart ISIS, but some question whether he sufficiently expressed concern for Christians under deadly assault by radical Muslims in the Middle East.

    The pope defended the sanctity of life in an apparent reference to the innocent unborn, but called for the end of the death penalty for the worst criminals.

The reaction from political commentator and radio talk-show host Laura Ingraham, a convert to Catholicism, likely reflected the sentiments of many conservatives of faith.

“Loved his message of redemption, mercy and love – but calling on the United States to admit anyone who violates our immigration laws is ludicrous, unrealistic and insulting to those Americans who themselves are desperate for a better life,” Ingraham told WND.

Laura Ingraham

Her favorite moments of the pontiff’s visit so far?

“His stop at the Little Sisters of the Poor home, and the smiles of children he hugged.”

The Obama administration is trying to force the Sisters to cover contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs in their health plan, as demanded under Obamacare, which violates their Catholic faith.

Ingraham also said she loved how the pope concluded his speech before Congress with “God bless America.”

Former Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., who freely expresses her deep Christian faith, told WND the pope “is rightly repeating Jesus’ admonition to ‘do unto others as you would have others do unto you.’”

“I agree wholeheartedly, and as a believer, Jesus’ standard is my aspiration for living, as imperfect as I am,” she said.

Bachmann moved from the personal to the political realm in her observations, noting that governments are given “a unique obligation in biblical standards to wield the sword on behalf of its citizens, meaning, the duty of government is the duty to protect its people.”

Regarding illegal immigration, that means there is “no right for any people group to invade another sovereign nation’s land and to take that nations resources for themselves.”

“Our laws require border security, but the government failed the people,” Bachmann said.

And upholding those laws is akin to a sacred duty, in her perspective.

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Former Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn.

“Our Declaration of Independence says God gave each person natural rights to life, liberty and property – the pursuit of happiness. Government doesn’t give the individual natural rights; God does. The purpose of our American government is to secure those God-given rights against government intrusion.”

Bachmann took issue with “the pope equating America’s early settlers with today’s illegal entry of millions from Mexico and Central America, those who choose to defy American law and self-import at the expense of the American taxpayer.”

“It is fascinating to me that this present day historic rush of Third-World society is toward the nations that embraced the principles of Western Christendom. They aren’t running toward Bangladesh, Russia or China.”

Bachmann saw a difference between traditional immigration patterns and those of today.

“Modern-day global communication coupled with modern-day transportation has informed residents of the Third World that a wealthy welfare-state lifestyle can be theirs if they get to the West,” she said.

“The stories are everywhere of people from the Third World coming to the West demanding a taxpayer-subsidized first-world lifestyle while they insist they can continue or even impose their religious practices or lifestyles. That’s become the new normal for America.”

Even before Pope Francis addressed the nation, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, another conservative of deep faith, circulated a statement praising the pope for continuing to “proclaim the truth.”

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas

Cruz lauded the pope’s defense of traditional values, remarking, “In stark contrast to media elites and national leaders smothering the truth of life, marriage and religious liberty, Pope Francis has unabashedly stood for these primary gifts to humanity.”

The senator endorsed the pontiff’s concern that “some in power are attempting to ‘disfigure God’s plan for creation’ by the growing efforts on the part of some to redefine the very institution of marriage.”

Cruz also praised Pope Francis for his “powerful” stance against abortion in his call to “respect and love human life, especially vulnerable life in a mother’s womb.”

The senator concluded: “[M]ay Pope Francis’s example inspire us to treat all with charity, pray for those who are persecuted, and speak out for those without a voice. It is an honor to meet a man who has lived the faith so selflessly. I thank Pope Francis for his service to God and to the world, and I hope during his visit we are each reminded of our call to see every person with the eyes of Christ.”

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who was confirmed and married in the Catholic Church, is, like Cruz, running for president and is also of Hispanic descent. Both made no mention of the pope’s views on immigration, opposed by most conservatives. Rubio, unlike Cruz, favors a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

Rubio did not even touch upon any of the issues the pope addressed.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

“Today’s speech was an inspiring moment, to be there and witness the pope’s speech before Congress,” he said in a statement. “I was moved by the pope’s message and by the sight of him standing in front of the U.S. flag with the words ‘In God We Trust’ engraved in the wall behind him. The pope today, reminded us of the faith our nation has placed in God since its very founding, and why we should have a lot of faith in America’s future.

“At a time when so many of our people are gripped with uncertainty about the future, the pope reminded us that America has a special calling as a nation that is guided by high ideals and the moral aims to build a more perfect union and to make the world a better place. He reminded us that, whatever our policy differences might be, we are all called to put the good of our people above all.”

In her comments to WND, Bachmann also referred to the nation’s origin as a mission of faith.

“America’s earliest settlers arrived at their own great hazard and expense in Jamestown in 1607 and at Plymouth Rock in 1620 with a written mandate, to bring the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a people group who did not know Him, and to establish a new colony based upon Judeo-Christian values.

“The American pilgrim forefathers truly were evangelizing, selfless pilgrims. Whether William Penn or Gov. William Bradford, the impetus was the same: Carry the gospel to those who hadn’t heard. William Penn sought to bring about ‘the peaceable kingdom’ in Pennsylvania with the natives.

“The Pilgrims of Plymouth Rock developed undisturbed, peaceful relations for over 50 years with the local natives, learning to love and care for one another, so much so that they wept over one another’s deathbeds.

“The settlers began a new national identity based upon principals of living in accordance with reformation Christianity. They were a people on a mission and built up in remarkably little time, the most magnificent society ever seen on the face of the earth.

“We enjoy a unique, yes, exceptional national covenant in America and have lived to see blessings untold in the history of man on our nation.

“Those blessings continue as our nation fulfills in faithfulness our original covenant. Or, we can reap a tragic, predictably foolhardy outcome, especially towards our posterity as we allow to slip away the spirit of American liberty to those who have no intention of renewing those sacred bonds.

“In my mind, that is our governments proper response to carrying out its duty to do for the next generation what our parents and grandparents did for ours.”

However, Bachmann also saw the current U.S. government as derelict in carrying out its sacred duty.

“Our laws have named terror states and terror actors, and unspeakably today our government enriches, empowers and enables the leading global state sponsors of terror, including Iran, Cuba and Syria, thus failing to secure the safety, liberty and property of the American people.”

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