Pope's Pals To Trump's Chumps: Theocratic Assholes Fuck Off!

(CNN) - Two close confidants of Pope Francis have written an article in a Jesuit journal that strongly criticizes some American religious supporters of President Donald Trump for their fundamentalist views, which the authors say demonize others and create fear and hatred.

The article, in the Vatican-reviewed journal La Civiltà Cattolica, says some American evangelicals and Catholics have become a "community of combatants" who seek to impose a "xenophobic and Islamophobic vision that wants walls and purifying deportations."

Father Antonio Spadaro, editor of La Civiltà Cattolica, and pastor Marcelo Figueroa, editor-in-chief of the Argentinian edition of L'Osservatore Romano, in an article titled, "Evangelical Fundamentalism and Catholic Integralism in the USA: A surprising ecumenism," take "value voters" to task for wanting religion to influence politics in what the authors call a "nostalgic dream of a theocratic type of state."

The authors claim that conservative Catholics and evangelicals come together over "shared objectives," such as combating abortion and same-sex marriage or promoting religious education in schools, fostering an "ecumenism of conflict" that demonizes others.

"The panorama of threats to their understanding of the American way of life have included modernist spirits, the black civil rights movement, the hippy movement, communism, feminist movements and so on," the authors write. "And now in our day there are the migrants and the Muslims."

The authors accuse chief White House strategist Steve Bannon of supporting "an apocalyptic geopolitics" based on misguided theopolitical thinking that centers on state submission to the Bible, an idea "that is no different from the one that inspires Islamic fundamentalism."

The White House did not immediately return a request from CNN for comment on the article Friday.

The article laments the religious viewpoint that considers "the United States to be a nation blessed by God" and doesn't "hesitate to base the economic growth of the country on a literal adherence to the Bible." The authors also note how some electoral campaign messages "are full of references to evangelical fundamentalism. For example, we see political leaders appearing triumphant with a Bible in their hands."

The authors claim that the beliefs of these religious groups "do not take into account the bond between capital and profits and arms sales," and suffer from "a sort of anaesthetic with regard to ecological disasters and problems generated by climate change."

Spadaro and Figueroa say that fundamentalist evangelical and Catholic views are radically opposed to those of Pope Francis, who urges, "inclusion, peace, encounter and bridges."

"Francis is carrying forward a systematic counter-narration with respect to the narrative of fear," they say.

"Francis is courageous here and gives no theological-political legitimacy to terrorists, avoiding any reduction of Islam to Islamic terrorism," the authors write. "Nor does he give it to those who postulate and want a 'holy war' or to build barrier-fences crowned with barbed wire."

Also, The Hill.

An article in a Vatican-reviewed journal released this week blasted evangelical and Catholic allies of President Trump for attempting to impose a "theocratic" worldview and practicing "apocalyptic geopolitics."

CNN reported Saturday that an article in La Civiltà Cattolica blasted "value voters" who support the Trump administration for becoming a "community of combatants" in America.

The article's two authors, who are close confidants of Pope Francis, accused Catholic and evangelical voters of coming together over a "xenophobic and Islamophobic vision that wants walls and purifying deportations."

"The panorama of threats to their understanding of the American way of life have included modernist spirits, the black civil rights movement, the hippy movement, communism, feminist movements and so on," the authors write. "And now in our day there are the migrants and the Muslims."

Mentioned specifically in the article was Trump's top White House strategist Steve Bannon, who the authors said wants a country where citizens submit to the Bible, which they called an idea "that is no different from the one that inspires Islamic fundamentalism."

They contrasted Trump supporters' visions with that of Pope Francis, who they praised for spreading a peaceful worldview.

"Francis is carrying forward a systematic counter-narration with respect to the narrative of fear," the two wrote.

"Francis is courageous here and gives no theological-political legitimacy to terrorists, avoiding any reduction of Islam to Islamic terrorism," they continued. "Nor does he give it to those who postulate and want a 'holy war' or to build barrier-fences crowned with barbed wire."

The "barrier-fence" reference seems a clear swipe at another Trump proposal to build a wall on the border with Mexico.

Trump met with Pope Francis in May at the Vatican, where he presented Francis with first-edition copies of books written by Martin Luther King Jr.

In February, Francis famously criticized Trump, appearing to say Trump was not a Christian due to his stance on the proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

“To not respond to evil with evil. To defeat evil with good, the offense with forgiveness. A Christian would never say ‘you will pay for that.’ Never,” Francis said in February.

“That is not a Christian gesture,” he added. “An offense you overcome with forgiveness. To live in peace with everyone.”

Yeah, swell, you're stupid hippies, but let's be honest. You have to kill these hypocrites before they can consolidate power (or reproduce).