this post was submitted on 18 Apr 2026
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An age of political outrage has eroded Americans’ capacity for shock. But the response by Trump and other Republican leaders and supporters to criticism from Pope Leo XIV against the war in Iran has tested that proposition.

The pope has been broadly and consistently critical of war, but pointedly critical of the American attacks in Iran. On Palm Sunday, the pope, who is an American, condemned the use of religion to justify violence. God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war”, he said at mass in St Peter’s Square.

(Taylor Marshall, an outspoken Catholic conservative with a considerable YouTube following) ascribed Trump’s conduct this week to the president’s fundamental difficulty processing the soft power of an American pope, and the challenge that poses to Trump’s sense of self as the most powerful person in the world.

The pope “is in charge of 1.4 billion – not million, billion – people and he has the nerve to interject his moral authority into the activity of President Trump? I really think that is the origin story. It’s a philosophical conundrum that President Trump was never prepared for and I think he’s still trying to figure out how to navigate it.”

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[–] hperrin@lemmy.ca 85 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It’s only a tough situation if you’re a heartless monster.

[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 34 points 2 months ago (1 children)

If you're finding this conflicting as a Catholic I have good news. You're not Catholic!

[–] Etnaphele@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago

Catholics are pretty radical, though, and follow very easily charismatic figures that tell them what to do. I get your point, but no religion is actually based on practicing the content of its teachings.

[–] dhork@lemmy.world 66 points 2 months ago (4 children)

“What my friend said is that she prays for the president every day, that God will remove that hard heart of his and replace it with a softer one that has love.”

I have a similar prayer, only I leave out the part about a replacement.

[–] s@piefed.world 29 points 2 months ago
[–] Lydon_Feen@lemmy.world 9 points 2 months ago

I have a similar one, but it happens in front of the cameras, and he shits his pants for everyone to see.

The only ending fair enough for a piece of shit like Trump

[–] GutterRat42@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Didn't god harden the pharaoh's heart after he had released the Jewish people?

[–] X@piefed.world 5 points 2 months ago

Yep. Exodus 7:13-8:19

[–] areakode@riskeratspizza.com 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Baked potatoes are soft and bring me love. I have an idea...

[–] Zahille7@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

"Sorry Kenny, we accidentally replaced your heart with a baked potato; you have about ten seconds to live."

[–] TheDemonBuer@lemmy.world 39 points 2 months ago (1 children)

“If you’re an American, you don’t want to see your president having a feud with the pope,” said Taylor Marshall, an outspoken Catholic conservative with a considerable YouTube following. “And if you’re Catholic, it’s kind of hard. If you voted for Trump three times and you want to be a Catholic and you want to be faithful and submit to the Holy Father, the bishop of Rome, the pope, the vicar of Christ, it’s kind of a tough situation to see the leader of your nation feuding with the leader on Earth of the Catholic church. It is for me.”

These people need to be isolated and studied, because what the fuck.

[–] GutterRat42@lemmy.world 24 points 2 months ago

Voted for Trump 3 times. Doesn't know if he wants to go to heaven or follow the clear antichrist incarnate. These people are idiots.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 38 points 2 months ago (1 children)

If you are torn by this issue, return the baptism water, it has been wasted on you.

[–] CannonFodder@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago

I am torn. I don't know which side to laugh at harder. Trump is more of an idiotic fool, but the church has a longer history of evil.

[–] MartianRecon@lemmus.org 21 points 2 months ago

This shouldn't be difficult at all. trump is literally the avatar of every cardinal sin that the church has.

This is a conservative christian not wanting to lose face with his Baptist buddies.

[–] Gates9@sh.itjust.works 17 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

TFW you realize what religion is and that you have two of them.

Anyway the Bible is clear about this, “you can’t serve two masters”.

[–] lemmyng@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago
[–] noxypaws@pawb.social 13 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

false choice, it's actually possible to leave both cults, even if the pope is saying some good shit at the moment

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It's only a feud if the animosity goes both ways. This isn't a feud. This is just Trump attacking the pope.

[–] Burninator05@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago

It also shouldn't be a hard choice. On one hand you have the leader of your lifelong faith who (as far as I know) hasnt been caught up in any personal scandals and on the other you have a convicted felon, serial adulterer, and by most measures a pretty horid person.

[–] Tempus_Fugit@lemmy.world 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I love this for Catholics. They deserve another schism.

[–] humorlessrepost@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

With JD as this version’s Russian orthodox pope.

[–] Tempus_Fugit@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Shit, that rizzless idiot? He'll be lucky to be The Reptile's blood bag with as much charisma and influence he has.

[–] dhork@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

If the Right is gonna make its own pope, they should pick Newt Gingrich. He did convert to Catholicism for his third wife, after all. The Catholics let him in even though he has been divorced twice (and started both his relationships with his future wives while still married to his prior wives). So he'd make a perfect antipope....

[–] FukOui@lemmy.zip 11 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

Catholicism and conservatism are bipolar opposites. Like, I don't get how you can love and accept Jesus while hating poor or nonwhite people

[–] alsimoneau@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 months ago

They made their own Jesus

[–] brad_troika@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Ask Catholics I guess? They have been doing this for more than a millennia, shouldn't be that surprising that they still do it.

[–] chahn.chris@piefed.social 11 points 2 months ago (2 children)

If the teachings of your religion and faith can be swayed by any man or woman on earth then you don’t believe in those teachings and you are by definition not a religious person.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

But you must always question the hypocrisy that seems rampant in some faiths.

Never blindly accept what someone else tells you is the 'only' truth.

[–] Klear@quokk.au 1 points 2 months ago

I always thought Catholism was for people who are not too religious, just want to belong somewhere.

[–] teawrecks@sopuli.xyz 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

On the one hand, murder is bad, but on the other hand I am full of hate and fear....

[–] frongt@lemmy.zip -1 points 2 months ago

Simply define your enemy as subhuman, then it's not murder!

[–] bitwolf@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Really? It doesn't seem like a hard choice. One is the ordained leader of the Catholic church and one is a failed business man and washed up celebrity.

[–] lemmyng@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

One is a leader of an organized pedo ring, and the other is the leader of an organized pedo ring, so I can see how they'd be confused.

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

Torn? They should be excommunicated for following chomo Caligula

[–] stumu415@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 months ago

Only if you're not a true catholic. Both are a cult but one is closer to Jim Jones.

[–] vegeta@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

I guess they only have faith, when it confirms their pre-held beliefs

The Pope or Trump. Not some generally worldwide renowed layman, or other holy figure. TRUMP!

[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago

Are we getting Guelphs and Ghibellines? Definitely not on my bingo card for 2026.

[–] n7gifmdn@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago

In my parish I have heard more than one person say something to the effect of "But Francis isn't even Catholic he's Jesuit" when he passed our Pastor included some such line like "regardless of what you feel about this Pope..." it's so sad.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 2 points 2 months ago

torn? boy being catholic is so different from when I was young.

[–] itisileclerk@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

US Catholich are torn between two false stories, one that "when you die poor you will go to heaven" and the orher that "we are rich and everything is the best". The reaily is vice-versa, when you die poor (or rich) you will NOT go to heaven and ... well you know the other answer, it's visible.

[–] yggstyle@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago
[–] santa@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 months ago

I’m Jewish. I would always choose Pope over T*