Pope Francis: ‘Hitler did not steal power’

Posted by | January 23, 2017 17:58 | Filed under: Politics War & Peace

The pontiff has cautionary words for Western democracies:

Pope Francis on Saturday warned against populism, saying it could lead to the election of “saviours” like Adolf Hitler.

In an hour-long interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais conducted as Donald Trump was being sworn in as US president, the pontiff also condemned the idea of using walls and barbed wire to keep out foreigners, among them refugees and migrants. “Of course crises provoke fears and worries,” he said, but added that for him “the example of populism in the European sense of the word is Germany in 1933”.

The pope added: “Germany … was looking for a leader, someone who would give her back her identity and there was a little man named Adolf Hitler who said ‘I can do it’.”

Hitler did not steal power,” the pope said. “He was elected by his people and then he destroyed his people.” The Germans at that time also wanted to protect themselves with “walls and barbed wire so that others cannot take away their identity”, he said.

“The case of Germany is classic,” he said, adding that Hitler gave them a “deformed identity and we know what it produced.” Pope Francis however underscored that it was too early to pass judgement on Trump.

“Let’s see. Let’s see what he does and then we will evaluate,” he said.


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Copyright 2017 Liberaland
By: dave-dr-gonzo

David Hirsch, a.k.a. Dave "Doctor" Gonzo*, is a renegade record producer, video producer, writer, reformed corporate shill, and still-registered lobbyist for non-one-percenter performing artists and musicians. He lives in a heavily fortified compound in one of Manhattan's less trendy neighborhoods.

* Hirsch is the third person to use the pseudonym, a not-so-veiled tribute to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, with the permission of his predecessors Gene Gaudette of American Politics Journal (currently webmaster and chief bottlewasher at Liberaland) and Stephen Meese at Smashmouth Politics.

26 responses to Pope Francis: ‘Hitler did not steal power’

  1. crc3 January 23rd, 2017 at 18:24

    Why should we wait to see what Not My President Rump does? Anyone with half a brain knows his intensions. We need to act NOW to stop the growth of this cancer and I include Pence who I fear is even MORE dangerous than NMPR. This is a critical time in our history. This cancer must be eradicated by any means necessary. If the German people had done the same in the 30s the world may have avoided the European carnage…

    • Suzanne McFly January 23rd, 2017 at 18:38

      I agree with you on multiple points, pence is rump with a brain and therefore he is much worse. We need to do this by the book though. We cannot get rid of this disease without a proper diagnosis and the correct remedy. If we don’t eradicate the disease properly, it will come back like a bad cold sore.

      • whatthe46 January 23rd, 2017 at 18:57

        someone made sense when they said, go after pence first and get him impeached (he is a conspirator in this russian b.s.) then go after tRump. impeach them first then charge them with a crime. otherwise the bastard would just pardon himself.

        • StoneyCurtisll January 23rd, 2017 at 20:37

          I like that idea..

  2. Suzanne McFly January 23rd, 2017 at 18:35

    I finally can say I have a Pope who is both compassionate and well educated. I am so proud of my Pope, I never thought I would ever be able to say that. I am realizing our world can be beautiful if we fight for it when needed and wait patiently when required.

    • Gina Bousquet January 23rd, 2017 at 18:46

      He was a resister (is that noun correct?) in Argentina during the military dictatorship.

      • Suzanne McFly January 23rd, 2017 at 20:45

        I am sorry, I do not have much knowledge about that area at that time, I will have some reading to do to familiarize myself. When it comes to history, I know a little bit about a lot of stuff.

        • Gina Bousquet January 23rd, 2017 at 20:55

          I just wanted you to know he was part of the leftist church, very common in South America then–they saved a lot of resistant’s lives. The Vatican disapproved, some of the priests were punished, the dictatorships jailed others.

          • Suzanne McFly January 23rd, 2017 at 21:45

            Thanks for the information. He went against the church to do what was right, I have even more respect for him now.

            • Gina Bousquet January 24th, 2017 at 08:49

              Yes, the Catholic Church showed courage and dignity in South America during the ‘lead years’– lead the metal, in that case– as they are called here. They took active part in the resistance, it’ s well documented

              • Suzanne McFly January 24th, 2017 at 09:23

                Finally a story the Catholic Church can be proud of :)

              • Lyndia January 24th, 2017 at 17:40

                I don’t know. They recently found a situation, in SA, where the priests were molesting the girls and boys. This pope knew about and did nothing.

                • arc99 January 24th, 2017 at 19:32

                  This is the only reference I find to such an incident. I have no idea what this court does. But color me skeptical to the extreme.

                  According to this “Court”, the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury are involved in child sacrifice and the worship of Satan.

                  http://childabuserecovery.com/pope-francis-found-guilty-of-child-trafficking-rape-murder/

                  Yesterday defendants Pope Francis Bergoglio, Catholic Jesuit Superior General Adolfo Pachon and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby were found guilty of rape, torture, murder and trafficking of children. Five judges of the International Common Law Court of Justice in Brussels determined that the crimes occurred as recently as 2010. Since last March over 48 eyewitnesses have come forward to testify before this ICLCJ Court about the defendants’ activities as members of the Ninth Circle Satanic Child Sacrifice Cult..

                  • Gina Bousquet January 24th, 2017 at 19:34

                    This is so crazy it cannot come from a credible source!

                • Gina Bousquet January 24th, 2017 at 19:48

                  If he knew it it’s unforgivable.But the facts I told Suzanne about are the absolute truth as I lived them in the seventies in South America, when the church took active part in the resistance to bloody military right wing dictatorships. He was one of the leftist priests, in Argentina.

    • Duke Woolworth January 24th, 2017 at 06:29

      He’s the first, and will be the last Jesuit pope. The cardinals won’t elect another thinker they can’t control again.

      • Suzanne McFly January 24th, 2017 at 09:22

        He is bringing people back to the church, they may not have a choice but to replace him with a Pope who shared his ideology.

    • Bunya January 25th, 2017 at 13:48

      I don’t trust the catholic church – at all. After the Crusades, the inquisition (they had special torture devices for women. Look up “breast ripper”. It’s a real snappy device), their complicity in WWII, child rape, priests having meth labs in rectories, I find the Vatican and evil, corrupt, tax-exempt corporation and I don’t think I’ll be going to church any time soon.

      • Suzanne McFly January 25th, 2017 at 17:36

        I am not going to church, but I am proud of my Pope.

  3. StoneyCurtisll January 23rd, 2017 at 20:36

    I’m afraid it is too late….

  4. Gary Parillo January 24th, 2017 at 04:34

    Looks as if the pope can see the parallels and history repeating itself.

  5. Stoney Huff January 24th, 2017 at 09:18

    Dr. Dave might read a book: France and Britain demanded that Germany pay the full cost of WWI due immediately.
    Imagine if China called in its note due February 1, 2017.

  6. oldfart January 24th, 2017 at 09:38

    “Pope Francis however underscored that it was too early to pass judgement on Trump.”

    …Easy for him to say…He’s got god on HIS side.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/bd99237889c37325be747e32059f78425fd71a2f8ae4cd6176c45aab3939cf57.gif
    If I may your holiness… How soon CAN you get god to pass judgement on tRump ?

  7. Bunya January 24th, 2017 at 13:31

    “…the pontiff also condemned the idea of using walls and barbed wire to keep out foreigners, among them refugees and migrants.”
    .
    Gee, I wonder how many foreigners the pope will allow into his country?

  8. Lyndia January 24th, 2017 at 17:37

    Why isn’t the catholic church, and most other religions, being compelled to pay taxes? They are always involved in politics, therefore, they should be paying taxes. (They no longer stick with religion. Why?)

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