Pope calls couples who choose pets over having children 'selfish'

[Eugene]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Pope calls couples who choose pets over having children ‘selfish’

Agence France-Presse in Vatican City
Wed 5 Jan 2022 12.28 GMT

Pope Francis risked the ire of the world’s childless dog and cat owners by suggesting people who substitute pets for children exhibit “a certain selfishness”.

Speaking on parenthood during a general audience at the Vatican, the pontiff lamented that pets “sometimes take the place of children” in society.

“Today … we see a form of selfishness. We see that some people do not want to have a child,” he said. “Sometimes they have one and that’s it, but they have dogs and cats that take the place of children. This may make people laugh but it is a reality.”

The practice, said the head of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics, “is a denial of fatherhood and motherhood and diminishes us, takes away our humanity”.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/05/pope-couples-choose-pets-children-selfish

[Scrivener7]

1. When Pope goes through labor and then raises a child, Pope can have an opinion.

[RKP5637]

3. K&R ... and by a group of men that never marry and raise a family.

His comment is ludicrous!

[RKP5637]

2. So damn idiotic!!! n/t

[peacefreak2.0]

4. Is that the patriarchy I hear

wheezing towards its last gasp?

[Effete Snob]

5. Says the guy who chose not to have any children

What a racket.

[Major Nikon]

12. Evidently that makes him less human

Probably didn’t think that one through all the way.

[House of Roberts]

6. There are too mucking fany PEOPLE on the planet now.

1.3 billion Catholics are a big factor in that problem.

[Delmette2.0]

7. This planet cannot host more people.

There are so many people, human beings that die hungry or sick or homeless. What about taking care of them first. then we need to take care of the planet and all the animals his god gave us.

[Iris]

8. Haha!

In the words of my very Catholic ancestors, "Stay out of my bedroom, Pope!"

[femmedem]

9. Plenty of people don't want to bring children into the coming climate catastrophe.

For them, it's a selfless, not a selfish, choice.

[Zambero]

10. Then he should allow priests and nuns to marry and propagate

After all, those who choose not to have kids are selfish (and often inconsistent).

[Freddie]

11. There is no more personal and private decision a woman can make

Than whether, when, with whom and how many children she will bear. It is her decision and hers alone. The Church has NO bearing in this matter.

[Midnight Writer]

13. Translation: Send us more children!

[Wicked Blue]

14. Delusional hypocisy

If this is what they want, why not sell off the Vatican's unimaginable riches and use them to prevent poverty among those struggling to support their children?

[Polly Hennessey]

15. Dear Pope, I respectfully disagree.

[LizBeth]

16. How about ALL his employees. Requirement for the job. Geesh.

[spike jones]

17. There is a reason why the Pope's statements are called Bulls. n/t

[Rebl2]

18. I applaud

those who know they would be poor parents. I don’t find it selfish at all. It does not take away our humanity. What takes away our humanity is people who have children they don’t want and then they abuse those children.

[Scrivener7]

19. Also, as the ice sheets melt and the CO2 shoots up, the last thing we need on this earth

is for everyone to have children.

[Act_of_Reparation]

20. Such a progressive champion of the people, eh?