The Dark Side Of Pope Francis Coming To Town......

Pope Francis coming to the United States has been inspirational to many. It is great to see the openness to his message. He provided examples for our legislators to consider regarding the plight of the poor and the environment. His message of simplicity by driving in a Fiat and eating with the homeless reminded many that we have an obligation to our fellow citizens to consider inequities in our own society.

Underneath it all, social media presented a much darker view of the visit. Centuries old habits of discrediting the Pope and the teachings of the Catholic Church came to light. Instead of enjoying the message behind the visit, they felt threatened by his presence. Similar to our President and Congress, they took apart sound bytes and challenged his doctrine. Essentially, fear reared it's ugly head, and the comments and conspiracies became a standard response.

What the Pope's visit is a reminder of is the importance of the separation of church and state. What separates our civilization from the chaos in the Middle East is the Constitution. The first amendment is a protective barrier. that religious zealots try to weaken, so that their message can be universal. the belly of the beast for many is Catholicism and Secularism. The Pope coming to the United States was for them, a threat and not a message of hope.