Pope Leo poses huge problem for far-right Christians who 'embraced a moral filth': expert

Pope Leo XIV poses a huge problem to far-right Christian elements who have fallen in with the MAGA movement, University of Pennsylvania religious studies professor Anthea Butler told MS NOW's Nicolle Wallace on Tuesday — not just because he opposes much of Trump's war and immigration agenda, but because he sets an example for Christianity that they can't follow.

"I think, Anthea,what it reveals about howeasily other religious leadershave been co-opted and becomedrunk with power and proximityto power also comes intosharper focus, right?" said Wallace. "The popeis doing what the pope wouldalways do, and I'm sure thepope doesn't find any of hisstatements out of the ordinary.I'm sure part of him issurprised they're evennewsworthy. But it does revealhow American conservativereligious figures havecapitulated and kowtowed toTrump over the last decade."

"Yeah, absolutely," agreed Butler.

"I think itshows up, you know, reallymainly for a few groups, let'ssay," she continued. "First off, evangelicals, Ithink that this makes them lookabsolutely awful. I can't sayit any stronger than that. Itis basically an abdication fromtheir moral core. If they saidthey wanted to have pro-lifeand there's nothing else thatmatters, and they have embracedTrump the way that they have,then that puts a stain on topof their moral questions andalso their witness that theywould talk about. That's numberone."

"I think, for otherreligious leaders likeProsperity Gospel people,Pentecostals and others, theirwholesale embrace of Trumpshows how just emotionally andmorally empty and bankrupt theyare," said Butler. "Thisis very easy. The gospel iseasy. The message of Jesus iseasy. You want peace. You don'twant the sword. You know youdon't want to hurt people."

"Andso by embracing Trump, theyhave embraced — you know, I haveto say it like this — they haveembraced a moral filth, a morality that they don't seemto have anymore," she added. "And when youhear the real morality of whatthe pope is saying, you know,basic everyday gospel stories,everyday things that Jesus said,I find it fascinating thateverybody is melting downbecause he's just saying thingsthat are normal Christianbeliefs."

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