Nobody wants to tangle with the Pope – not even Donald Trump.
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But, like most popes throughout history, Francis is also a political leader.
The Rev. Federico Lombardi sought to clarify the issue Friday, telling Vatican Radio that Pope Francis’ comments were “in no way a personal attack nor an indication on how to vote”.
Francis’ remarks earlier this week were in response to Trump’s proposal to deport millions of illegal immigrants and construct a fortified border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
While on his way back to the Vatican in Rome from his Mexico tour, Pope Francis questioned billionaire Donald Trump’s Christianity in regard to his immigration views.
He also said he has great respect for Pope Francis.
Graham, who took aim at the pope’s controversial comments in a Facebook post published on Thursday, said that, though he agrees with the pontiff’s sentiment about reaching out to others, he believes in having a strong national security system.
Prior to this statement, Trump had called the religious leader’s decision to question someone’s faith “disgraceful”. Trump said everyone knew the Vatican City was the terrorist group’s ultimate trophy.
“Anyone, whoever he is, who only wants to build walls and not bridges is not a Christian”, the pontiff told journalists during his return journey from a trip to Mexico.
“I say only that this man is not Christian if he has said things like that”.
While the Pope said he would “give the benefit of the doubt” because he had not heard Mr Trump’s border plans independently, he added: “I say only that this man is not a Christian if he has said things like that”.
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Pope Francis’s condemnation of Donald Trump as “not a Christian” is a serious indictment for the front-runner for the Republican US presidential nomination. He said he didn’t like fighting with the Pope, and said the Pope’s comments were nicer than the media originally made it sound. “I don’t think it’s a fight”. “Thank God he said I was a politician, because Aristotle defined the human person as ‘animal politicus.’ So at least I am a human person”. Trumps spat with the Pope is the latest in a series of controversies throughout his campaign though he still heads into Saturday voting with a significant lead in the polls over Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Florida Senator Marco Rubio. “I say this – you can’t lie and then hold up the Bible. I’ll leave the judgment to you, to the people”.
