Bragatyr wrote:I really like his openness with those of other faiths and those in the atheist community, like with his washing the feet of Muslim prisoners. I read an interview he did with a prominent Italian editor who happened to be atheist and the two seemed to have a real mutual understanding on a moral level, which I think is so cool. The church and the secular world don't have to be at odds, we should all agree on a kind of baseline consideration of other people.
Pretty much this. I still disagree with Francis's and the Catholic Church's overall stance on some things, but without a doubt, Francis is a breath of fresh air, especially from his immediate predecessor. It's very nice to hear far less judgmental things coming from him about those from non-Christian faiths and especially from the nonbeliever community. Bragatyr, would you happen to have a link to that interview or know where I could find one? I've not read it, but it sounds interesting to me…especially since I'm so used to hearing questions like 'well, where do your morals come from?' as an atheist (which is one of the absolute meanest and most judgmental things a person can say to someone else, seriously). It's just incredibly refreshing to see a religious leader pursue understanding with atheists and those of other faiths, instead of division, and assume the best instead of the worst.
That said, in in terms of the real social impact that the candidates had, Edward Snowden should've been the winner, for better or for worse, in my opinion. But I'm also not surprised to see Francis won it instead.