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mahatmakanejeeves

(70,144 posts)
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 04:30 AM 9 hrs ago

Vance warns the pope should 'be careful' when talking about theology

Source: NBC News

Trump administration
Vance warns the pope should 'be careful' when talking about theology

Vance, who is Catholic, said the pope was wrong in saying Jesus wasn’t on the side of those who wield the sword, pointing to the U.S.’ helping defeat the Nazis during World War II.

{snip video}
Vance says pope should ‘be careful’ when talking about theology

April 14, 2026, 11:01 PM EDT
By Raquel Coronell Uribe

Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that Pope Leo XIV should “be careful” when he talks about theology, rebuking the pontiff over his criticisms of U.S. foreign policy.

Vance argued that the pope, who has said Jesus “is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs,” was failing to take into account conflicts such as World War II.

“Was God on the side of the Americans who liberated France from the Nazis? Was God on the side of the Americans who liberated Holocaust camps and liberated those, those innocent people, you know, those who had survived the Holocaust? I certainly think the answer is yes,” he said at a Turning Point USA event in Athens, Georgia.

Vance, who is Catholic and met with the pope in May, said that he likes it when the pope weighs in on issues such as abortion, immigration or “matters of war and peace” but that he sometimes disagrees with him.

{snip}

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/vance-warns-pope-careful-talking-theology-rcna331881

43 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Vance warns the pope should 'be careful' when talking about theology (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves 9 hrs ago OP
Vance is a Catholic convert at that..... FarPoint 9 hrs ago #1
but he's probably more fervent in his certainty. cab67 6 hrs ago #16
Recent converts tend to be more devout (fanatical, if you like) than long-time members Ocelot II 3 hrs ago #34
CINO ananda 3 hrs ago #35
one suspects the pope woulda sold out that arena in athens.... nt msongs 9 hrs ago #2
Is Vance actually pontificating to the Pontiff? alwaysinasnit 9 hrs ago #3
I saw this on the chryon on Morning Joe and actually laughed. underpants 7 hrs ago #9
I don't believe in an afterlife agingdem 2 hrs ago #37
Maybe Earth is the all-purpose afterlife. Heaven for some and Hell for others. Norrrm 2 hrs ago #39
pretty sure Chicago Pope has been Catholicing a lot longer than Jaydee eShirl 9 hrs ago #4
Vance is a fucking moron, just like his boss. AZ8theist 8 hrs ago #5
"Be careful or else"? no_hypocrisy 8 hrs ago #6
JD Vance has been Catholic just as long as a class of second graders who just took their First Communion. mahatmakanejeeves 8 hrs ago #7
Yes, BUT he's written a book about it 👀😳🙄 underpants 7 hrs ago #10
If God is on our side, She will stop the next war Walleye 7 hrs ago #8
Yes! niyad 6 hrs ago #14
The guy who can't decide on a f*cking name for himself Buddyzbuddy 7 hrs ago #11
The wronger they are, the downer they double. nt eppur_se_muova 6 hrs ago #19
Ex-communicate the Heretic! Chasstev365 7 hrs ago #12
I was Rebl2 3 hrs ago #26
Quiet, punk. orangecrush 6 hrs ago #13
Poor JD. Finally found the religion of his dreams, wrote a book all about it tanyev 6 hrs ago #15
Yeah, leave that to the experts ! nt eppur_se_muova 6 hrs ago #17
I'm still trying to get over the headline... llmart 6 hrs ago #18
World War 2? This cretin is comparing Iran to WW2? Grasping at straws much? AZLD4Candidate 5 hrs ago #20
Um, um, um.... NNadir 5 hrs ago #21
We didn't attack the Nazis you idiot! Now we're the Nazis. JohnnyRingo 5 hrs ago #22
Catholic-splaining the Pope? mcar 5 hrs ago #23
Hey JD, if you don't like it, quit your job and find your own religion!!! LeftInTX 4 hrs ago #24
There's a misconception about "Papal infallibility" FakeNoose 4 hrs ago #25
This religious BS is getting on my last nerve. ☮ walkingman 3 hrs ago #27
Thought this was the onion SSJVegeta 3 hrs ago #28
Quiet, Maybelline SheltieLover 3 hrs ago #29
;-{) PREACHING TO THE CHOIR Goonch 3 hrs ago #30
NEXT: Trump Announces U.S. Military's Capture of "Disgraceful" Pope dalton99a 3 hrs ago #31
I don't think its smart to be telling the Pope what to do Bayard 3 hrs ago #32
Higher than Trump? Norrrm 2 hrs ago #40
I'm confused. hamsterjill 3 hrs ago #33
I'm going to dispute the "Vance, who is Catholic" part. Vance's true religion is... JHB 3 hrs ago #36
The Pope should just excommunicte his fat ass. BigDemVoter 2 hrs ago #38
Vance is an idiot. jcboon 2 hrs ago #41
Got hilf uns. maxsolomon 1 hr ago #42
Careful who you piss off there...Remember, no one expects the Spanish Inquisition Scalded Nun 1 hr ago #43

FarPoint

(14,852 posts)
1. Vance is a Catholic convert at that.....
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 04:50 AM
9 hrs ago

low level Catholic essentially..... he really does not understand .....

cab67

(3,793 posts)
16. but he's probably more fervent in his certainty.
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 08:11 AM
6 hrs ago

Converts to any religion or movement tend to be that way.

Ocelot II

(130,781 posts)
34. Recent converts tend to be more devout (fanatical, if you like) than long-time members
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 11:05 AM
3 hrs ago

of any religion or denomination. And Vance, being an arrogant, condescending know-it-all with respect to pretty much everything, figures that his wonderful, miraculous conversion entitles him to tell the head of an enormous 2,000-year-old religious organization that he's doing it wrong. By the way, Pope Leo has a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union and a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, and he taught canon law at a seminary for years, so Vice President Abuser of Upholstered Furniture should be deeply embarrassed for making that remark, but you know he isn't.

agingdem

(8,905 posts)
37. I don't believe in an afterlife
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 11:26 AM
2 hrs ago

Last edited Wed Apr 15, 2026, 01:29 PM - Edit history (1)

but I'm willing to make an exception for Vance (and Trump)...I'm thinking a Hell where JD is standing, his feet super glued to a bed of nails, a loudspeaker bellowing his word vomit, surrounded by videos of the Pope and Erika Kirk on a never-ending loop...

no_hypocrisy

(55,045 posts)
6. "Be careful or else"?
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 05:55 AM
8 hrs ago

Past Popes haven't groveled to the Mob. Why would this one bend the knee to Vance or Trump?

mahatmakanejeeves

(70,144 posts)
7. JD Vance has been Catholic just as long as a class of second graders who just took their First Communion.
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 06:19 AM
8 hrs ago
Kevin M. Kruse
‪@kevinmkruse.bsky.social‬

JD Vance only converted to Catholicism in 2019. He's been Catholic just as long as a class of second graders who just took their First Communion.

If Vance disagrees with the actual pope, he's free to fuck off and find a yet another faith he can cynically exploit for his own political career.

‪Daniel Rober‬
‪@profdanrober.bsky.social‬
· 10h
This should be embarrassing for the Very Serious Conservative Catholics who carry water for this administration.


8:22 PM · Apr 14, 2026

JD Vance only converted to Catholicism in 2019. He's been Catholic just as long as a class of second graders who just took their First Communion.

If Vance disagrees with the actual pope, he's free to fuck off and find a yet another faith he can cynically exploit for his own political career.

Kevin M. Kruse (@kevinmkruse.bsky.social) 2026-04-15T00:22:17.050Z


Daniel Rober
‪@profdanrober.bsky.social‬

This should be embarrassing for the Very Serious Conservative Catholics who carry water for this administration.


7:27 PM · Apr 14, 2026

This should be embarrassing for the Very Serious Conservative Catholics who carry water for this administration.

Daniel Rober (@profdanrober.bsky.social) 2026-04-14T23:27:41.464Z

Buddyzbuddy

(2,723 posts)
11. The guy who can't decide on a f*cking name for himself
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 06:56 AM
7 hrs ago

is going to lecture the man whose whole life has been about theology and Catholicism.
What a damn loser. Vance, not the Pope.
These guys think it's commendable to double down when they're obviously wrong.

Before this is over, couch boy is gonna have to change his name and religion all over again. Should be easy, he's already one of Satan's soldiers.

tanyev

(49,386 posts)
15. Poor JD. Finally found the religion of his dreams, wrote a book all about it
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 08:07 AM
6 hrs ago

and now the guy in charge isn’t running it it the way JD thinks it should be run.




llmart

(17,639 posts)
18. I'm still trying to get over the headline...
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 08:14 AM
6 hrs ago

"Vance warns". That swarmy little punkass, eyeline wearing, couch lover fraud thinks he's a tough guy who's going to intimidate the Pope. Does he even see how ridiculous we think he is? No wonder he can't even sell out two rows at one of his "speeches".

He's about as religious as his phony boss.

JohnnyRingo

(20,916 posts)
22. We didn't attack the Nazis you idiot! Now we're the Nazis.
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 08:42 AM
5 hrs ago

"...is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs" seem like very carefully chosen words to me.

FakeNoose

(41,882 posts)
25. There's a misconception about "Papal infallibility"
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 10:16 AM
4 hrs ago

Catholics are taught to believe that the Pope can never be wrong when he's speaking about matters of faith and belief. Catholics believe that the Pope is guided by the Holy Spirit and therefore his decrees on faith will always be correct, merciful, and just.

Well OK, non-Catholics aren't so sure about that, but let's move on. Whenever the Pope speaks about politics and current events, there's no such thing as "Papal Infallibility" because he's giving his opinion, which he's entitled to do. But nobody thinks the Holy Spirit is guiding him, it's just one man's opinion.

I respect Pope Leo's opinions, just as I had great respect for Pope Francis. However no American Catholics are required to believe that his opinions are "infallible" because they aren't. He's telling us how he sees things, based on his growing up in Chicago, becoming a priest, and being a missionary in Peru, and now living in the Vatican. I feel that I can trust Pope Leo far more than I can trust Chump or any GOP member.

dalton99a

(94,581 posts)
31. NEXT: Trump Announces U.S. Military's Capture of "Disgraceful" Pope
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 10:41 AM
3 hrs ago

Swiss Guards surrender swords and spears



Bayard

(29,892 posts)
32. I don't think its smart to be telling the Pope what to do
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 10:55 AM
3 hrs ago

He reports to a higher authority than you do, JD.

hamsterjill

(17,642 posts)
33. I'm confused.
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 10:58 AM
3 hrs ago

Okay, so JD, WAS there a holocaust? Or wasn't there a holocaust? Because most of the Trumpers that I know think it was all fake and that Hitler was awesome.

Or did the holocaust occur only when it's convenient for your argument?.

And by the way, when it comes to theology, I'm afraid Pope Leo is WAY out of your league.

JHB

(38,254 posts)
36. I'm going to dispute the "Vance, who is Catholic" part. Vance's true religion is...
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 11:17 AM
3 hrs ago

Last edited Wed Apr 15, 2026, 02:18 PM - Edit history (1)

...sucking up to power. Whether it's Trump or Thiel, Vance's sacrament is putting his lips on their anatomy: ass, toes, elsewhere... How much do you want to bet that the only reason he pretends to be Catholic is for the optics?

It's not a matter of conscience, because he doesn't have one.

maxsolomon

(38,884 posts)
42. Got hilf uns.
Wed Apr 15, 2026, 12:21 PM
1 hr ago

I made the mistake of reading the FB comments on a WSJ article on this subject. Trumpers call Leo the "Chicago Pope", as if that city's Liberalism disqualifies any comments.



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