Pope Francis: God’s mercy extends to atheists and agnostics

In an lengthy front-page letter to the Italian secular newspaper La Repubblica, Pope Francis shows his willingness to discuss tough topics when he writes that God’s forgiveness extends to anyone who has a ‘sincere and contrite heart.’

BY CAROL KURUVILLA/ NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

In an unexpected and unprecedented move, Pope Francis told atheists and agnostics that God’s mercy extends to non-believers.

The pope, whom Catholics believe holds the keys of heaven, used the front page of a secular Italian newspaper to proclaim that God’s forgiveness is “unlimited if directed to someone with a sincere and contrite heart.”

Vice Mayor Tracy Carroll last June refused to support a proclamation for Humanist Recognition Week. Carroll’s internet research, she said, led her to conclude that all Humanists are atheists and thus undeserving of a proclamation of recognition, even from a supposedly secular government.

Mayor Fletcher, demonstrating “Bible thumping” disregard for the First Amendment, joined Carroll in declining to vote for the proclamation. “I refuse to support any organization that does not believe in Jesus Christ. I’ll have nothing to do with it,” Mayor Craig Fletcher said.

Carroll and Fletcher also could not bring themselves to shake hands with the representative from the Humanists of the Treasure Coast, who had come before the Council to receive the proclamation.

4 comments

Jeseus Christ is not the only God worshipped on earth. Fletcher’s remark therefore strikes of racism. Are these two that far removed from reality?

Jesus, excuse they typo!

and “they” s/b the. My tablet is adding letters, apologies.

Their behavior is shameful and neither one deserves to serve in public office, but some people have no shame nor do they have the intelligence or sensitivity to understand the damage that they do to the community that they represent. Their behavior belongs in groups like the Taliban not in our City Council.