A weekend rumor may help explain why some of my social media was very sluggish yesterday.
Briefly:
- Pope Francis wasn’t arrested
- The Vatican wasn’t blacked out
- Military officers and/or the FBI haven’t put the Pope in a secret prison
And, while I’m at it, I’ll speculate that shape-shifting space-alien lizard-men have not taken over Des Moines, Iowa. Bear in mind that I’m one of those folks who believe that the Illuminati are not really a front for the Leprechaun-Pixie cabal. Which doesn’t exist. 😉
And I figure that the Catholic News Agency, CNA, isn’t secretly plotting to enslave humanity.
Anyway, here’s what CNA said this morning:
“Why is the internet abuzz with false claims of a ‘Vatican blackout’?: A CNA Explainer”
CNA Staff (January 11, 2021)“…The website claimed that Pope Francis was arrested on Saturday, Jan. 9 ‘in connection with an 80- count indictment of charges including possession of child pornography, human trafficking, incest, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony fraud.’…”
“…Has Pope Francis said anything about ‘fake news’?
“Yes. He dedicated his 2018 message for World Communications Day to the topic, arguing that ‘fake news’ dates back to the temptation of Adam and Eve by the serpent in the Garden of Eden.
“‘The strategy of this skilled “Father of Lies” (John 8:44) is precisely mimicry, that sly and dangerous form of seduction that worms its way into the heart with false and alluring arguments,’ he wrote….”
More seriously, the CNA article is a reality check for the weekend’s rumors: including what they were and where they came from.
Since they follow my culture’s familiar ‘the Catholic Church is a terrorist organization’ pattern, I figure we’ll be running into this for quite a while. And, maybe it’ll be running into us. And that’s almost another topic.
At any rate, I’d better get back to the day’s tasks.
After sharing my usual list of not-entirely-unrelated posts:
- “Fog, Frost, Feelings: and Another Washington SNAFU”
(January 9, 2021) - “Wheat, Tares, Fear of the Lord and Working on Wisdom”
(December 19, 2020) - “COVID-19, Cells, Viruses and mRNA Vaccines”
(December 5, 2020) - “Floyd, Signs and Statues”
(June 28, 2020) - “Pandemic Perspectives”
(March 31, 2020)
