Pope Warns: Don't Eat Poop!

[seer]

You know I had respect for the last two Popes, but this guy - I just don't know.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Media that focus on scandals and spread fake news to smear politicians risk becoming like people who have a morbid fascination with excrement, Pope Francis said in an interview published on Wednesday.

Francis told the Belgian Catholic weekly "Tertio" that spreading disinformation was "probably the greatest damage that the media can do" and using communications for this rather than to educate the public amounted to a sin.

Using precise psychological terms, he said scandal-mongering media risked falling prey to coprophilia, or arousal from excrement, and consumers of these media risked coprophagia, or eating excrement.

The Argentine-born pontiff excused himself for using such terms in order to get his point across while answering a question about the correct use of the media.

"I think the media have to be very clear, very transparent, and not fall into - no offence intended - the sickness of coprophilia, that is, always wanting to cover scandals, covering nasty things, even if they are true," he said.

"And since people have a tendency towards the sickness of coprophagia, a lot of damage can be done."

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/pope-warns...141839037.html

[seanD]

He just keeps supporting the establishment narrative. Now that the establishment is trying to discredit alternative news sources (in such an absurd way that it's comical), here comes the pope to jump on that bandwagon. Every single time he goes in the direction of the (often secular) establishment. Every single time.

[Raphael]

Given the amount of crap "news" items I see people frequently sharing that I can agree with him.

Click bait stories are often crap.

Regardless of which end of the political spectrum they may be, I've seen stories about the alt right that were complete rubbish when you fourn out details, and I've seen the same about stories about the left.

[KingsGambit]

The OP mentions two very different things, that is, reporting on scandals and fake news. Which does he mean? The former is the media's job. The latter is obviously bad.

[seanD]

It's not an accident he said this during a time the establishment media is trying to discredit what they view as "fake news" media, and they're not talking about spoof or satire media. They're talking about any and all news sources -- sources not CNN, MSNBC, CBS, TYT, etc. -- that debunked the election polls and that exposed Hillary for who and what she was. There's no way that wasn't timed on his part.

[KingsGambit]

Actually spoof sites are exactly what is meant in all the coverage I have seen on the topic. But it's not clear whether Francis means that.

[seanD]

Actually spoof sites are exactly what is meant in all the coverage I have seen on the topic. But it's not clear whether Francis means that.

No, they're not talking about spoof sites. They're talking about independent news sites, typically conservative and some, or what they would consider, conspiracy sites. But they're not at all taking about spoof sites. Even Breibart and zerohedge was put in the category of "fake news."

[Leonhard]

Considering how great a responsibility the media has, if they instead bow to sensationalism and click-bait, or covering useless scandals, then it becomes something very bad. Personally I would have used more appetizing terms (couldn't resist the pun) than the Pope. But I am in full agreement with him.

Gotta be careful about where you get your news. I barely watch any news these days. Just don't trust them.

Just as I have a feeling that there's more flesh to this interview, and I think Papa Francis was speaking off the cuff again, as he is want to do.

[Raphael]

Considering how great a responsibility the media has, if they instead bow to sensationalism and click-bait, or covering useless scandals, then it becomes something very bad. Personally I would have used more appetizing terms (couldn't resist the pun) than the Pope. But I am in full agreement with him.

Gotta be careful about where you get your news. I barely watch any news these days. Just don't trust them.

Just as I have a feeling that there's more flesh to this interview, and I think Papa Francis was speaking off the cuff again, as he is want to do.

You mean when this sort of thing happens? (yes I know it's a joke, but is fairly accurate)

funny-Pope-American-media-TV.jpg

[Leonhard]

You mean when this sort of thing happens? (yes I know it's a joke, but is fairly accurate)

The media hasn't been kind to him, and has run with all sorts of things he's said. I imagine he's getting somewhat tired of them, while also having a point about the lack of integrity in modern media.

[Meh Gerbil]

I literally don't believe anything in the media anymore.
Did Trump actually win?
I honestly don't know.

Sorry, they so thoroughly lie on every point that I just assume the news is another soap opera of some sort.

[hansgeorg]

The media hasn't been kind to him, and has run with all sorts of things he's said.

I recall when one Atheist talk shower asked if "Pope Francis" was trying to steal his show.

As far as I know, it is Traditional Catholic media, more bloggers than others, but also news sites like Sandro Magister and the Remnant, who have been "unkind".

I recall the so called "rabbit gate" affair. Several Catholic ladies were saying things like "what's wrong with rabbits" and "wabbits are cute" on social media. But I don't think The Guardian or New York Times had anything bad to say on that story.

[Sparko]

This thread belongs in the....

Poop Deck.

[hansgeorg]

This thread belongs in the....

Poop Deck.

Indeed, it seems to be much better placed there than a question about Trump and gematria ...

Here is one of the Catholic bloggers whom Bergoglio called ... what he called them. (Not me).

[rogue06]

It's not an accident he said this during a time the establishment media is trying to discredit what they view as "fake news" media, and they're not talking about spoof or satire media. They're talking about any and all news sources -- sources not CNN, MSNBC, CBS, TYT, etc. -- that debunked the election polls and that exposed Hillary for who and what she was. There's no way that wasn't timed on his part.

For a real trip into the Twilight Zone, the ultimate faker of news, Brian Williams, was on MSNBC's "The 11th Hour" two days ago bemoaning the influence of "fake news"

And now the Washington Post has been forced to recant a much criticized story they published back in November () because, well, they cannot "vouch for the validity" of their source's information. IOW, the story on fake news was fake.