The Pentagon Threatened Pope Leo XIV's Ambassador with the Avignon Papacy

Post by IAmBroom » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 7:05 PM UTC

ecshafer wrote: post #173

tallanvor wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, no, that's an insane claim to make. Obviously American education covers some information about religion in history classes, but that level of detail about catholic history is not normal curriculum for elementary, middle, or high school.

I am not talking about what American education covers nor the average American. But what people with an interest in History, who are reading history books, watching history documentaries, etc. would know. Avignon is not that deep.

Post by sqircles » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 7:07 PM UTC

Calazon wrote: post #115

sqircles wrote: post #20

I have recently deepened my search in Christianity which started with the Catholic Church, one of few points I struggle with when it comes to Catholicism is the papacy, and the Avignon Papacy debacle and the events that followed (a la Western Schism) has quite a bit to do with that. I was a little confused by what they meant here by “threatening with the Avignon Papacy.” If anyone else is curious, I think the phrase…

If you like Catholicism but struggle with the papacy, have you considered Eastern Orthodoxy?

Post by guzfip » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 7:10 PM UTC

jmmcd wrote: post #62

stratocumulus0 wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is exactly my observation. Every now and then there's an Anglo posting on Polish social media asking people questions about some obscure Catholic doctrines and getting offended after they're told that no one there cares. I guess that such people see the number "98% Catholic" on the page for Poland on Wikipedia and conclude that it must be some medieval tradcath white nationalist theocracy. I am deeply skeptical…

> Anglo Please, write US-American. These people are not coming from any other place.

Post by newer_vienna » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 7:12 PM UTC

benzible wrote: post #191

newer_vienna wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh I'd expect any diplomat to have the historical knowledge to reference important Church events, especially if there's time to prepare before speaking with church representatives. It was a very significant political period in Catholic history!

If you would expect a typical Trump political appointee, as Colby is, to have even basic historical knowledge, then you may not be paying close attention.

Post by queenkjuul » Thu, Apr 09, 2026, 7:13 PM UTC

reactordev wrote: post #146

_doctor_love wrote: post #109

Wow. I knew the current administration was bad but this is something extra. It also shows the short-sightedness of the "scholars" in the administration. Sure, the Avignon Papacy did occur, that's historical fact. It's also a historical fact that the Catholic Church is an actually ancient power broker in the world still and they have been around for much, much longer than the United States. The Church is actually quit…

AI, Politics, Social Media, and indifference have all played their part. It’s not just the administration. The administration just knows how to manipulate those things.