“That was an idiotic comment, IMO. Or are you all of a sudden granting that whenever some individual says “this is what God told me” then it probably is so?”

>>It’s your idotic comment—you’re claiming that when some individual—the pope in this case, speaking ex cathedra—says “This is so” it’s not only probably so but it’s definitely so.

“You, the same person, who thinks God is an invisible fantasy now are willing to give anyone the benefit of the doubt when they speak on his behalf?”

>>You’re confusing me with some other JGC—I’m Jewish, and believe in god, remember?

“I guess I do not follow what you are saying? I will make one guess --- Are you saying that any religion, any bold statement on behalf of someone’s god, be it as a formal group or as an individual, has no more clout or authority than the next guy’s?”

>>I wasn’t saying that, but I’d agree that statements supported only by subjective personal faith possess identical ‘clout’. Certainly there’s no reason to presume the statements made by the pope (speaking ex cathedra or otherwise) possess any greater authority or are any more likely to be accurate than statements made by Sun Yung Moon or any Muslim Imam.

“Like I said, I don’t follow.”

>>It’s a simple question: if you sincerely believe god demands you commit a specific action or embrace a specific behavior, are you not absolutely morally required to do so, without regard for consequence or the opinions of any human authority?