Pope Francis as understood by a liberal atheist

In the end, tolerance is unlikely.  As is diversity.  We all have our values and absolute morals and we ruthlessly and brutally judge those who fail to conform.  So Pope Francis, in addition to loosening up the condemnation of those who have abortion and gay sex, also made waves when he said an atheist who follows his conscience can go to heaven without believing in God.

Before we freak out, understand that many across many traditions believe that salvation is God's to give, and in the best traditions of Scripture, those who are outside the covenant can sometimes be more God-like than those within the covenant community.

In the same way, a person can eat 5 Big Macs, smoke 10 packs of unfiltered cigarettes and drink a 12 pack of Bud Light every day and live to be 120 years old.  The idea is that you don't want to take the chance or stack the chips against yourself if you don't need to.

Of course the Left, and not a few on the Right, heard Pope Francis as, once more, giving a nod to the modern, liberal ideals of religion and secular beliefs while continuing to brutally condemn those things associated with more conservative, traditional ideas of the Democratic West and the Capitalism it produced.

But if 'let's all get along' is the message, it will be lost on many who are glad to hear Pope Francis's tolerance and love.  After all, this fellow is happy to embrace the idea that one conscience is as good as another  And yet, he shuffles his feet and wonders can, neigh should, such an open ideology also include people who reject Syrian refugees.  No clear knowledge of what level of rejecting, or exactly what policies he prefers.  Just a little swipe. Sure atheists and sexually active homosexuals should go to heaven.  But are we sure that also includes non-liberals?