The Pope is either a despicable liar or a complete ignoramus. Or possibly both. (How’s that for a gentle opening statement?) If you think that’s a tad harsh, read on.

Pope Francis has decided to publicly speak out against libertarianism, calling it “selfish” and “antisocial,” and saying that it “minimizes the common good.” Now, to give him as much of the benefit of the doubt as I can–because apparently the freaking POPE can’t be expected to actually become informed on things–if he was merely bashing certain individuals who wear the label “libertarian,” I might cut him some slack. But what he actually chose to bash, and warn the world about, is….

PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE THE INITIATION OF VIOLENCE.

Because that is the basis of libertarianism: the non-aggression principle. The Pope basically argued that it is “anti-social” to NOT advocate that your neighbors be forcibly robbed and controlled by “government,” and argued that it hurts the “common good” when the collective does NOT violently subjugate the individual. Bizarrely–but predictably–pretended concern for the little guy was the excuse for his position. Of course, as pretty much all libertarians know, the “greater good,” and putting the collective above the individual, has been the excuse for the mass violence committed by the most vicious tyrannies in history.

“To be a socialist is to submit the I to the thou; socialism is sacrificing the individual to the whole.” – Joseph Goebbels (Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda)

Thanks for taking the side of Mao, Stalin and Hitler, Pope Francis.

But the icing on the poop cake was where he showed concern about a world in which “only the individual decides what is good and what is evil.” Because apparently he thinks that people deferring to an authoritarian power to make those decisions for them–instead of using their own consciences and moral judgment–has had a wonderful track record of creating peace and justice. Gack.