The pontiff laments humanity’s “stream of empty words” as Trump embarks on his latest Twitter tirade.
Tony Gentile/Reuters
In a New Year’s Day homily delivered at St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday, Pope Francis called for an end to “empty chatter” and urged the world to spend more time observing silence in 2018. He said doing so would “keep our freedom from being corroded by the banality of consumerism, the blare of commercials, the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting.” The pontiff did not address his recommendations to any person or thing in particular, but he warned against the “false” depiction of reality created by social media earlier this year and urged young people to find “meaning” outside of Twitter. His comments on Monday came as President Trump, perhaps the only American president known for using social media to vent, embarked on his latest Twitter tirade. Trump began the new year by slamming Pakistan for its “lies and deceit” and saying Iran is “failing at every level.”
The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!
Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration. The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!
