Pope Francis Claims Weapon Manufacturers Are Unchristian

Pope Francis recently made a statement that is sure to anger gun rights activists everywhere, particularly Christian gun owners in the United States. During a visit to the Italian city of Turin, he spoke to a throng of young listeners, and condemned weapons manufacturers and anyone who invests in them, and claimed that they were hypocrites if they called themselves Christians.

“It makes me think of … people, managers, businessmen who call themselves Christian and they manufacture weapons. That leads to a bit a distrust, doesn’t it?” he told the crowd in his speech. He went on to criticize the allies in World War 2, for not stopping the holocaust sooner. While he seems to be referencing the global military arms industry, he also didn’t make any distinction between that and companies that simply provide weapons for personal defense.

The isn’t the first time he has taken a position that is unpopular among American Christians. His statements have come on the heels of the Vatican’s recent controversial stand on climate change. The pope has argued that the Catholic Church should work together with the scientific community to stop climate change, and during a recent environmental meeting among high-ranking members of the Catholic Church, an esteemed climate skeptic who was invited to the meeting, was later denied a seat at the debate.