What would a Catholic version of BRTD be like?

[RFayette]

Pope Francis is more of an "it's complicated" Pope than a super-duper inspiring Pope, for virtually anyone paying attention.

Oh come on. Whether you like him or not, you can't deny that his supporters are very passionate.

I've encountered far more Catholics vehemently against Pope Francis than vehemently in favor of him.

I'm not saying it is so, but have you considered the possibility that the kind of Catholics you (and TJ) usually encounter are not representative of all Catholics?

I have little doubt that most Catholics have a generally favorable opinion of the Pope (as I do), but if there are large numbers of vehement Pope Francis supporters, I haven't encountered them. On the other hand, I've found plenty who really don't like him in places I wouldn't have expected.

I have heard some conjecture that the vehement anti-Francis mentality is primarily an American phenomenon, though.

Would you support a Communist, yet socially conservative Pope?

You'd have to really get into the weeds about what you mean by "Communist." Communism as an overarching ideology/worldview which makes claims about material reality/historical progression/materialist utopianism/etc. is incompatible with Catholicism, but many of its political tenets are not. If you're just asking whether I'd support a Pope who supports (what are in a secular context) very left-wing economic proposals, then yes, of course.

What are your thoughts on the theory that the early Christians were basically utopian cultists? I think this theory became popular in the 1970s.

If anything, the case for them being apocalyptic cultists is far stronger, since many interpreted Matthew 24:34 literally and thought the Second Coming was imminent.