If we think imams should publicly denounce Islamic extremism, we have to praise the Pope for denouncing Trump

A person who labels an entire race as rapists and murderers is not a Christian. A person who espouses hateful rhetoric that discriminates against other religions is not a Christian

Pope Francis was gifted a traditional Mexican hat by a journalist ahead of his visit to the country (AFP/Getty Images)

There are few reasons to trumpet the political musings of the Catholic Church. Many of my fellow commentators are indeed correct to highlight the Pope’s lack of support for women in terms of the debate surrounding abortion and contraception.

However, as a somewhat lapsed member of the faith, I found Pope Francis’ approach to Donald Trump’s demagoguery refreshing.

For too long Trump has been able to waltz around the United States playing the Christian card while the inconsistencies between this approach and his political vision have gone unchecked. Who better then to examine Trump’s credentials than the head of the Catholic Church?

I was pleased that the Pope chose to offer some sound advice on what it means to be Christian while simultaneously bringing Trump – and the other supposedly devout Republican candidates who have jumped to his defence – back down to earth.

Pope Francis made a very simple point: that a person ‘who thinks only about building walls… and not of building bridges, is not Christian’. In my opinion he should have gone further. A person who labels an entire race as rapists and murderers is not a Christian. A person who espouses hateful rhetoric that discriminates against other religions is not a Christian.

When Christ was asked what the greatest commandment was, he replied, ‘Love thy neighbour.’ This is a concept that Trump has failed to even grasp as he rages ahead with his discriminatory attacks.

In fact many of the basic tenets of Christianity are broken by Trump. His apparent love of the media and charismatic showmanship has developed into a cult of personality, directly in contrast with Christianity’s teachings about the importance of humility. Invoking God and the religion in his rallies as reasons to spur hate and the deportation of all Muslims, Trump makes ‘wrongful use of the name of the Lord.’

The argument that the Pope should not be getting involved doesn’t carry that much weight, either. Let’s pretend for one second that Donald Trump was Muslim, and his speeches were interpreted as radical Islamic hate speech. The call would inevitably come for Islamic leaders to come out condemning his views, or for local mosques to protest against them.

As a society we do not question religious leaders who publicly denounce extremist interpretations of Islam - so why should we question the Pope’s rejection of Trump invoking Christianity in vain?

In many ways I believe the Pope’s intervention is a step forward. While judging someone’s religion leaves you in a grey area, we all have the right to reject false prophets. Though my personal relationship with the Catholic Church is strained due to its opinions on many social issues, I reject outright the rhetoric used by the likes of Trump on the basis that it goes against the central beliefs of the faith that I hold as my own.

While those in glass houses should not throw stones, the church has every right to defend itself against those who wish to blur its message. Is that judging? Perhaps it is – but in this case, I’d say it’s justified.