Santorum, a lawyer, disagrees with Pope, a scientist

Rick Santorum, like all Tea Party types, doesn't want to believe climate change/global warming has anything to do with human (especially corporate) activity.  So he denies what is obvious to everyone else--including 97%* of Earth's scientists, one of whom is Pope Francis. The stubborn ignorance of the right wing would be humorous if it weren't so tragic.  *See USA Today article: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2010/06/scientists-overwhelmingly-believe-in-man-made-climate-change/1#.VW3jEkaBK68

Santorum Thinks Pope Should Leave Science to the Scientists

Rick Santorum, of course, is a lawyer. Pope Francis holds a masters degree in chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires and probably has better insight into climate change than Rick Santorum. Via CBS:

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Former Pennsylvania senator and GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum spoke with Talk Radio 1210 WPHT midday host Dom Giordano about Pope Francis ahead of the Pope's visit to Philadelphia this fall.

"The perception that the media would like to give of Pope Francis and the reality are two different things…I'm a huge fan of his, and his focus on making sure that we have a healthier society…I support completely the Pope's call for us to do more to create opportunities for people to be able to rise in society and care for the poor. That's our obligation as a society."

Seeing that it is expected by many that Pope Francis will release an encyclical on climate change, Santorum says he disagrees with what he expects to hear in it.

"The Church has gotten it wrong a few times on science, and I think we're probably better off leaving science to the scientists and focus on what we're really good on, which is theology and morality. When we get involved with political and controversial scientific theories, then I think the church is probably not as forceful and credible."

Rick, Rick, Rick. Do you ever get anything right? Alex Knapp in Forbes:

The Vatican's reputation with science isn't a good one, due largely to the well-known story of Galileo's prosecution for his views on astronomy. (Also, for his penchant of openly mocking powerful clergy.) That's pretty unfair, though, because for most of its history, the Roman Catholic Church has been an avid supporter of science, and many Catholics priests and monks have also been scientists. Gregor Mendel, the father of Genetics, was an Augustinian Friar. Georges Lemaitre, who developed much of the Big Bang Theory, was a Jesuit priest.

Accordingly, it was interesting to me to learn the newest Pope, Pope Francis, isn't just a cleric. He's also a scientist.