Trump's AI-generated "pope joke" remark, as per CBCP chief, falls short of humor and reveals insensitivity.
Trump's recent post on Truth Social, an AI-generated image of him dressed as the pope, has drawn sharp criticism from the Catholic community. Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), called out the move as offensive and insensitive, given that the post was shared just days after Trump attended Pope Francis' funeral.
In a statement issued on Saturday, David made it clear that the timing and nature of the post were not amusing. The photo showed Trump seated in a papal throne, dressed in white vestments and a miter, and mockingly raising one finger in a pope-like gesture. David, who is also the Bishop of Caloocan, deemed the act disrespectful to the memory of the late Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88 following 12 years of service as leader of the Catholic Church.
The papal funeral took place last week in Vatican City, with world leaders, including Trump, in attendance. As the College of Cardinals prepares to convene on May 7 for the conclave that will elect Pope Francis' successor, Cardinal David emphasized that the event is a sacred moment guided by prayer and humility, not a time for such actions.
Similar sentiments were echoed by the New York State Catholic Conference, who also condemned the image as inappropriate, especially given the somber circumstances. The AI-generated image's insensitivity towards the Catholic world's mourning period has drawn widespread criticism across the community.
Despite the papal funeral's somber atmosphere, Trump shared an AI-generated image on Truth Social depicting himself as the pope, sparking outrage. This image, showing Trump in white vestments and a miter, seated on a papal throne and mockingly raising one finger, was deemed disrespectful by Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, who is based in the Philippines.
