The Pope has the opportunity to downsize the enormously expensive Vatican and to request that wealthy Catholic capitalists donate their money directly to the poor through charitable organizations rather continue to add to the already-vast wealth of The Church.
When the Pope does that, his musings on the evils of capitalism will have substance.
Meanwhile, the Pope could learn something about humility by offering to wash the feet of Rush Limbaugh, who has always been humble enough to refrain from making major pronouncements about Catholic theology and other subjects he’s not an expert on.
What nation on God’s green earth gives more away domestically and or internationally to improve the plight of man?
Our government provides tens of billions to friendly and not so friendly nations around the world. We expend money on our military, much of which is directed at foreign campaigns to ease world tensions and improve the lives of others, as well as our own.
Private donations of food, clothing, and infrastructure are donated on a daily basis.
Our people sign on to spend a few years of their life doing good for people around the world.
We have doctors, nurses, dentists, construction crews... who take medicines, technology, and supplies with them. And then they spread their expertise and tangibles around for FREE.
Our military stands at the ready to help people on a moment’s notice. Our people have been dying trying to improve the lives of others on a daily basis, year in, year out, for nearly a century.
It would be almost impossible to mention a nation whose people we haven’t benefited either directly or indirectly. Over 500 million across Russia and Europe had their lives improved by the policies of Ronald Reagan on behalf of the United States. The U. S. S. R. faded thanks to him and another Pope who did have his act together.
We have died in Asia, Africa, the Middle-East, and Europe. We have friends that span the globe, and people who detest us for those friends and the good that we do.
In times of national disaster our government sends in supplies first, followed by private organizations that literally flood the region with gifts of kinsmanship, friendship, and love.
No one on the planet even comes close to us. We give away so much that one international pretender takes credit for things we have done on a regular basis, claiming it is the real benefactor, which it never is.
We give away over a half trillion dollars yearly domestically to ease the pain of poverty, to the point we get taken advantage of consistently. Many of these people are thankless, and trash our government and the people who pay taxes so they can have benefits.
To many this government and our system is evil. In truth, it is becoming more evil by the day, but the lingering benefits of the system now seemingly being sunseted, is still providing for humanity on a scale never seen since the dawn of man.
Our neighbor to the south sends tens of millions of it’s poorest and most evil citizens into our nation to take advantage, and they can take advantage because of the largess of Capitalism. Yes, even hobbled Capitalism...
Some world leaders trash us. The citizens of other nations, all too often join in. We are detested, until the next need comes along, and then we’re there to help. And then things return to normal, we are bashed again...
And every bit of this depends on our Capitalist system of..., wait for it..., wait for it...
TRICKLE DOWN
The thanks we get in this instance is to have one more world leader pile on, oblivious to the facts that are so obvious you would have to work at it to miss them.
To some extent, it does. At the same time, the benefits to the lower classes are nowhere in proportion to the runaway wealth effect -- resulting in an elitist class -- accrued by the upper 1%, who, incidentally, escape most taxes. That's why the Catholic perspective on economics has always been one of moderation, not ideology on either side.
The way to help the poor in the long run is to increase economic progress which increases general prosperity for the economy as a whole. That is achieved by increased saving and investment, which is achieved by a pro-business environment and preservation and protection of capitalist institutions.There is nothing trickle down about it. That is the way a free society and a rational culture works.
It is literally impossible to be a Marxist and a good person. The best you can be is a useful idiot.
Unfortunately, Pope Francis is coming dangerously close to being a member of that group.
Voluntary giving (IE ACTUAL GENUINE CHARITY) is wonderful, encouraged that all should do it - consider the widow’s mite parable.
You can be rich and generous.
You can be rich, and stingy and greedy.
You can be poor, and generous.
You can be poor, and stingy and greedy.
While it may be easier to rationalize being stingy/greedy, depending on the amount of wealth you have, it’s not an excuse for the mindset of greediness.
Forced giving (required giving, compulsory giving) is NOT genuine giving. It is compelled from someone by force. It’s robbery. Whether it’s a law and legal, or whether it’s a crook pointing a gun at you.
“Government Charity” is not genuine charity. It is money the government DEMANDS from certain people by threat of force, if not turned over, in order that government may bestow it on whatever particular pet groups it wants to. The concept of “government charity” is an oxymoron. Government compassion is take a blue pill, we cannot afford to treat you as you’re not worth enough to society. That is why true charity begins with church, with individuals exercising control over their own money.
I love this.
With little respect .. I say the Pope doesn't know what he is talking about. All one has to do is look at facts ... which are stubborn things. I don't fault the Pope for not understanding economics since that is really not his job but he should really shut up about things that expose his ignorance and makes the Church look bad.
Any suggestion the pope supports marxism is ignorance on parade. Marxism is militant athiesm. The head of the largest branch of the christian faith cannot support atheism.
HEY POPE!
Real Marxists are murdering atheists and thieves.
Haven’t there been other comments by this Pope that he has not addressed later? If this Marxism comment was the only one, would Rush have gone off on it so harshly? /rhetorical
Ping!
a rising tide lifts all boats but when you print money and cause undue inflation that theory doesn’t hold water. The real crime here isn’t capitalism; it’s the transfer of wealth (from the poor to the rich)through quantitative easing and other inflationary policies
“The Marxist ideology is wrong. But I have met many Marxists in my life who are good people, so I don’t feel offended.” ...Pope Francis
Mat 19:17
(17) And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Luk 18:19
(19) And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
Mark 10:18
(18) And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
Rom 3:10-12
(10) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
(11) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
(12) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.