Boy, I like this pope. More than ever, I can see that we’re going to have to pray for his safety:
Pope Francis has attacked unfettered capitalism as “a new tyranny”, urging global leaders to fight poverty and growing inequality in the first major work he has authored alone as pontiff.
The 84-page document, known as an apostolic exhortation, amounted to an official platform for his papacy, building on views he has aired in sermons and remarks since he became the first non-European pontiff in 1,300 years in March.
In it, Francis went further than previous comments criticising the global economic system, attacking the “idolatry of money” and beseeching politicians to guarantee all citizens “dignified work, education and healthcare”.
He also called on rich people to share their wealth. “Just as the commandment ‘Thou shalt not kill’ sets a clear limit in order to safeguard the value of human life, today we also have to say ‘thou shalt not’ to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills,” Francis wrote in the document issued on Tuesday.
“How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points?”
The pope said renewal of the church could not be put off and the Vatican and its entrenched hierarchy “also need to hear the call to pastoral conversion”.
“I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security,” he wrote.
You can’t dispute that this Pope says some very important things. But………then he hauls out Peter’s bones. Minus his feet of course. Really? Everyone knows that the upside down Pete had his feet nailed to a cross. No feet, no proof. Then there’s the whole end of times thing. According to Catholic tradition there will be a ‘last’ Pope. He will “renew” the church. In so doing the old church and its “hierarchy” will be swept away. So this entire process by Francis is even more interesting, and dangerous, than the average layperson realizes.
If this was an “apostolic exhortation” – I wonder if he would ever exhort believers into saying we’re long overdue for a Jubilee – a forgiveness of debt – that used to be held every 50 years back in Biblical times as a way of balancing out gross differences between the rich and poor and powerful and not powerful.
It’s a sad commentary when you have a better chance of progressive policy coming from the Bishop of Rome than you do from the predominantly Corporation-loving Democrats.
“Corporation-loving Democrats.” Let’s don’t forget the Republicans and Libertarians. Here’s a question: Was the Christ a communist? Here’s another: Had he lived would he have set up a hierarchy to run his church?
First time in 1200 years, a pope that embodies Christ’s teachings; must be the end of the world. Kinda like, “when pigs fly.” One thing I do know, I can see the 1% rethinking their partnership with religion.