Despite his ripe old age of 81, Pope Benedict XVI demonstrated on Monday that he is still flexible enough to reach his foot all the way up to his mouth by saying that the world's financial systems are "built on sand." The Pope said "We are now seeing, in the collapse of major banks, that money vanishes, it is nothing. All these things that appear to be real are in fact secondary. Only God's words are a solid reality." It is surprising that the pope takes this stance, because the Roman Catholic Church seems to think that money is definitely something. Across the world, it is doubtful there are many organizations, governments or otherwise, to rival the church in land ownership and assets. The church also invests heavily across the world, in banks and corporations. If the pope believes money is nothing, if he believes that "Only God's words are a solid reality," then perhaps he should realize that just as money is secondary, so too is his goofy wardrobe, so too is the plane that he travels the world in and so too are the beautiful buildings of the Vatican City. It is a rare duality that one who lives in such luxury would expound on the lack of meaning of the money that enables him to do so. Pope Benedict XVI is able to talk about money as if it were nothing because he works for an organization that has not been starved for cash in hundreds of years. His income is not based on how hard or how much he labors; it is based on people's belief that their contribution will please a divine being who has the power to send them to heaven or hell. When money is earned through a man's own sweat or exertion, it becomes something. Ayn Rand captured this reality more concisely than this writer can when she said "It stands to reason that where there's sacrifice, there's someone collecting sacrificial offerings. Where there's service, there's someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice, speaks of slaves and masters. And intends to be the master." Pope Benedict XVI and the Roman Catholic Church should not be preaching to the world that its pursuit of material wealth is an empty exercise. Instead, they should be reassuring the Catholics of the world that just as they supported the church financially when they were able to do so, now the church will make an effort to help them out financially during the tough times that lay ahead for the religious and the secular alike. Perhaps some room could be found in the budget between the expenditures for vestments and giant gold crosses.
Religion & Spirituality - 6 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I dunno, not very well written and kind of ignorant if you ask me.
2 :
Spot on! The bible talks about Babylon the Great (all false religion) as being adorned with jewels and all manner of finery. It wont be long before God puts it into the wild beasts (worldly governments) heart to turn on her and devastate her (see Revelations). Wonder what might trigger that? However, its not just this faith but all false religions that will receive this fate. The bibles advice is to get our of her before it is too late.
3 :
Seems pretty much on the money. Why do you people need such opulent clothes? Try to picture Jesus in a papal gown and with a tiara. Looks kind of ridiculous. The contrast between the naked and bleeding Jesus, humiliated and nailed to a cross, wearing a wreath of thorns for a crown (and how did they make that thing anyway, without hurting themselves, I wonder?) and the pope, dressed in regal attire, wielding grand authority and venerated by millions, is stark.
4 :
St Augustine answered you almost 2000 years ago !!! Hope you can handle this In cupiditas, the created order or something in the created order becomes the criterion of evaluation; it becomes the source of value .Cupiditas is wrong enjoyment and wrong use; it is illicit enjoyment of some temporal things, abuse or misuse of others in service of those which would be enjoyed. In sum, the caritas/cupiditas distinction, ... is a device by which Augustine can retain his powerful stance against idolatry while at the same time arguing that God's creation is the proper object of love. In caritas, love of use is the love for, and even transitory delight in, created things; it is the love of relative ends, which are good, but not the final good. IF you love money more than God, that's wrong. If you use it as it should be used (and the Gospel says you should) then it is good. Hint: It's not the money's fault :)
5 :
How do you stop people from donating to their church? The Vatican, Catholic parishes, religious orders and other Catholic groups are the largest charitable organization in the world period. No other institution provides more food, medical care and education. For example, Catholic charities provides more than two million meals per year in Chicago alone. BTW I was educated by Jesuits free of charge.
6 :
The Pope may be an expert on Catholicism. However, I will not be choosing him as my financial planner. Simply stated, money is very real. However, it is equally true that money is fragile. The wealth we have, due to economic risks, can be rendered very impermanent. And in this day and age when money is a collection of data on a computer more than something tangible one holds in his hands, I can understand why one would question its reality. The above being said, the fact that one's buying power is subject to risks of the marketplace does not render it less real. Indeed, life itself is fragile, but few would doubt either its reality or its importance. I can only explain the Pope's remarks as ignorant, the often-seen product of a person who does not understand what he is discussing. The Pope has exceeded his area of expertise when he tries to explain the global financial crisis. Money is real, and if his religion dictates a regard for an invisible deity that exceeds one's regard for the currency used to buy the things one needs to survive, so be it. However, that's a ship I do not intend to board. I think your analysis is both insightful and accurate. Thank you for the question and your position on the Pope's comments.
