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Rush Limbaugh Doesn't Get Pope Francis
Catholic Answers ^ | December 4, 2013 | Trent Horn

Posted on 12/05/2013 6:26:41 AM PST by NYer

In a recent segment on his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh talked about the pope’s new apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium. I don’t have the space to address everything Limbaugh said, but what struck me was his mischaracterization of Pope Francis's comments about economics.

The fundamental problem was that Limbaugh chose to quote not what Pope Francis wrote but a Washington Post article on the exhortation, which stated:

Pope Francis attacked unfettered capitalism as "a new tyranny" and beseeched global leaders to fight poverty and growing inequality, in a document on Tuesday setting out a platform for his papacy and calling for a renewal of the Catholic Church. . . . In it, Francis went further than previous comments criticizing the global economic system, attacking the "idolatry of money."

Limbaugh responded by saying, “This is just pure Marxism coming out of the mouth of the pope. Unfettered capitalism? That doesn't exist anywhere. 'Unfettered capitalism' is a liberal socialist phrase to describe the United States.”

Comrade Francis?

Granted, it takes hours to read this massive document but, for someone whose words are heard by millions of people, before calling the pope a "Marxist" a simple use of the control+F function would have been warranted. If Limbaugh had done that, he would have found that the phrase “unfettered capitalism” does not appear in Evangelii Gaudium.

Neither is the global economy the main theme of this exhortation; rather, it's only one area where Pope Francis is calling on the Church to evangelize the world. He describes specific financial and cultural challenges facing the human community and then addresses the temptations of pastors who must face these challenges. Nowhere does the Pope blame humanity’s woes on the concept of the free market or demand a Marxist government to save mankind.

A Betrayal of John Paul II?

Limbaugh later said, “[J]uxtaposed against the actions of Pope John Paul II, this pope and the things that he released yesterday or recently are really striking.”

No, they aren’t. In his 1991 encyclical Centesimus Annus, Pope John Paul II reflected on socialism and capitalism in light of the recent fall of the Soviet Union. Although he acknowledged that profit has a “legitimate role” in the function of a business and that “the Marxist solution” to economic inequality had failed, he also spoke of the “inadequacies of capitalism” and said that profit is the not the only indicator that a business is doing well. The human dignity of workers matter too, and if capitalism is left unchecked it becomes “ruthless” and leads to “inhuman exploitation.” Pope Francis's words are consistent with John Paul's.

Limbaugh continued:

You talk about unfettered, this is an unfettered anti-capitalist dictate from Pope Francis. And listen to this. This is an actual quote from what he wrote. "The culture of prosperity deadens us. We are thrilled if the market offers us something new to purchase. In the meantime, all those lives stunted for lack of opportunity seem a mere spectacle. They fail to move us." I mean, that's pretty profound. That's going way beyond matters that are ethical. This is almost a statement about who should control financial markets. He says that the global economy needs government control.

But the Pope is not saying that. He is saying that a global economy needs global control, not government control in the form of some creepy one-world government that runs everything. Pope Francis said, “If we really want to achieve a healthy world economy, what is needed at this juncture of history is a more efficient way of interacting which, with due regard for the sovereignty of each nation [emphasis added], ensures the economic well-being of all countries, not just of a few (206).”

A Complex Question

The Church teaches that the dignity of the human person and the management of global economies is more complex than just choosing "capitalism" over "socialism/communism." What is required is an approach that respects individual freedom without allowing that freedom to become some all-consuming monster that tramples the weak and poor.

In Centesimus Annus, Pope John Paul II was asked if capitalism should be the dominant economic model in light of the fall of the USSR. His answer is insightful, and I think it's an excellent parallel to Pope Francis's attitude on the subject. Pope John Paul II said:

The answer is obviously complex. If by "capitalism" is meant an economic system which recognizes the fundamental and positive role of business, the market, private property and the resulting responsibility for the means of production, as well as free human creativity in the economic sector, then the answer is certainly in the affirmative, even though it would perhaps be more appropriate to speak of a "business economy," "market economy" or simply "free economy." But if by "capitalism" is meant a system in which freedom in the economic sector is not circumscribed within a strong juridical framework which places it at the service of human freedom in its totality and sees it as a particular aspect of that freedom, the core of which is ethical and religious, then the reply is certainly negative.

The reality is that the Catholic Church, and Pope Francis included, cannot simply say it is for or against capitalism. It’s a complex question. While the Washington Post said Pope Francis issued a “decidedly populist teaching” the Pope said in Evangelii Gaudium that he was not arguing for “an irresponsible populism,” or a solution that naively pits the poor against the rich (204).

On the other hand, while the Pope might agree with Limbaugh that Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” can lift some people out of poverty, it can also strangle the life out of the poor, and so the Pope says in that same paragraph that we can no longer trust the market alone to ensure that all people are treated with dignity.

In closing, I think that the following paragraph from the Pope’s exhortation is something that should be mailed to Limbaugh and maybe we can turn down the heat just a little bit:

If anyone feels offended by my words, I would respond that I speak them with affection and with the best of intentions, quite apart from any personal interest or political ideology. My words are not those of a foe or an opponent. I am interested only in helping those who are in thrall to an individualistic, indifferent and self-centered mentality to be freed from those unworthy chains and to attain a way of living and thinking which is more humane, noble and fruitful, and which will bring dignity to their presence on this earth (208).



TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Religion & Culture; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: capitalism; liberationtheology; limbaugh; marxism; marxists; pope; popefrancis; rushlimbaugh; rushpope; talkradio
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To: NYer

Limbaugh cut to the chase, which is his specialty.

Just how much ‘respect’ for ‘national sovereignty’ is ‘due’ with this new level of global control that the pope proposes?

When invoked, ‘due respect’ almost always turns out to be little respect at all.


21 posted on 12/05/2013 6:50:31 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: TexasCajun

Yep—being pro-amnesty is another way that the Church is showing just how much respect for national sovereignty it believes is ‘due’.


22 posted on 12/05/2013 6:51:37 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: NYer
The really ugly fact that people are uncomfortable facing in this is that some of what Pope Francis has written in this document is just ridiculous. Marxist? I don't know, probably not. Possibly Peronist, but still, it is not very smart stuff. Consider this:
Some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world.

This is really an ignorant statement. Economic growth, encouraged by a free market, most certainly does bring about greater justice and inclusiveness. It does this because economic growth lifts people out of poverty, and doing this always brings greater justice and inclusiveness to people. Always. This statement, whether it is Marxist, Peronist, Socialist, or whatever-ist, is dumb.

The truth, and this is uncomfortable when viewed alongside some of the statements of this pontiff, is that these economic systems he attacks have done more to lift people out of poverty, put food on people's tables, and give them dignity in work than any church has ever done in history. And that includes the Catholic Church.

The Pope is expected to be an expert in spiritual matters, and to have authority to lead and guide in that field. It saddens me that so often they choose to preach not about the Gospel, but about economic policies that they so obviously don't understand. It would be analogous to the chairman of the Federal Reserve publishing a document on how surgeons should use anaesthesia.

23 posted on 12/05/2013 6:52:02 AM PST by cothrige
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To: txrangerette

Well said.


24 posted on 12/05/2013 6:55:32 AM PST by EricT. (Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength. Big brother is watching you.)
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To: NYer

Rush’s comments were probably mistranslated and distorted by the news babblers. What he meant instead of what the news media report he said is the important thing to see.


25 posted on 12/05/2013 6:57:10 AM PST by count-your-change (you don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough)
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To: NYer

Got to remember that while Pope Francis was as a priest a Jesuit, Pope Francis’s spirituality is much, much more Francisian, which besides concern for creation, is a spirituality that is concerned for the poor.


26 posted on 12/05/2013 6:59:12 AM PST by Biggirl (“Go, do not be afraid, and serve”-Pope Francis)
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To: NYer

The Pope confuses Charity with the socialist redistribution of wealth. Karl Marx was not the Christ.


27 posted on 12/05/2013 6:59:22 AM PST by SC_Pete
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To: NYer

Looks to me that Rush Limbaugh is right about this pope.


28 posted on 12/05/2013 6:59:42 AM PST by Proud2BeRight
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To: NYer

In other words, to respond to post 26, Pope Francis is a hybred.


29 posted on 12/05/2013 7:00:17 AM PST by Biggirl (“Go, do not be afraid, and serve”-Pope Francis)
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To: NYer; miss marmelstein
You will get him, just read the article! **Granted, it takes hours to read this massive document but, for someone whose words are heard by millions of people, before calling the pope a "Marxist" a simple use of the control+F function would have been warranted. If Limbaugh had done that, he would have found that the phrase “unfettered capitalism” does not appear in Evangelii Gaudium.**
30 posted on 12/05/2013 7:02:36 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: miss marmelstein

**Neither is the global economy the main theme of this exhortation; rather, it’s only one area where Pope Francis is calling on the Church to evangelize the world. **

I said this the first day — the main theme of the exhortation is evangelization.


31 posted on 12/05/2013 7:03:50 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: NYer

Hopefully that apology will be forthcoming.


32 posted on 12/05/2013 7:04:20 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: chris37

Why do you say that?


33 posted on 12/05/2013 7:05:02 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation

I never called the Pope a Marxist.


34 posted on 12/05/2013 7:06:00 AM PST by miss marmelstein (Richard Lives Yet!)
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To: NYer

NY’er, can you, could you, explain what the writer, Mr. Horn, meant when trying to explain what the Pope said? Quote, “But the Pope is not saying that. He is saying that a global economy needs global control, not government control in the form of some creepy one-world government that runs everything. Pope Francis said, “If we really want to achieve a healthy world economy, what is needed at this juncture of history is a more efficient way of interacting which, with due regard for the sovereignty of each nation [emphasis added], ensures the economic well-being of all countries, not just of a few (206).”

Specifically, what does “global control” mean and who does the controlling? If it isn’t “control” effected by a one-world government/entity, then by whom? This is a comment that blows my mind and I am thinking of it in an international sense, not just nationally. If you’ve any thought on this, I would appreciate hearing it.

Thanks.


35 posted on 12/05/2013 7:06:51 AM PST by miele man
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To: cherry

On First Things, there was an atricle about the document in question.

Many were upset about the “Winners/Losers” thing, and said that we should all be winners.


36 posted on 12/05/2013 7:08:27 AM PST by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: ohiobuckeye1997
The Pope is not Marxist. Did you read the article?

before calling the pope a "Marxist" a simple use of the control+F function would have been warranted. If Limbaugh had done that, he would have found that the phrase “unfettered capitalism” does not appear in Evangelii Gaudium.

37 posted on 12/05/2013 7:08:28 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Old Badger

Yes, he does. Limbaugh has lied before about medications he was taking. Why do you believe him?


38 posted on 12/05/2013 7:09:17 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: miss marmelstein

So are you saying you do not obey your Bishop? Or the Pope who supervises ALL the bishops.

Is it confessional time for you?


39 posted on 12/05/2013 7:11:32 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: cothrige; markomalley

**Some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world.**

This phrase was mis-translated. Talk with markomalley.


40 posted on 12/05/2013 7:12:45 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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