Posted on 09/26/2004 8:30:20 AM PDT by FITZ
I have not set foot in a catholic church for decades
You're about as Catholic as abortionist Francis Kissling.
"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'
"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'
"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' " 'No, father Abraham,' "he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "
God taught this to men so that they would do from their own hearts, not because the UN, or some govm't decided to force it for their own glory and purposes.
Besides --- it's not about rich and poor --- there have always been rich and poor --- Communist countries have rich and poor. The only class that really matters is the middle class --- a large middle class leads to great wealth and stability --- revolutions and coups don't happen in countries with the majority of people in the middle class. Communists divide people into "rich" and "poor" --- what made the USA so wealthy and strong was that it was founded on values that promoted the middle class.
It's still a pagan idol --- should he kiss a statue of Buddha or bow down to a Hindu god or article of worship? Or to show respect to New-Age pagans should he kiss a crystal?
I agree with the Pope. I think we could help the poor and hungry by removing the oppression of overbearing governments upon the free spirit of humanity and allowing people to reach their full, God-given potential.
I don't agree that the U.N. is the answer, however well-meaning the intentions.
Second, in a one world government, the Catholic church would be the first one to go.
The title should be....
"WORLD DENOUNCES IMBALANCE OF POPE'S WEALTH"
wow
Well --- I'm a Catholic and I'll still go to Mass today --- and I know how the Catholic Church wants it's wealthy Catholics to practice charity and give alms to the poor --- but as an American I don't believe in that set up --- I believe in a self-reliant middle class --- taxes for international poverty programs are not the answer --- we need to promote the middle class -- a society built around people being able to work themselves into a comfortable lifestyle --- not waiting for some wealthy guy to hand them over a few coins.
You are right, the US IS the most generous nation on earth. A global tax is not the way to aid the poor and hungry. We give because we feel God calls us to give out of our abundance, not because we are coerced to give to state, federal or global entities who claim to be able to deliver best, but who, in fact, waste substantial portions of the funds collected. Indviduals and charitable organizations do the best job, because they have as their goal providing assistance and spreading their faith to others.
The Pope is right to want and even to demand that we help the poor, but not through government, and certainly not through the UN......
John Kerry and Teresa Heinz should donate a sizable portion of their assets to the Catholic Church, the largest private social service provider to the poor in the world.
Source? The Pope told Saddam to comply with UN sanctions and resolutions or suffer the consequences.
The Pope should take a lesson in what is written by the American Founding Fathers and in our Constitution --- that approach was the best of all --- it wasn't about wealth redistribution at all, no confiscation of wealth from the workers to give to those who won't work. The American Patriots rebelled against taxes and government control.
And may I ask exactly how much of the Catholic Church's vast riches and holdings will the pontiff be willing to liquidate in order to "re-balance" the world's wealth? Let's start with the priceless art collections in Vatican City. How about at the innumerable real estate properties owned by the Church around the world? Or how about the tithe that is collected weekly at mass?
And hurray for Bush for not participating in this.
Flap your gums all day long sugar, you're not a Catholic.
Neither does the church or the US government. They take wealth (in whatever form) from those who have it, and distribute it (with a very liberal take off the top to sustain themselves) to those who don't have it...or enough of it....according to their own opinions as to exactly what those who don't have it - actually need!
Maybe the Pope wants to return to the old days when the Catholic Church was the sole government in many countries and all prosperity, food and social services were supplied by the Church?
Hmmmmm.... that's right!... It didn't work then either!
The Pope is a genuinely great and godly man and everyone in the world owes him a debt of gratitude for his brave stand against Communism, but for the head of the Catholic Church to denounce unequal distribution of wealth is an act of brazen hypocrisy.
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The Church described in the Book of Acts of the Apostles in the Christian Bible, clearly states in Acts 2:44,45: All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one's need.
Chapter 5 of the same book describes what happened to people who lied. It wasn't that they didn't give their all to "the Church" but rather that they lied about what they did give. No one told anyone to give it all up, but some thought there was more prestige in saying that they were penniless because they gave all their wealth to the Church.
What the Pope is saying has been said since . . . the beginning of Christendom if you accept the Bible as a source of your faith.
I see what the Pope is doing is trying to turn hearts back to the basics of Christianity.
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