In your dreams, because it had nothing to do with that comment but rather with the comment about Protestant work ethic. It's a real shame that Catholics simply cannot address the actual substance of a post but must rather create some fantasy to attack.
The evidence shows that the Church evangelized the "least of these". That's the reason for disparity in wealth.
Hardly, considering the extravagance and opulence with which the RCC decorates its buildings and the luxury with which the pope and his subordinates live and the abject poverty the people in the most heavily Catholic countries live in.
The Catholic Church did not *evangelized* impoverished countries. Look at the Spanish Conquistadors. They conquered countries in South America that have vast wealth in gold and emeralds, and other natural resources. How can you say that they chose the poorest to *evangelize* (read:conquer)
You can excuse and rationalize all you want, but your argument has no merit because all the countries started on pretty much the same level and where they ended up is directly tied to which branch of Christianity was dominant. In Northern Europe, where Protestant Christianity flourished, prosperity was evident.
In southern Europe, Central and South America, and the Philippines, where the RCC dominates, although those areas have geography and climate that favor prosperity, they are poor as all get out.
Why doesn't the Catholic Church do something about teaching them to help themselves? They've had hundreds of years in many of those countries to accomplish it, and they're still not in much better condition than they were when Catholicism was first introduced.
Countries founded on the Protestant work ethic prosper because they elevate the role of the individual and his God-given conscience, while acknowledging that all work should be done for the glory of God and thus for the betterment of their fellow men.
Speaking of addressing the actual substance, “work ethic” did not come up in any of the posts I made or that were directed to me.
The Catholic Church did not *evangelized* impoverished countries.
I didn’t say impoverished. I said "the least of these".
You can excuse and rationalize all you want, but your argument has no merit because all the countries started on pretty much the same level and where they ended up is directly tied to which branch of Christianity was dominant.
South America was on the same level of development as Spain or France? And as far as being tied to "which branch of Christianity" is dominant, here are some interesting statistics for you:
Summary of GDP per Capita of Top 30 Countries:
| Predominant Religion | Country Count | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 13 | 43% |
| Protestant | 7 | 23% |
| Muslim | 5 | 17% |
| Anglican | 3 | 10% |
| Buddhist | 1 | 3% |
| Undetermined | 1 | 3% |
Details:
| Rank | Country | GDP per Capita | Predominant Religion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liechtenstein | $122,100 | Catholic |
| 2 | Qatar | $121,700 | Muslim |
| 3 | Luxembourg | $78,000 | Catholic |
| 4 | Bermuda | $69,900 | Anglican |
| 5 | Norway | $58,600 | Protestant |
| 6 | Jersey | $57,000 | Anglican |
| 7 | Kuwait | $54,100 | Muslim |
| 8 | Singapore | $50,300 | Buddhist |
| 9 | Brunei | $50,100 | Muslim |
| 10 | Faroe Islands | $48,200 | Protestant |
| 11 | United States | $46,400 | Protestant |
| 12 | Andorra | $44,900 | Catholic |
| 13 | Guernsey | $44,600 | Anglican |
| 14 | Cayman Islands | $43,800 | Protestant |
| 15 | Hong Kong | $42,700 | Undetermined |
| 16 | Ireland | $42,200 | Catholic |
| 17 | United Arab Emirates | $42,000 | Muslim |
| 18 | San Marino | $41,900 | Catholic |
| 19 | Switzerland | $41,700 | Catholic |
| 20 | Iceland | $39,600 | Protestant |
| 21 | Austria | $39,400 | Catholic |
| 22 | Netherlands | $39,200 | Catholic |
| 23 | Australia | $38,800 | Catholic |
| 24 | Gibraltar | $38,500 | Catholic |
| 25 | British Virgin Islands | $38,500 | Protestant |
| 26 | Bahrain | $38,400 | Muslim |
| 27 | Canada | $38,400 | Catholic |
| 28 | Sweden | $36,800 | Protestant |
| 29 | Belgium | $36,600 | Catholic |
| 30 | Equatorial Guinea | $36,600 | Catholic |
Why don't the Protestants do something about teaching the poor Protestants to help themselves, especially in the Southern US?