Pope Francis reminds Donald Trump not to forget the poor

[Fish and Bread]

Link:

https://www.ncronline.org/news/politics/pope-francis-reminds-donald-trump-not-forget-poor

 

[Tull]

He should also advise him to not create anymore poor through the destruction of jobs and industry which are the primary means by which people avoid poverty to begin with.

 

[JackRT]

*Staff edit*

The wealth of the Roman Catholic church is largely a fiction. What wealth that exists is largely tied up in land and buildings which are expensive to maintain.

 

[Tull]

Sell it and give it to the poor then

 

[JackRT]

Sell it and give it to the poor then

Some already has been.

 

[JackRT]

How do you sell a cathedral that is both an important historical site and a magnificent work of art? Some European cities have already had to take over the maintenance of some of these buildings.

 

[Fish and Bread]

The wealth of the Roman Catholic church is largely a fiction. What wealth that exists is largely tied up in land and buildings which are expensive to maintain.

I was going to say, "Who's going to buy the Sistine Chapel or St. Peter's Basilica?", but you beat me to it. The only real use they have is in a religious context, or to be maintained by the state as a museum type of thing, but no other church in Italy is big enough to buy and maintain something like that, and the state isn't going to buy them because of the purchase cost and the on-going upkeep costs- they *might* take them over and try to sell tickets to tourists if the Church outright abandoned them. In theory, buildings like that, combined, are worth more money than Scrooge McDuck has in his vault, creating a huge theoretical economic valuation for the Roman Catholic Church as a whole, but it's not liquid (spendable) wealth and can't be translated to liquid wealth very easily. I mean, they could knock down the buildings and sell the land, but the main value is in the buildings and they'd be tearing down cultural treasures that are important to the world as art and historical landmarks and buildings beyond their religious significance.

Besides, the whole issue isn't really relevant to the topic of the thread. Whether the Roman Catholic Church does enough for the poor or not, the point the Pope makes is still valid as just a point in isolation, regardless of who said it- that governments have an obligation to care for the poor and to protect minorities. That obligation wouldn't disappear even if one could prove that everyone calling for it is a hypocrite. That's what we call an ad hominen argument- attacking the person and ignoring the actual content of the message.

 

[tadoflamb]

Sell it and give it to the poor then

That's what Judas said.

 

[JackRT]

The wealth of the Roman Catholic church is largely a fiction. What wealth that exists is largely tied up in land and buildings which are expensive to maintain.

Another poster just rated this post as "funny". I assure you that I was very serious and was not trying to be funny at all. I don't get it.

 

[Shiloh Raven]

Some people who are not Catholic here need to remember they are in a Catholic forum and they need to show some respect.

 

[Shiloh Raven]

Link:

https://www.ncronline.org/news/politics/pope-francis-reminds-donald-trump-not-forget-poor

I am not sure how Trump will react to this but he has never given me the impression that he cares for much else outside of his own interests.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

What we want is a fight against inequality, this is the biggest evil that exists in the world today."
Can I disagree with the Pope here?
I think inequality is unavoidable. There will always be rich and poor. All we can do is try to narrow the gap a little. Equality of wealth as a goal is too idealistic. That was supposed to be e a tenet of communism. "we are all equal, except some of us are more equal than others"
Also the biggest evil that exists is hatred in my opinion.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

The more I get back into Catholicism, the more relieved I am, that I am not rich.

 

[JackRT]

The more I get back into Catholicism, the more relieved I am, that I am not rich.

But it is a lot easier to cry your heart out in Rolls Royce than on a bicycle.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

But it is a lot easier to cry your heart out in Rolls Royce than on a bicycle.

I prefer bicycles anyway.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Narrow gate for the rich I'm afraid.

 

[Shiloh Raven]

The more I get back into Catholicism, the more relieved I am, that I am not rich.

I think a lot of people need to learn how to be content with what they have and be thankful rather than covet and crave for more and more possessions. Neither money or more possessions will bring inner peace or genuine joy into their life.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

a lot of people need to learn how to be content with what they have and be thankful rather than covet and crave

Couldn't agree more. Maybe the Pope was getting at "greed". Greed is the root of the problem.

 

[Landon Caeli]

FROM THE ARTICLE:
"Throughout the interview the pope reinforced his concern for the disadvantaged and said his greatest worry was for migrants and refugees who were forced to flee their countries and the poor in wealthy countries afraid to accept them."

...is the pope more worried about the poor migrants and refugees than the poor in wealthy countries? I wonder why that would be.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

is the pope more worried about the poor migrants and refugees than the poor in wealthy countries?

You mean like the poor blue collar workers who are barely making a living? The ones who were born in America? This group or demographic seems to get ignored or overlooked. Just make enough money not to depend on charities but barely make enough to afford vacations for example. Life is just work to survive.