General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPope: The Bible Demands The Redistribution Of Wealth
Pope Francis called for the legitimate redistribution of economic benefits on Friday, arguing that the Bible demands an economic system that cares for the poorest and those most excluded.
Francis made the comments while speaking before a gathering of several United Nations agency leaders, including U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. As he reflected on the U.N.s target for Future Sustainable Development Goals, the first Latin American pope asked those present to resist participating in an economy of exclusion and to strive to have a real impact on the structural causes of poverty and hunger.
In the case of global political and economic organization, much more needs to be achieved, since an important part of humanity does not share in the benefits of progress and is in fact relegated to the status of second-class citizens, Francis said.
Francis grounded his argument in biblical the story of Zacchaeus, a rich (and likely corrupt) tax collector who dramatically altered his economic behavior after encountering Jesus Christ. According to Luke 19:1-10, Zacchaeus was overcome by Jesus kindness, prompting the wealthy man to publicly proclaim that he would give half his possessions to
http://thinkprogress.org/home/2014/05/09/3436223/pope-the-bible-calls-for-the-redistribution-of-wealth/
GeorgeGist
(25,321 posts)by excommunicating Roberts, Scalia, Alito, et al. for favoring the oligarchs.
superpatriotman
(6,249 posts)nt
Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)I'm not Catholic (nor Christian, for that matter), but from my perspective, Pope Francis is the greatest thing to happen to the Church since John XXIII. He is setting things in motion that are both subtle and profound. I think, for example, that he's laying the groundwork for a real sea change on birth control and homosexuality, by refocusing doctrine away from some of the crazier parts of the Old Testament.
reformist2
(9,841 posts)spin
(17,493 posts)If a government confiscates wealth and redistributes it to the poor, I fear it is quite possible that a large amount of the wealth will find its way into the wrong hands.
Admittedly I don't have a lot of confidence in the morality of those we elect to office.
I've often said the the most profitable occupations for a person with a great deal of charisma to pursue if he/she wishes to be wealthy is either to become a politician or a preacher.
SevenSixtyTwo
(255 posts)needs to be in the form of decent wages and benefits from manufacturing jobs brought back to the US. It's up to us.
rocktivity
(44,576 posts)The Vatican would be the perfect place to start practicing what he preaches.
rocktivity
pampango
(24,692 posts)an alliance to achieve goals we believe in.
msongs
(67,409 posts)proceeds to anyone less wealthy than himself?
stillwaiting
(3,795 posts)He preaches left-wing values on economics, and he preaches right-wing values on social issues.
And, that is a step up from what we had before.
He still causes unneeded grief and hardship for many.
TexasProgresive
(12,157 posts)At the Jubilee year land that was sold was returned to the family who originally owned it. With possessions held in surety returned and all debts forgiven this would prevent the extreme accumulation of wealth.
During shmita, the land is left to lie fallow and all agricultural activity, including plowing, planting, pruning and harvesting, is forbidden by halakha (Jewish law). Other cultivation techniques (such as watering, fertilizing, weeding, spraying, trimming and mowing) may be performed as a preventative measure only, not to improve the growth of trees or other plants. Additionally, any fruits which grow of their own accord are deemed hefker (ownerless) and may be picked by anyone. A variety of laws also apply to the sale, consumption and disposal of shmita produce. All debts, except those of foreigners, were to be remitted.[2]
Chapter 25 of the Book of Leviticus promises bountiful harvests to those who observe the shmita, and describes its observance as a test of religious faith. There is little notice of the observance of this year in Biblical history and it appears to have been much neglected.[3]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shmita
"And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubilee_%28Biblical%29
PeaceNikki
(27,985 posts)The pope's words appeared in his message for the World Day of Peace 2012, released on Friday (Dec. 16) at the Vatican.
The message laments that "some currents of modern culture, built upon rationalist and individualist economic principles, have cut off the concept of justice from its transcendent roots, detaching it from charity and solidarity."
Authentic education, Benedict writes, teaches the proper use of freedom with "respect for oneself and others, including those whose way of being and living differs greatly from one's own."
Peace-making requires education not only in the values of compassion and solidarity, but in the importance of wealth redistribution, the "promotion of growth, cooperation for development and conflict resolution," Benedict writes.
The pope also calls on political leaders to "ensure that no one is ever denied access to education."
Gosh, Francis is so fucking 'revolutionary'!!
reformist2
(9,841 posts)The old prejudices that hard work is rewarded with wealth, and that laziness is punished with poverty, they die hard.
It has been my experience that there is actually no correlation between work and wealth.