Pope Demands 'Legitimate Redistribution' Of Wealth

Does God FORCE people to worship Him? The ways and means of the true God is 100% voluntary and free will choice to either worship or not. It is the ONLY way true agape love can establish.

Forced anything by anyone only leads to revolt, hatred, war, evil.

You'd think he'd know that from the example God lays before us all.

a reply to: Wrabbit2000

What would you see as a basic acceptable standard of living.

I'll be waiting here in the corner to see if one of ATS Americans wants to call the Pope a *** rusky communist.

Let the games begin

From what I understand, the Vatican spends most of it's money helping poor people across the globe, paying it's employees and the upkeep of historically-significant sites like St. Peters basilica.

As far as the Pope's comments, I think we are too hung-up on the word 'redistribution'. This Pope has been very vocal about charitable giving and helping people in need and this just seems to be part of that common theme.

I think he is right in his comments and he is highlighting an issue that is growing very rapidly all across the Earth....poverty.

The only way to accomplish what the Pope wants in a true manner is for it to be done voluntarily. He's advocating it through force and the ones who will suffer the most are the ones who are least able to bear the cost, not the ones who most need to redistribute.

This is a scam.

Fasle. Prophet.

a reply to: sheepslayer247
The Pope knows there time is done.

There are those who are profiting from those at the bottom but I promise you all this, keep your heads up and do what you know is right in your hearts. It's hard to explain without a long drawn out post but the tables are about to be flipped.......

You may be poor and when I say poor I mean those who are so low they cant even afford the twchnology to read this, the technology that is supposed to be aiding the world but only adds further to the division.

Meek will inherit the earth.

watch this.

Pope Demands 'Legitimate' Wealth Redistribution

Good thing the US doesn't negotiate with terrorists!

Wait, WHAT!?!?

a reply to: sheepslayer247

From what I understand, the Vatican spends most of it's money helping poor people across the globe, paying it's employees and the upkeep of historically-significant sites like St. Peters basilica.

Last year, a sheaf of documents was leaked by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's former butler in a scandal known as the Vatileaks affair. The documents allegedly showed, for example, tens of millions of dollars in transfers to American dioceses to help pay legal settlements -- estimated to have cost the American church more than $3 billion so far -- surrounding the priest sex abuse scandals.

During his eight-year tenure, Benedict reportedly made progress toward reforming the Vatican Bank, replacing its president and creating a financial-intelligence committee. But by most accounts, the Vatican Bank still needs greater scrutiny and transparency.
www.cnbc.com...

How quickly we forget all the stories of cover-ups as to the transferring of funds and the subsequent bankruptcy filings and claims of American Diocese in order to avoid paying out settlements to victims in lawsuits mounted against the church.

A Montana Roman Catholic diocese filed for bankruptcy on Friday as part of a proposed $17.5 million settlement with hundreds of adults alleging childhood sexual abuse by its priests, nuns and lay workers, a church spokesman said.

Lawyers representing victims of sexual assault that allegedly occurred for more than 40 years at the Ursuline Academy in St. Ignatius are pledging to take the case to trial this summer – even after the Catholic Diocese of Helena filed for bankruptcy Friday to settle a similar lawsuit.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena, Mont., planned to file for bankruptcy on Friday to pave the way for a $15 million settlement of lawsuits alleging clergy members sexually abused 362 children over five decades, according to a diocese spokesman.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockton, Calif., which is the 10th Catholic diocese in the U.S. to enter Chapter 11 protection as a result of increasing sexual-abuse claims, has received a judge's approval of its initial bankruptcy requests.

www.bishop-accountability.org...


How many billions did the church make selling babies?

300,000 babies stolen from their parents - and sold for adoption: Haunting BBC documentary exposes 50-year scandal of baby trafficking by the Catholic church in Spain

a reply to: windword

Good to see you Windword.

All of what you have brought to our attention may be true, but I don't think it is relevant to what I believe the Pope was talking about.

He is saying that there is a problem with income disparity and overall poverty. Whether we agree with the actions of the church or not, I think we can agree with that overall sentiment.

Even though I am agnostic, I have liked the actions and statements this Pope has made. He appears to be more "Christ-like" than most.

a reply to: sheepslayer247

Thanks Sheepslayer,

The Pope's plea is empty and hypocritical if the church can't lead by example. And, one example would be paying back their victims, many of which they still deny exist. Many of them are being slighted by the slick Vatican Bankers hiding money to avoid payouts. Many of their victims are yet to be discovered.

The Vatican has created and/or helped to create much of the poverty that plagues the world. Instead of leading by example, the Pope is calling on secular governments to do what they refuse to do themselves. Of the Vatican's budget of 171.6 billion dollars per year, only a little over 4% goes toward charities that feed the hungry, house and clothe the poor.

The Pope could do a lot to ease the inequality and suffering of his people in 3rd world countries, all by himself, by lifting his ban on condoms and birth control, stopping the spread of AID/HIV and unwelcome pregnancies in high risk areas. Westernized Catholics have already taken matters into their own hands with an unprecedented number of Catholic women using banned birth control. The only ones who suffer from the Pope's archaic ban are those in 3rd world Catholic countries.

a reply to: FlyersFan

I totally agree with the sentiment, and I think that much of the opposition to action boils down to fear and selfishness.

Sooner or later, it will come down to revolution if something concrete isn't done first.

People are too hung up on certain words, concepts, labels, and anti-religion and/or Catholic sentiment. We gotta get over it and get the ball rolling, or heads are gonna roll.

a reply to: windword

Fair enough, WW. I am not able to properly confirm or debunk that info simply because I have not looked in to it in depth, but for the sake of discussion I will assume it's correct.

If we accept that the church is hypocritical and the Pope's statements are empty, would you agree with his overall sentiment?

Do you believe there is a poverty problem and something needs to be done?

a reply to: sheepslayer247

Fair enough, WW. I am not able to properly confirm or debunk that info simply because I have not looked in to it in depth, but for the sake of discussion I will assume it's correct.

I got my percentages here: www.patheos.com... Seems legit

Do you believe there is a poverty problem and something needs to be done?

Absolutely! It's an horrific runaway situation for America's middle class! But, by far, the biggest disparity and the most suffering exists in the slums of 3rd world countries, many of which are Catholic majority or are otherwise adversely affected by religious/colonial oppression.

The Vatican can't now try to distance itself from the material gain it enjoyed by working in tandem with governmental interests and political agendas, by claiming that government/secular regulations are the cause of the worlds economic problems. Their hands are just as full of pie as those they're singling out, in my opinion.

I'm going to take the unpopular stance of agreeing in principle with what the pope has said.

Christianity is all about generosity. Jesus himself said 'If a man asks for your coat, give him the shirt off your back as well'
In how many nations now do we have the super elite rolling in their millions and billions while homeless people starve?

How's this for a picture of how things have changed in my own lifetime; I grew up in beautiful New Zealand, one of God's truly blessed nations, or at least it was. When I was a child in the 1970's we had full employment and millionaires were few and far between. Anyone could buy a house or a farm and there was zero poverty.

Fast forward to 2014 and it breaks my heart to see how the super rich have raped my nation. I once had dreams of following in my fathers footsteps and being a farmer too. The property he bought for $300,000 sold for $2,500,000 8 years ago and I am too scared to think what it may be worth now. The banks of New Zealand are very reluctant to finance new blood into farms because the financial risk is so high. Wages have remained fairly static in the last 15 years, yet a house in Auckland goes for $750,000 on average. Well beyond the reach of the average person now.

Poverty is everywhere and my own mother while being worth a small fortune because of her small farm lives below the poverty line because even though land prices have sky rocketed the earning power of the land remains the same.

So, in orinciple yes, the Pope is correct, wealth redistribution is sorely needed. All that money in New Zealand went somewhere but it sure wasn't to me or anyone I know from my generation.

originally posted by: jazz10
a reply to: Wrabbit2000

What would you see as a basic acceptable standard of living.

How's about this? One home per family, actually owned and debt free by it's occupants. A job and enough money to put food on the table, pay your bills and a little to put aside for a rainy day.

Let's look at every day example of greed and inequality that we have just come to accept as the norm; Cars.

Most of us own or use one, some of us don't because we see no need and some of us can't afford them. Why then do we have new cars like rolls royce and ferrari that are worth in some cases more than a modest home in a small town? The purpose of a car is to transport us, our families and our important things from one place to another. Yet somehow we have allowed a basic need to be perverted into a status symbol.

For instance, if a person wants a little luxury, what's wrong with a Hyundai with leather seats? Does one really need a Jaguar or Mercedes Benz? The answer is of course not, but the 7 deadly sins in the form of greed, vanity, pride take over and people would rather show off their wealth than buy something still nice, but a little more modest and give the savings to someone in need.

Perhaps he should lead by example. Start by redistributing the wealth of the Catholic Church. Then maybe.... maybe I will take him seriously. Until then he can just take a seat.

originally posted by: MrWendal
Perhaps he should lead by example. Start by redistributing the wealth of the Catholic Church. Then maybe.... maybe I will take him seriously. Until then he can just take a seat.

A lot of the 'wealth' of the catholic church sits in it's land value around the world. This land is mostly in use in the form of churches, monasteries, schools etc. It is really only of monetary value if it's sold, but the land is being used for church purposes. Cash reserves are a different matter all together and the Vatican should and does spend on a vast amount of charity work.

A little known fact outside of Italy; Until Mussolini came along, the entire city of Rome was under papal jurisdiction. Vatican city as we know came to be as a result of a resolution of the 'Rome question' So people should perhaps stop judging the church by it's past actions and look at what it is trying to achieve today.

a reply to: markosity1973

Vatican city as we know came to be as a result of a resolution of the 'Rome question' So people should perhaps stop judging the church by it's past actions and look at what it is trying to achieve today.

What time frame do you mean by "today". Just when did the Vatican have their "Come to Jesus" moment?

originally posted by: stirling
Now isn't that the height of hypocrisy.....the head of the wealthiest organisation in the entire world history demands wealth redistribution....but only by governments.....makes me want to barf....
How people can get sucked into this crap never ceases to amaze....religion is for dummies...
The history of the RCC is fraught with sickness of every type.....

Agreed.

Charity starts at home right?

He has a very wealthy home.

Peace

originally posted by: windword

What time frame do you mean by "today". Just when did the Vatican have their "Come to Jesus" moment?

As in when Pope Francis came along. For every sin the catholic church has committed, I can show you at least one vrom another denomination or faith.

As a sampler, everyone goes the catholics for the sex abuse scandal (and so they should) but buddhist monks have been caught at in Sri Lanka too. There are rotten people in every aspect of life and tbe actions of a few do not represent the belief or constitute support of the many.

Buddhist monk child sex scandal