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The Back Room => The Diner => Topic started by: Homo Aestheticus on October 06, 2008, 09:47:12 AM

Title: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: Homo Aestheticus on October 06, 2008, 09:47:12 AM
"The global financial crisis is proof that the pursuit of money and success is pointless...."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7654878.stm

Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: adamdavid80 on October 06, 2008, 09:49:08 AM
Quote from: The Ardent Pelleastre on October 06, 2008, 09:47:12 AM
"The global financial crisis is proof that the pursuit of money and success is pointless...."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7654878.stm



Money, okay (though that's easy to say when your home and board is arranged for life...in the vatican)....but success?  Should we aim to fail?  What the hey?

(and, boy oh boy, am I looking forward to M's comments here)   :)
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: Homo Aestheticus on October 06, 2008, 09:55:06 AM
Quote from: adamdavid80 on October 06, 2008, 09:49:08 AMMoney, okay (though that's easy to say when your home and board is arranged for life...in the vatican)

True... (and don't forget his summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo)

Also, I wish he would elaborate on the 'success' issue.
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: Lethevich on October 06, 2008, 09:59:30 AM
A Catholic leader spouting this is just hypocritical given the wealth on display in their centres of power.
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: karlhenning on October 06, 2008, 10:07:42 AM
Thanks for empowering Eric, Sara.

I see the subject header, and I note who started it.  Enough said.
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: Jay F on October 06, 2008, 10:48:33 AM
Doesn't the pope get his slippers at Prada?

And doesn't the Vatican own the Watergate complex?
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: scarpia on October 06, 2008, 11:32:41 AM
But I thought you could pay cash for a place in heaven with an indulgence?  I suspect the Pope is concerned about market volatility in the indulgence futures market.  I expect any day the SEC will announce a temporary ban on short-selling of papal indulgences.
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: Josquin des Prez on October 06, 2008, 12:26:48 PM
So the Pope is a... communist? Interesting.
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: ezodisy on October 06, 2008, 12:30:03 PM
Quote from: The Ardent Pelleastre on October 06, 2008, 09:47:12 AM
"The global financial crisis is proof that the pursuit of money and success is pointless...."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7654878.stm



yeah right. You think for one second that the Holy See's financial advisors aren't shorting the fuck out of the market? It's the same as the Church of England, which I think I posted about last week. It's just more hypocritical nonsense as all moralsim tends to be.
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: Brian on October 06, 2008, 12:48:58 PM
Quote from: adamdavid80 on October 06, 2008, 09:49:08 AM
(and, boy oh boy, am I looking forward to M's comments here)   :)
Preview of M's post: who cares what this man thinks? He is no economic expert, and not much of a philosophical one either. Must we now ask Angelina Jolie or Wayne Gretzky what they think about the financial crisis? It makes about as much sense as this babble.

Of course, I could be selling him short. After all, this is the guy who must pass his Popemobile through the eye of a needle.
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: Catison on October 06, 2008, 12:53:25 PM
The issue here is a classic in Catholic theology.  Pursuing happiness through money is not sustainable.  Money offers temporary happiness, and the greedy return to money to find their self worth.  It is this definition of success he is speaking against.  Success does not mean wealthy, it means leading a balanced life (one point of that balance being a life in the Church, of course).

He is definitely not telling people to be communist or to turn down success when it is justified.
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: adamdavid80 on October 06, 2008, 12:56:55 PM
Quote from: Catison on October 06, 2008, 12:53:25 PM
The issue here is a classic in Catholic theology.  Pursuing happiness through money is not sustainable.  Money offers temporary happiness, and the greedy return to money to find their self worth.  It is this definition of success he is speaking against.  Success does not mean wealthy, it means leading a balanced life (one point of that balance being a life in the Church, of course).

He is definitely not telling people to be communist or to turn down success when it is justified.

But why wait til the hard times to say this?  When the money's rolling in and everyone's doing great, there were no MAJOR speeches by the Pope denouncing this.  No, if you were a succesful hedge fund manager for the past 10 years, your local church knew it, and knew to hit you up for donations.  It's kind of gross.
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: Josquin des Prez on October 06, 2008, 12:59:36 PM
He's just taking the opportunity to show that the values preached by Christianity were always spot on.
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: scarpia on October 06, 2008, 02:39:19 PM
Quote from: Josquin des Prez on October 06, 2008, 12:59:36 PM
He's just taking the opportunity to show that the values preached by Christianity were always spot on.

Such as torturing or burning people alive if they do not accept Catholic orthodoxy.  They there's that whole "the sun revolves around the earth" thing.

Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: ezodisy on October 06, 2008, 02:47:56 PM
Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: DFO on October 06, 2008, 04:33:27 PM
I wont to buy Inmobiliare from the Vatican, but the present financial turmoil made me
change mi mind.(Michael Corleone)
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: Catison on October 06, 2008, 05:07:01 PM
Quote from: scarpia on October 06, 2008, 02:39:19 PM
Such as torturing or burning people alive if they do not accept Catholic orthodoxy.  They there's that whole "the sun revolves around the earth" thing.



You're knowledge of Church history exceeds all!
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: adamdavid80 on October 06, 2008, 06:20:59 PM
Quote from: Catison on October 06, 2008, 05:07:01 PM
You're knowledge of Church history exceeds all!

explain?  Did those things never occur?
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: Catison on October 06, 2008, 06:37:34 PM
Quote from: adamdavid80 on October 06, 2008, 06:20:59 PM
explain?  Did those things never occur?

Sure they occurred.  But it is equivalent to saying that Germany will forever have no opinion because of Hitler.  And besides, these events are usually taken completely out of context in order to denounce the Church outright.  What need is there to educate yourself when you can so easily dismiss?
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: adamdavid80 on October 06, 2008, 06:45:02 PM
Quote from: Catison on October 06, 2008, 06:37:34 PM
Sure they occurred.  But it is equivalent to saying that Germany will forever have no opinion because of Hitler.  And besides, these events are usually taken completely out of context in order to denounce the Church outright.  What need is there to educate yourself when you can so easily dismiss?

Valid perspective. 
Title: Re: The Pope speaks on the global financial crisis
Post by: scarpia on October 06, 2008, 06:56:34 PM
Quote from: Catison on October 06, 2008, 06:37:34 PM
Sure they occurred.  But it is equivalent to saying that Germany will forever have no opinion because of Hitler.  And besides, these events are usually taken completely out of context in order to denounce the Church outright.  What need is there to educate yourself when you can so easily dismiss?

"German" is not synonymous with "Nazi."   If I found Nazi's were planting daisy's on my block it wouldn't incline me to feel charitable toward Nazi's.  Now, I'm waiting for you to explain the context within which burning people alive is appropriate.