The Pope says he ain’t no Commie, but he likes them just fine. But that is not all, he also says that when it comes to economics, he is no expert.
Pope Francis said he knew a lot of “good” Marxists but was no communist himself, following criticism of his diatribes against unfettered capitalism from conservative commentators in the United States.
“Marxist ideology is wrong. But in my life I have met a lot of Marxists who are good people, so I do not feel offended,” Francis said in an interview with the Italian daily La Stampa published on Sunday.
He said his condemnations of the inequality caused by the current global economic system were not intended to be an expert analysis and were only a reiteration of the social doctrine of the Catholic Church.
“That does not mean being a Marxist,” he said.
Francis is himself a moderate conservative and was a fierce critic of the leftist-inspired Liberation Theology movement in Latin America, although he has recently appeared to reconcile with its leaders.
The problem is, when you take digs at ‘trickle-down theories’ and such, when you rail against ‘income equality’ instead of poverty, the “I am am just reiterating Catholic social doctrine’ thing doesn’t hold water. If he really just reiterated Catholic social doctrine, he wouldn’t be answering questions about being a commie. I think the Pope wastes a great opportunity and diminishes his moral authority in the eyes of the world when he says things so far afield.
Anyway, good to know that the Pope thinks Marxism is wrong.
December 16, 2013 at 4:49 am
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December 16, 2013 at 4:52 am
If a capitalist is seeking God and trying to live a good life, who is he to judge? No, we must go out and meet the capitalist where they are! No, you do not have to convert them to giving or sharing their wealth! Just meet them where they are, Jesus will do the rest!
December 16, 2013 at 4:59 am
I would encourage you to check out Jimmy Akin's take on this. He provides some helpful insight into the supposed taking of digs on trickle-down economics and how something was lost in translation. I'd be careful about letting this remain a sticking point with the Holy Father. http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/pope-francis-takes-on-allegations-and-rumors-about-his-papacy-9-things-to-k
December 16, 2013 at 5:31 am
Not even the English text of the encyclical, which is in many ways inadequate, mentions "income inequality" once. It talks about "a poor distribution of goods and income" (quoting the bishops of Brazil, which…if you think they have a good distribution of those things in Brazil, get the hell out). It mentions "decisions, programs, mechanisms and processes specifically geared to a better distribution of income"—and it says that while those "presuppose" economic growth, they also require "the creation of sources of employment and an integral promotion of the poor which goes beyond a simple welfare mentality". That looks like a critique of the welfare state and indeed an encouragement of actual economic development, to me, but then I'm actually literate.
December 16, 2013 at 11:56 am
Translations are always shaky; still, the matter of good Marxists is alarming. Marxism is responsible for more deaths than Nazism. Does one excuse a teenager wearing a Che Guevera / Adolf Hitler tee because both Che and Adolf were artist-hippies in their youth?
December 16, 2013 at 12:09 pm
Well, I think that the Pope can rail against "income equality". Just think about Rerum Novarum's "distributive justice" (distributism), which argues for more property for people.
But, I think the answer for marxism was terrible. He should highlight how terrible is marxism, not only say that is "wrong". Besides, would he feel offended if he was called nazist?
December 16, 2013 at 12:11 pm
He says he no Marxist and “Marxist ideology is wrong." However he always seems to agree with it in his words. He seems to have a thing against any "__logies" and ____isms or possibly just the definition of a system. Of course, who am I to judge…..
December 16, 2013 at 1:35 pm
With all due deference to my friend Jimmy, he quotes Michael Novak on the translation issue and he got it wrong. Trickle-down does appear in the original Spanish. The Pope said trickle-down. The Pope meant trickle-down.
see. http://wdtprs.com/blog/2013/12/an-observation-for-mr-novak-on-pope-francis-and-trickle-down-in-eg-54/
December 16, 2013 at 3:28 pm
Judged on what I read today I don't think Francis is a conservative at all. He replaced Cardinal Burke who we know is a good solid bishop with Vincent Nichols who is very controversial. He also out Cardinal Aziz is a key part of the Education section this is the same guy who is persecuting the FFI. I think the message is clear. I am no conservative and I won't have any around me.
December 16, 2013 at 8:04 pm
Well, that's it. Unfortunately all this hand-wringing and worry-wart-ism here at CMR, culminating with the snarky, unfair snipes at the Holy Father that lead off this post, have convinced me to stop checking in or following either of your sites now.
Francis is a good and holy man, and a good pope. Benedict was all those things as well. Neither was perfect, as both would be more than happy to tell you. But rather than have a measured, thoughtful, and reasonable response, you would rather freak out, and in the process freak others out.
Call it vigilance. That's what Lefebvre did; that's what Corapi did. By all means, don't reexamine your own understanding of the faith; just go on assuming that your wisdom, your allegiance to one particular economic system, to one idealized version of one nation's history and political doctrine, justifies dismissing the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.
But I will not be joining you, sad to say. You have sided with Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh over your own Church with all these criticisms. Good luck in that company.
December 17, 2013 at 1:44 am
Internet Peasant, Who are you to judge?
December 17, 2013 at 4:24 am
http://ethikapolitika.org/2013/12/16/benedict-defends-francis-markets-ethics/