04:12 pm
Big Brother? More Like Big Sister Mary Margaret
So the Pope wants a world government:
Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday called for a radical rethinking of the global economy, criticizing a growing divide between rich and poor and urging the establishment of a “world political authority” to oversee the economy and work for the “common good.” . . .
More than two years in the making, “Caritas in Veritate,” or “Charity in Truth,” is Benedict’s third encyclical since he became pope in 2005. Filled with terms like “globalization,” “market economy,” “outsourcing,” “labor unions” and “alternative energy,” it is not surprising that the Italian media reported that the Vatican was having difficulty translating the 144-page document into Latin. . . .
Benedict also called for a reform of the United Nations so that there can be a unified “global political body” that allows the less powerful of the earth to have a voice, and called on rich nations to help less fortunate ones.
“In the search for solutions to the current economic crisis, development aid for poor countries must be considered a valid means of creating wealth for all,” he wrote. . . .
Arguably the most environmentally-conscious pope in history, Benedict wrote that, “One of the greatest challenges facing the economy is to achieve the most efficient use — not abuse — of natural resources, based on a realization that the notion of ‘efficiency’ is not value-free.”
In line with what he calls “respecting the intrinsic value of creation,” he also decried stem cell research, abortion and euthanasia.
So let me get this straight. Benedict thinks we need a strong world government to regulate the excesses of the economy. And address the plight of the world’s poorest and most disadvantaged. And fix the environment. And outlaw abortion and stem cell research.
Just a bit of a mixed message there, your holiness. I guess we’re talking about a nunny state rather than a nanny state.
It will be interesting to see how some conservatives react to this. Some of those who most ardently support the Pope’s stance on abortion also view the UN as a mortal threat to American sovereignty. Will they change their mind if, as the pope appears to imply, black helicopters were used to shut down abortion clinics?
For the past decade, the Catholic Church in the United States has had conservative leaders who threaten to excommunicate any Catholic politician who is pro-choice. Will they now also threaten to excommunicate any Catholic politician who is anti-UN? Or votes to cut funding for the developing world? Or is in the pocket of Big Oil? Or who supports the death penalty?
Yeah, I didn’t think so.
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