Pope says world financial system 'built on sand'
The Pontiff said the banking collapse shows that 'money is nothing'
From Times Online
October 6, 2008
Richard Owen in Rome
Pope Benedict XVI today said that the global credit crisis shows that the world's financial systems are "built on sand" and that only the works of God have "solid reality".
Opening a Synod of Bishops in the Vatican the Pope referred to a passage from St Matthew's Gospel on false prophets, saying ''He who builds only on visible and tangible things like success, career and money builds the house of his life on sand''.
He added: ''We are now seeing, in the collapse of major banks, that money vanishes, it is nothing. All these things that appear to be real are in fact secondary. Only God's words are a solid reality''.
He was referring to Jesus's words in Matthew Chapter 7, beginning "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
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posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 2:00 PM
1 Comments:
The Catholic Church has, in fact, teaching regarding the economy, and it suggests a pastoral position full of compassion and understanding for those dispossessed by this recent crisis, that when just principles are adopted by both capital and labor, we can see the 'city shining on a hill,' the City of God on earth. The Church believes that it is possible to build on columns considerably more substantial than sand, even on earth. I hope that the Holy Father convenes Catholic scholars with the mission to communicate these principles to the world. When speaking of the speculation-driven stock market approach to growth, it is truly built on sand, but wealth based on genuine growth rather than speculation, wealth well distributed among the population, ownership well distributed among the population, we could enjoy considerably more peace than at present. I hope this sermonette was only the Holy Father's first 'take' on the subject. We are desperate for leadership.
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