Chocolate with real gold, and the Pope

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pigzig said:
Gold and chocolate is not a sin.
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Anyone who has seen the art works from the papal apartment can tell you that previous popes have spent lavishly to accomodate themselves (millions, maybe billions in today’s art markets). I would hardly call a few chocolates, or even pounds of them, decorated with gold, an extravagance by comparison.

Heads of state do live in rarefied circumstances. They have a lot more to worry about. Even Mother Theresa flew first class, once she became famous. It is a small thing, compared to their other accomplishments.
 
I recall reading an article a while ago about this. The Pope was not a “customer.” He was given a large egg as a gift. IIRC he sold it and donated the proceeds to the poor.
 
sw85 said:
I recall reading an article a while ago about this. The Pope was not a “customer.” He was given a large egg as a gift. IIRC he sold it and donated the proceeds to the poor.
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So, what if he gets some delight from a piece of chocolate? He deserves it. Let’s keep it in perspective.
 
Let’s not forget that our electronics have gold and silver in it. I recall when I was taking that Electronics class, our professor taught us that copper is commonly used in electronics, but so are gold and silver.
Remember, some gold leaf on chocolate < gold used in electronic gadgets such as cellular phones.
 
epan said:
So, what if he gets some delight from a piece of chocolate? He deserves it. Let’s keep it in perspective.
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Well, the egg in question was like 10 feet tall if I remember right, so yes, that would probably be a bit sinfully indulgent. But then, again, it was (a) an unsolicited gift from a Catholic chocolateer, a worthy gesture of love and labor offered up to the Holy Father, and (b) the Holy Father put the gift to work for the poor.

Now if we were talking about him being given a cadbury egg or something, that’d be a different story.
 
sw85 said:
Well, the egg in question was like 10 feet tall if I remember right, so yes, that would probably be a bit sinfully indulgent. But then, again, it was (a) an unsolicited gift from a Catholic chocolateer, a worthy gesture of love and labor offered up to the Holy Father, and (b) the Holy Father put the gift to work for the poor.

Now if we were talking about him being given a cadbury egg or something, that’d be a different story.
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I don’t care if a gift is extravagant. I don’t really care if the Pope lives like an emperor. Obviously, he is surrounded by surreal opulence. He has minions at his beck and call. That is the nature of the office.

I do question why there is a Vatican state? What purpose can it serve in the current world? I would not object to the Catholic Church declaring tomorrow that it has given up its worldly attachment to the papal states and treasures. But I am realistic that a community of people who have amassed such wealth invest much of their identity in its maintenance, and will rationalize its preservation until forced by circumstance to change their rationalizations.

So, the most important question to me, is “how is this wealth and influence used to affect good in the world?” Whether the Pope receives a giant chocolate candy with gold on it doesn’t seem to mean much in the broader scheme of things.
 
Qoeleth said:
I saw on a documentary about this chocolate place in Vienna which makes chocalted with real gold sprinkled on top. I though this was the most disgusting and sinful extravagance, insulting the poor, and degrading to anyone who would even think about such a thing. Then, they said, one of their customers for these was Pope Benedict XVI.

I have always admired Benedict (at least in his writings, which is as far as I know him). Could this possibly be true??

I pray that it isn’t.
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Gold in such a state is just microns thick and is of negligable value. You can buy gold leaf for not much money. If you put it between your fingers you could barely even fel it. If you rubbed them sogether it would turn to dust with almost no effort.

There is liquor sold with gold leaf in it, for example.
 
You’re worried about someone who lives in a palace having gold sprinkled on chocolate? What was your first clue that the Pope lives a life far more extravagant then the majority of the world?
 
ringil said:
Gold in such a state is just microns thick and is of negligable value. You can buy gold leaf for not much money. If you put it between your fingers you could barely even fel it. If you rubbed them sogether it would turn to dust with almost no effort.

There is liquor sold with gold leaf in it, for example.
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I can’t believe that people are concerned more about a few particles of gold and, for example, they are not concerned with the cost of packaging and manufacturing. Often people cannot see the forest because of the trees.
 
Cristiano said:
I can’t believe that people are concerned more about a few particles of gold and, for example, they are not concerned with the cost of packaging and manufacturing. Often people cannot see the forest because of the trees.
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The cream in the chocolate is likely worth as much as the gold on top of it. 🙂
 
EviPolevhia said:
You’re worried about someone who lives in a palace having gold sprinkled on chocolate? What was your first clue that the Pope lives a life far more extravagant then the majority of the world?
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Oh gee, where is the ‘spitting out coffee in a fit of laughter’ smiley when you want one?
 
One tiny little question: For all of this fancy food, cloths, and houses is bought and used, who made it? The ones using the items or possibly someone who is not as rich? :idea:🍰:coffee::compcoff:
 
epan said:
I don’t care if a gift is extravagant. I don’t really care if the Pope lives like an emperor. Obviously, he is surrounded by surreal opulence. He has minions at his beck and call. That is the nature of the office.

I do question why there is a Vatican state? What purpose can it serve in the current world? I would not object to the Catholic Church declaring tomorrow that it has given up its worldly attachment to the papal states and treasures. But I am realistic that a community of people who have amassed such wealth invest much of their identity in its maintenance, and will rationalize its preservation until forced by circumstance to change their rationalizations.

So, the most important question to me, is “how is this wealth and influence used to affect good in the world?” Whether the Pope receives a giant chocolate candy with gold on it doesn’t seem to mean much in the broader scheme of things.
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The Vatican State serves the purpose, presumably, of putting the Pope at least on the same level politically as the great temporal leaders of the world, and also in a position that is more independent of them than it would be if he were , say, just like any other citizen of Italy.
 
LilyM said:
The Vatican State serves the purpose, presumably, of putting the Pope at least on the same level politically as the great temporal leaders of the world, and also in a position that is more independent of them than it would be if he were , say, just like any other citizen of Italy.
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This I actually agree with. If you are going to have a massive religious organization that is to be as autonomous as possible it needs to not be beholden to any country’s laws. Preferably, they could make up their own. They still technically would have to obey international laws. But just imagine the impossibilities of setting up Vatican City in the United States!
 
I won’t mention names, but the president of my old college was rumored to have wanted nothing more than to quietly live out the rest of his years praying, writing, and teaching philosophy.

But because he’s part of an order, when he was elected president of the school, his vow of obedience forced him to take the position.

People often accuse him of living in extravagance, because he has his own house apart from his brethren and hosts big parties. But these are all part of being president of the school. He has to schmooze donors and alumni on a regular basis in order to keep the heat on. The joke is that the man “martyred his liver for the college.”

I’m not saying this situation is the same as the Pope getting chocolate with gold jimmies. But it is an example of someone seemingly living in opulence who is actually doing so against their will and carrying a cross because of it.
 
EviPolevhia said:
You’re worried about someone who lives in a palace having gold sprinkled on chocolate? What was your first clue that the Pope lives a life far more extravagant then the majority of the world?
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I think you would be surprised to see what kind of life the Pope actually leads. The palace was there before he got there, and it will be there after he goes, along with everything in it. And his typical work day is something most of us wouldn’t be interested in enduring.
 
EviPolevhia said:
This I actually agree with. If you are going to have a massive religious organization that is to be as autonomous as possible it needs to not be beholden to any country’s laws. Preferably, they could make up their own. They still technically would have to obey international laws. But just imagine the impossibilities of setting up Vatican City in the United States!
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We also must remember that the Vatican state existed well before Italy, it was not setup in Italy.
 
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