Vatican and Wealth

[KSU]

The Church dopes not hold that property rights are absolute. A starving man can take something belonging to someone else, without permission, and still not be guilty of sin. You can take something belonging to another in the case of extreme need, either your own need or the need of another, and not be guilty of sin.

Not forgetting also that the government takes property of you (i.e. taxes) and you have no right to refuse. Wealth redistribution already takes place through governments collecting taxes and redistributing that wealth according to its priorities. Wealth redistribution already takes place and individuals have no right to refuse to hand over their property to the government.

The argument therefore boils down to how much tax governments take, off whom, and how that money is redistributed. It is simply about how much is raised and how it is used. I agree that ‘equal distribution’ of wealth is an unrealistic pipe-dream, but I do agree with using more of tax revenue to even out some of the inequalities in our societies and give those less fortunate more of a ‘leg-up’ to enable them to create a better life for themselves and their children. I see nothing whatsoever in this form of Democratic Socialism, that that runs counter to the teachings of our Church, and much that is very much in line with the teachings of our Church.

Anyway, we’re now veering off topic.

I agree with most of that, which is why I said private property (including Church-owned property) is MORE OR LESS sacrosanct. The problem, as always, is the fallen nature of mankind, whereby “Democratic Socialism” comes to mean anything the people in power want it to mean, including indecency and outrageous excess that tramples the concepts laid down by Leo XIII, e.g., Liberation Theology.

 

[Brendan_64]

I The problem, as always, is the fallen nature of mankind, whereby “Democratic Socialism” comes to mean anything the people in power want it to mean, including indecency and outrageous excess that tramples the concepts laid down by Leo XIII, e.g., Liberation Theology.

But the same can be said about any other political position. Conservative politicians can use their political philosophy to feather their own nests and the nests of their friends in the banking sector (and other industries). Indulgency and outrageous excess can easily be seen in the banking and corporate world favoured by conservative politicians.

 

[PeterGStanley]

They are not expensive art work they are religious icons and it costs an enormous amount of money to preserve them . The only value they have is what they bring in at the gate other than that they bring no wealth to the church.

 

[KSU]

But the same can be said about any other political position. Conservative politicians can use their political philosophy to feather their own nests and the nests of their friends in the banking sector (and other industries). Indulgency and outrageous excess can easily be seen in the banking and corporate world favoured by conservative politicians.

Brendan, it’s not the Conservative politicians who would ever consider the taxing/confiscation of the "wealth’’ of the Vatican or local churches. But you know very well that that, as well as the muzzling of the Church, is the dream of Socialists/Liberals all over the world.

It’s true that “Indulgence and outrageous excess can easily be seen in the banking and corporate world”, but it’s not true that indulgence and outrageous excess is “favoured by conservative politicians.”

Conservatives in America tend toward everything the Church supports, especially the freedom to worship openly where, how and when they please, and to live their public lives accordingly. They oppose anti-subsidiarity; abortion; gay “marriage”; the forced teaching of the homosexual lifestyle in our schools; and pornography on our airwaves.

In recent years, the banking and certain segments of the corporate world have been the beneficiaries and therefore the financial supporters of Liberal politicians. The later will legislate for anything the Church abhors, especially abortion and, above all, the evils of current-day slavery: generation after generation of the masses who trade their votes (and hope and dignity) for housing, food, medical care, so-called education, and child support and more child support so that the Liberal vote plantation remains populated.

 

[Michael_Francis]

Having departed from topic this thread is now closed.