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« SNP "not against" shale | Main | Oil brings development to Africa »
Tuesday
Jul142015

Quote of the day, unimpressed edition

Pope Francis should certainly be commended for his desire to deal with poverty in the developing world, but it is hard to see how he hopes to do so without economic growth and fossil fuels, both of which he thinks are unnecessary evils.

The Bishop of Chester is unimpressed with the papal encyclical

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Reader Comments (13)

Rarely have I read a report with which I have no dissent. But I do not dissent with this report at all.

So this comment is very dull. Sorry about that.

Er... that's all.

Jul 14, 2015 at 12:48 PM | Registered CommenterM Courtney

Yay for the Bishop of Chester.

I could understand historical figures condemning wealth because they never saw a wider good to it, but surely in the 21st century there's evidence that money is not the root of all evil? Fossil fuels are our current tool to make the lowest level of living better. That it also makes the highest level better isn't a bad thing. If the difference causes people pain, then the cure is to lose the envy, not the disparity. Too often sanctimonious types confuse consumerism for greed and waste but there's no definition of where reasonable consumption becomes too much. How do you compare a teenager's drunken night out with someone else's wagyu steak or a third person's desire to live frugally and make more money?

Perhaps if the Pope and similar people spent more time examining where we've gone right, than where we've gone wrong, they might have something more useful to say on what future path to take.

Jul 14, 2015 at 1:11 PM | Unregistered CommenterTinyCO2

Bishops are rediscovering their earthly purpose in life

Jul 14, 2015 at 1:16 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

It's not a surprise is it ? It's a GWPF document and he and the co-author Lord Donoughue has been on the board of trustees for years.
- Still it's refreshing reminder that not everyone in the church is automatically a raving communist.
- Also since Lord Donoughue is a Labour Peer (Catholic) it's refreshing that GWPF a rational skeptics organisation has cross-party support/involvement.

and rational the report is is. It begins : "The discussion of climate change occupies less than 10% of Pope Francis’ encyclical, but those sections have attracted perhaps 90% of the media attention. "

BTW some alarmists will seek to dismiss his opinions due to him being reported to have said in 2003 that some people who are "primarily homosexual" can "reorientate themselves" with the help of psychiatrists.

Jul 14, 2015 at 2:19 PM | Registered Commenterstewgreen

stewgreen, any hope for people who are "primarily alarmist" to get help from psychiatrists so they can stop trying to exterminate most of the human race, to benefit their lifestyle and grandchildren?

Jul 14, 2015 at 3:30 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Perhaps there's hope after all about mainstream religion. I don't think the schismatic movement in the developing world is relying on it actually amounting to anything - there have been too many previous false dawns.

Tell me why

Too much faith has been lost. After the encyclical, they're now definitely perceived as part of the problem.

The sickening encyclical.

Pointman

Jul 14, 2015 at 3:36 PM | Unregistered CommenterPointman

"...[T]here's evidence that money is not the root of all evil?" TinyCO2

From the Bible: "[1 Timothy 6:10] For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil..."

You don't have to be one of the 1% to fall under the influence of the love of money. Lately, envy has been elevated to a virtue by the Church, among others. Let's see how that works out.

Jul 14, 2015 at 11:47 PM | Unregistered Commenterjorgekafkazar

Lord Donohue ia quoted as being concerned with the issue of wood and dung fires, but para 20 of the Pope's encyclical expresses concern with precisely that. I do however share Lord D's concern with the over simplistic treatment in the document of technoligy and the benefits it brings. The latest statement of the Pope suggests that he is open to discussion however:

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2015/07/13/pope-francis-ill-read-critiques-of-my-economic-ideas-ahead-of-us-trip/

If he's happy to read alternative views on economic theory, then he should be open to alternative views on climate.

Jul 15, 2015 at 12:33 AM | Unregistered CommenterJoe Ronan (aka Cumbrian Lad)

Pope Francis -- The Useful Idiot
Sings A Famous Religious Song

(I)
i don't care if it rains and freezes
Long as I got my plastic Jesus
Riding on the dashboard of my car
I'm driving fast to where I'm going
Horn a'honking, headlights glowing
Racing to that global climate war

I'ts Armageddon straight ahead!
For just as Adam Smith has said
Creating wealth sets each against all others!
The Covenant within the Ark
Is best fulfilled by Karl Marx
Shared poverty will make us Christian brothers!

(II)
I preach a new Theology
Derived from Climatology
My alter is the dashboard of my car
I had a vision, went to buy a
Naked, windup, plastic Gaia
I serve Her in the global climate war

For Gaia mends the Trinity
She is the third Divinity
God feminine as Christ was made a male!
In all the nations they will herald
The Moving Spirit Of The World!
--- Who bobs Her head and shakes her tail

Eugene WR Gallun

Jul 15, 2015 at 3:02 AM | Unregistered CommenterEugene WR Gallun

I suspect the good Bishop of Chester has blown his chances of preferment within the C of E - not toeing the party line.

Jul 15, 2015 at 4:27 AM | Registered Commenterdavidchappell

Excellent - well done that man.

Jul 15, 2015 at 6:39 AM | Unregistered CommenterDoug UK

Blimey - St Peter will be giving the Bishop of Chester a fair old grilling outside the Pearly Gates...

Jul 15, 2015 at 1:23 PM | Unregistered Commentersherlock1

Lol, Eugene WR Gallun, what tune do I sing that to?

Jul 24, 2015 at 5:20 AM | Unregistered CommenterClunking Fist

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