Pope Francis Responds to Rush Limbaugh: “Marxist Ideology Is Wrong”
In November Rush Limbaugh blasted Pope Francis for his anti-capitalist economic statements. Rush Limbaugh admitted being “befuddled” by the harsh words about “unfettered capitalism” released by Pope Francis.
“If it weren’t for capitalism I don’t know where the Catholic Church would be?” The Pope has gone beyond Catholicism here… This is just pure Marxism coming out of the mouth of the Pope.”
Today Pope Francis responded saying, “The Marxist ideology is wrong.” But, then he went on to attack free-market “trickle-down” economics.
Via Vatican Insider:
Some of the passages in the “Evangelii Gaudium” attracted the criticism of ultraconservatives in the USA. As a Pope, what does it feel like to be called a “Marxist”?
“The Marxist ideology is wrong. But I have met many Marxists in my life who are good people, so I don’t feel offended.”
The most striking part of the Exhortation was where it refers to an economy that “kills”…
“There is nothing in the Exhortation that cannot be found in the social Doctrine of the Church. I wasn’t speaking from a technical point of view, what I was trying to do was to give a picture of what is going on. The only specific quote I used was the one regarding the “trickle-down theories” which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and social inclusiveness in the world. The promise was that when the glass was full, it would overflow, benefitting the poor. But what happens instead, is that when the glass is full, it magically gets bigger nothing ever comes out for the poor. This was the only reference to a specific theory. I was not, I repeat, speaking from a technical point of view but according to the Church’s social doctrine. This does not mean being a Marxist.”
Someone needs to send the Pope a book on economics. Even Democratic President John F. Kennedy, a Catholic, understood that ‘a rising tide lifts all boats.’
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