Tag Archives: Pope Francis

Report: Pope to speak out with concerns about climate change

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I am not Catholic and I don’t agree with everything Pope Francis has stated over his stint as the church’s leader. But on so many issues, he is making tremendous strides for people everywhere.

I really like this Pope.

Now, reports indicate he will be speaking out about the dangers of climate change. People of all religions should be concerned with what is happening to the planet. Those who believe God created the Earth – in whatever form their religion places God – should be very concerned with the level of pollution being dumped into the air, water and ground.

Selling our environment off to Big Oil, Big Gas and other polluting corporations, to support greed, is far from the teachings of any true religion I’ve ever heard about. I think the Pope understands that Jesus would be horrified to the degree to which greed is damaging our planet – the creation.

Denying the impact of greed only supports the greed. So thanks Pope Francis. Please continue to speak out for those in need and for the planet.

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

After a series of positives from the Pope, he slips up on pet guardianship

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Pope Francis has been, for the most part, a positive force over the course of his term. But he slipped up in a major way with his recent comments in comparing couples having kids with couples who decide to limit their families to pets.

Time quoted the Pope as saying the following, in reference to couples deciding against having kids and instead having pets:

Then, in the end this marriage comes to old age in solitude, with the bitterness of loneliness.

The human population of the planet is exploding exponentially. While there is nothing wrong with having kids, there certainly is nothing wrong with deciding to not have kids. And what about the couples who try but are not able to have children? Suggesting either category of couples will end up bitter and lonely is just wrongheaded.

And certainly, the Pope should learn a bit more about how rewarding it is to adopt homeless pets. Saving lives and experiencing the love of the rescued pet is on the other end of the scale from bitterness and loneliness.

I don’t think the Pope thought this one through. Who am I to question the Pope? Well …. just someone who understands the love we can receive from animals – and children.

The Time piece wraps up with this:

In other words, all the effort you spend caring for your furry friends would be of better use if Fido or Fifi were children.

That’s a pretty short-sighted look at the subject, isn’t it. Does it have to be either or? I know there are a ton of families with kids AND rescued pets. And they have enough love to give to all of them.

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

More evidence that the Pope was right about greed

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When the Pope tweeted this week about the profit-at-all-costs mentality that is prevalent in the world today, he got a bit of push-back from one side and a good bit of support from those actually aware of what greed is doing to the US and beyond.

It just so happens there are facts to back up the Pope’s position. Take a look at the article posted Tuesday on Huffington Post, under the headline – “CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratio Ballooned 1,000 Percent Since 1950: Report.”

Bloomberg found Fortune 500 CEOs are raking in 204 times what the average employee earns in pay. The article notes the ratio was 120-to-1 in 2000, 42-to-1 in 1980 and 20-to-1 in 1950.

And this reflects only CEO pay. I wonder where the numbers are for others in the top one percent or so. I am in NO WAY suggesting everyone at the top of the scale in this country is greedy or that they all are bad people. I’m not saying that. But it is clear that we have a major problem. A greedy segment of society is sucking the life out of the economy. The pie is only so big and when a few take a massive bite out of the pie, it bites into what is left for the rest. This is clearly damaging to the economy.

When the middle class and lower-income families have less – basically the bulk of the country – then they buy less. With our consumer-based economy, this means a slower trend and less hiring. The economy falters or treads water. When the middle class and lower-income families have more jobs and/or better-paying jobs and buying power, sales rise, more hiring kicks in and all boats rise.

Consumers are THE job-creators. The Greedy are the job-eaters. The Pope got it right.

 

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

Pope Francis Tweets against greed

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Pope Francis Tweeted a great Tweet on Thursday.

My thoughts turn to all who are unemployed, often as a result of a self-centred mindset bent on profit at any cost.

—  @Pontifex

That “self-centred mindset bent on profit at any cost” can relate to the unemployed and to those who exploit animals. But whatever the specific issue at hand, the message is one that focuses on greed.

But the response to the Tweet by European Central Bank president Mario Draghi  – as reported by NBC News – doubles down on the topic – from the greedy side. “We are…frustrated, yes certainly,” – Draghi said.

So the Pope rightfully points out that elements of the world’s economy operate on a profit-at-any-cost mentality, and this person is frustrated that someone pointed it out. Really?

 

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic