Australia's U-turn on Israeli settlements in occupied territories is shameful
11.27.2013
11.26.2013
***** Sections 53-60 Pope Francis Exhortations against our Worship of Money, Capitalism, Finance....
Full document: Read the full document, called the the Evangelii Gaudium (“Joy of the Gospel”), on the Vatican’s website.
No to an economy of exclusion
53. Just as the commandment “Thou shalt not kill” sets a clear limit in order to safeguard the value of human life, today we also have to say “thou shalt not” to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills. How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points? This is a case of exclusion. Can we continue to stand by when food is thrown away while people are starving? This is a case of inequality. Today everything comes under the laws of competition and the survival of the fittest, where the powerful feed upon the powerless. As a consequence, masses of people find themselves excluded and marginalized: without work, without possibilities, without any means of escape.
Human beings are themselves considered consumer goods to be used and then discarded. We have created a “disposable” culture which is now spreading. It is no longer simply about exploitation and oppression, but something new. Exclusion ultimately has to do with what it means to be a part of the society in which we live; those excluded are no longer society’s underside or its fringes or its disenfranchised – they are no longer even a part of it. The excluded are not the “exploited” but the outcast, the “leftovers”.
54. In this context, some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world. This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system. Meanwhile, the excluded are still waiting. To sustain a lifestyle which excludes others, or to sustain enthusiasm for that selfish ideal, a globalization of indifference has developed. Almost without being aware of it, we end up being incapable of feeling compassion at the outcry of the poor, weeping for other people’s pain, and feeling a need to help them, as though all this were someone else’s responsibility and not our own. The culture of prosperity deadens us; we are thrilled if the market offers us something new to purchase; and in the meantime all those lives stunted for lack of opportunity seem a mere spectacle; they fail to move us.
No to the new idolatry of money
55. One cause of this situation is found in our relationship with money, since we calmly accept its dominion over ourselves and our societies. The current financial crisis can make us overlook the fact that it originated in a profound human crisis: the denial of the primacy of the human person! We have created new idols. The worship of the ancient golden calf (cf. Ex 32:1-35) has returned in a new and ruthless guise in the idolatry of money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy lacking a truly human purpose. The worldwide crisis affecting finance and the economy lays bare their imbalances and, above all, their lack of real concern for human beings; man is reduced to one of his needs alone: consumption.
56. While the earnings of a minority are growing exponentially, so too is the gap separating the majority from the prosperity enjoyed by those happy few. This imbalance is the result of ideologies which defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation. Consequently, they reject the right of states, charged with vigilance for the common good, to exercise any form of control. A new tyranny is thus born, invisible and often virtual, which unilaterally and relentlessly imposes its own laws and rules. Debt and the accumulation of interest also make it difficult for countries to realize the potential of their own economies and keep citizens from enjoying their real purchasing power. To all this we can add widespread corruption and self-serving tax evasion, which have taken on worldwide dimensions. The thirst for power and possessions knows no limits. In this system, which tends to devour everything which stands in the way of increased profits, whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenseless before the interests of a deified market, which become the only rule.
No to a financial system which rules rather than serves
57. Behind this attitude lurks a rejection of ethics and a rejection of God. Ethics has come to be viewed with a certain scornful derision. It is seen as counterproductive, too human, because it makes money and power relative. It is felt to be a threat, since it condemns the manipulation and debasement of the person. In effect, ethics leads to a God who calls for a committed response which is outside of the categories of the marketplace. When these latter are absolutized, God can only be seen as uncontrollable, unmanageable, even dangerous, since he calls human beings to their full realization and to freedom from all forms of enslavement. Ethics – a non-ideological ethics – would make it possible to bring about balance and a more humane social order. With this in mind, I encourage financial experts and political leaders to ponder the words of one of the sages of antiquity: “Not to share one’s wealth with the poor is to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own goods which we hold, but theirs”.[55]
58. A financial reform open to such ethical considerations would require a vigorous change of approach on the part of political leaders. I urge them to face this challenge with determination and an eye to the future, while not ignoring, of course, the specifics of each case. Money must serve, not rule! The Pope loves everyone, rich and poor alike, but he is obliged in the name of Christ to remind all that the rich must help, respect and promote the poor. I exhort you to generous solidarity and a return of economics and finance to an ethical approach which favours human beings.
No to the inequality which spawns violence
59. Today in many places we hear a call for greater security. But until exclusion and inequality in society and between peoples is reversed, it will be impossible to eliminate violence. The poor and the poorer peoples are accused of violence, yet without equal opportunities the different forms of aggression and conflict will find a fertile terrain for growth and eventually explode. When a society – whether local, national or global – is willing to leave a part of itself on the fringes, no political programmes or resources spent on law enforcement or surveillance systems can indefinitely guarantee tranquility. This is not the case simply because inequality provokes a violent reaction from those excluded from the system, but because the socioeconomic system is unjust at its root. Just as goodness tends to spread, the toleration of evil, which is injustice, tends to expand its baneful influence and quietly to undermine any political and social system, no matter how solid it may appear. If every action has its consequences, an evil embedded in the structures of a society has a constant potential for disintegration and death. It is evil crystallized in unjust social structures, which cannot be the basis of hope for a better future. We are far from the so-called “end of history”, since the conditions for a sustainable and peaceful development have not yet been adequately articulated and realized.
60. Today’s economic mechanisms promote inordinate consumption, yet it is evident that unbridled consumerism combined with inequality proves doubly damaging to the social fabric. Inequality eventually engenders a violence which recourse to arms cannot and never will be able to resolve. This serves only to offer false hopes to those clamouring for heightened security, even though nowadays we know that weapons and violence, rather than providing solutions, create new and more serious conflicts. Some simply content themselves with blaming the poor and the poorer countries themselves for their troubles; indulging in unwarranted generalizations, they claim that the solution is an “education” that would tranquilize them, making them tame and harmless. All this becomes even more exasperating for the marginalized in the light of the widespread and deeply rooted corruption found in many countries – in their governments, businesses and institutions – whatever the political ideology of their leaders.
No to an economy of exclusion
53. Just as the commandment “Thou shalt not kill” sets a clear limit in order to safeguard the value of human life, today we also have to say “thou shalt not” to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills. How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points? This is a case of exclusion. Can we continue to stand by when food is thrown away while people are starving? This is a case of inequality. Today everything comes under the laws of competition and the survival of the fittest, where the powerful feed upon the powerless. As a consequence, masses of people find themselves excluded and marginalized: without work, without possibilities, without any means of escape.
Human beings are themselves considered consumer goods to be used and then discarded. We have created a “disposable” culture which is now spreading. It is no longer simply about exploitation and oppression, but something new. Exclusion ultimately has to do with what it means to be a part of the society in which we live; those excluded are no longer society’s underside or its fringes or its disenfranchised – they are no longer even a part of it. The excluded are not the “exploited” but the outcast, the “leftovers”.
54. In this context, some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world. This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system. Meanwhile, the excluded are still waiting. To sustain a lifestyle which excludes others, or to sustain enthusiasm for that selfish ideal, a globalization of indifference has developed. Almost without being aware of it, we end up being incapable of feeling compassion at the outcry of the poor, weeping for other people’s pain, and feeling a need to help them, as though all this were someone else’s responsibility and not our own. The culture of prosperity deadens us; we are thrilled if the market offers us something new to purchase; and in the meantime all those lives stunted for lack of opportunity seem a mere spectacle; they fail to move us.
No to the new idolatry of money
55. One cause of this situation is found in our relationship with money, since we calmly accept its dominion over ourselves and our societies. The current financial crisis can make us overlook the fact that it originated in a profound human crisis: the denial of the primacy of the human person! We have created new idols. The worship of the ancient golden calf (cf. Ex 32:1-35) has returned in a new and ruthless guise in the idolatry of money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy lacking a truly human purpose. The worldwide crisis affecting finance and the economy lays bare their imbalances and, above all, their lack of real concern for human beings; man is reduced to one of his needs alone: consumption.
56. While the earnings of a minority are growing exponentially, so too is the gap separating the majority from the prosperity enjoyed by those happy few. This imbalance is the result of ideologies which defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation. Consequently, they reject the right of states, charged with vigilance for the common good, to exercise any form of control. A new tyranny is thus born, invisible and often virtual, which unilaterally and relentlessly imposes its own laws and rules. Debt and the accumulation of interest also make it difficult for countries to realize the potential of their own economies and keep citizens from enjoying their real purchasing power. To all this we can add widespread corruption and self-serving tax evasion, which have taken on worldwide dimensions. The thirst for power and possessions knows no limits. In this system, which tends to devour everything which stands in the way of increased profits, whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenseless before the interests of a deified market, which become the only rule.
No to a financial system which rules rather than serves
57. Behind this attitude lurks a rejection of ethics and a rejection of God. Ethics has come to be viewed with a certain scornful derision. It is seen as counterproductive, too human, because it makes money and power relative. It is felt to be a threat, since it condemns the manipulation and debasement of the person. In effect, ethics leads to a God who calls for a committed response which is outside of the categories of the marketplace. When these latter are absolutized, God can only be seen as uncontrollable, unmanageable, even dangerous, since he calls human beings to their full realization and to freedom from all forms of enslavement. Ethics – a non-ideological ethics – would make it possible to bring about balance and a more humane social order. With this in mind, I encourage financial experts and political leaders to ponder the words of one of the sages of antiquity: “Not to share one’s wealth with the poor is to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own goods which we hold, but theirs”.[55]
58. A financial reform open to such ethical considerations would require a vigorous change of approach on the part of political leaders. I urge them to face this challenge with determination and an eye to the future, while not ignoring, of course, the specifics of each case. Money must serve, not rule! The Pope loves everyone, rich and poor alike, but he is obliged in the name of Christ to remind all that the rich must help, respect and promote the poor. I exhort you to generous solidarity and a return of economics and finance to an ethical approach which favours human beings.
No to the inequality which spawns violence
59. Today in many places we hear a call for greater security. But until exclusion and inequality in society and between peoples is reversed, it will be impossible to eliminate violence. The poor and the poorer peoples are accused of violence, yet without equal opportunities the different forms of aggression and conflict will find a fertile terrain for growth and eventually explode. When a society – whether local, national or global – is willing to leave a part of itself on the fringes, no political programmes or resources spent on law enforcement or surveillance systems can indefinitely guarantee tranquility. This is not the case simply because inequality provokes a violent reaction from those excluded from the system, but because the socioeconomic system is unjust at its root. Just as goodness tends to spread, the toleration of evil, which is injustice, tends to expand its baneful influence and quietly to undermine any political and social system, no matter how solid it may appear. If every action has its consequences, an evil embedded in the structures of a society has a constant potential for disintegration and death. It is evil crystallized in unjust social structures, which cannot be the basis of hope for a better future. We are far from the so-called “end of history”, since the conditions for a sustainable and peaceful development have not yet been adequately articulated and realized.
60. Today’s economic mechanisms promote inordinate consumption, yet it is evident that unbridled consumerism combined with inequality proves doubly damaging to the social fabric. Inequality eventually engenders a violence which recourse to arms cannot and never will be able to resolve. This serves only to offer false hopes to those clamouring for heightened security, even though nowadays we know that weapons and violence, rather than providing solutions, create new and more serious conflicts. Some simply content themselves with blaming the poor and the poorer countries themselves for their troubles; indulging in unwarranted generalizations, they claim that the solution is an “education” that would tranquilize them, making them tame and harmless. All this becomes even more exasperating for the marginalized in the light of the widespread and deeply rooted corruption found in many countries – in their governments, businesses and institutions – whatever the political ideology of their leaders.
As Experts Weigh in, War Mongers Emerge as Sole Opponents of Iran Nuke Deal. commondreams.org
The 'historic' deal signed in Geneva paves the way for a peaceful settlement and should be embraced, say analysts:
As Experts Weigh in, War Mongers Emerge as Sole Opponents of Iran Nuke Deal
commondreams.org
(Photo
Credit: FARS News/Majid Asgaripour)Following Sunday's announcement of a
confirmed détente and signed nuclear agreement between Iran and the
P5+1 nations, foreign policy analysts, experts and progressives widely
11.25.2013
***** Study: U.S. Methane Emissions Much Higher Than EPA Estimates. huffingtonpost.com
Give a Shit about Nature shared a link.
Study: U.S. Methane Emissions Much Higher Than EPA Estimates
huffingtonpost.com
WASHINGTON
(AP) — The United States is spewing 50 percent more methane — a potent
heat-trapping gas — than the federal government estimates, a new
comprehensive scientific study says. Much of it is coming from just
three
Loving, here. PLEASE CONSIDER. After 10 years or so I'm re-reading the classic, "Reveille for Radicals," by Univ Chicago legendary organizer of the poor Saul Alinsky. I IDENTIFY MORE WITH THE 1ST CHAPTER THAN ANYTHING I CAN EVER RECALL READING. PLEASE READ IT, WHEN YOU HAVE TIME. Thanks.
Loving, here. PLEASE CONSIDER. After 10 years or so I'm re-reading the classic, "Reveille for Radicals," by Univ Chicago legendary organizer of the poor Saul Alinsky. I IDENTIFY MORE WITH THE 1ST CHAPTER THAN ANYTHING I CAN EVER RECALL READING. PLEASE READ IT, WHEN YOU HAVE TIME. Thanks. Loving
HERE <<<<
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.historyofsocialwork.org%2F1946_Alinsky%2F1946%2520-%2520Saul%2520Alinsky%2520-%2520Reveille%2520for%2520Radicals.pdf&ei=KtuTUuW5Ls7IkAfbvYHwCg&usg=AFQjCNEHISj_HW-wZBXmsBDFfq6XennbfQ&sig2=AvUUnRhlEf700lkReO11xw&bvm=bv.57127890,d.eW0
HERE <<<<
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.historyofsocialwork.org%2F1946_Alinsky%2F1946%2520-%2520Saul%2520Alinsky%2520-%2520Reveille%2520for%2520Radicals.pdf&ei=KtuTUuW5Ls7IkAfbvYHwCg&usg=AFQjCNEHISj_HW-wZBXmsBDFfq6XennbfQ&sig2=AvUUnRhlEf700lkReO11xw&bvm=bv.57127890,d.eW0
nd. EWOP (Experimenting Without Pleasure): It may be that each second I'm not pursuing pleasure, all that is left to me is to Be Loving. Hmmmm. So it is seeming. But it is early.
nd. EWOP (Experimenting Without Pleasure): It may be that each second I'm not pursuing pleasure, all that is left to me is to Be Loving. Hmmmm. So it is seeming. But it is early.
Cancer Update: Met with Oncologist today. 3 more months of treatment.
Readout note to my Oncologist and the team:
"Doc H(2), what a wonderful meeting. Thank you. My understandings -
James M."
"Doc H(2), what a wonderful meeting. Thank you. My understandings -
Doc H(2), thank you for such a kind, patient, thorough, respectful, knowledgeable meeting today.
I am extremely fortunate that you are my oncologist. Doc H(1) was right about you, I see.
These are my central understandings:
*. It continues to seem that we are on track, probably, for a full 'cure' of my cancer - normal
lifespan NOT shortened by the cancer. There are NO certainties, of course, but the operation
looked to be 100% successful, and with the regimen below, we hope to get whatever
cells may have escaped, for life!
THANK YOU ALL.
1. We need to do at least, and hopefully, just 4 more chemo treatments, because
cancer cells do not all present at the same time, so we need at least 4 attempts to
get them all.
2. We will start not today, but next week, Monday, 12/2, 1:30pm, so that I have a 2nd week of feeling healthy under my
belt before we start this taxing chemo regimen.
3. I've asked Nurse J to schedule the CT scan for me the week of 12/9, in the early
afternoon.
4. I've
asked Nurse J to schedule my 2nd chemo for the afternoon of 12/16,
and a meeting with you just prior, again, early afternoon.
5. Infirmary: We expect and hope that the Infirmary will continue to take me for the
next 2 months of chemo AND for the following month as I heal from the chemo treatments!!!
6. The expectation for CT scans is roughly every 3 months, for the first year at least,
and then maybe going down to just 2 per year.
###7. Please have your INSURANCE EXPERT CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL:
POSSIBLE SWITCH TO MEDSTAR MEDICAID. I'll email Nurse J about something I overlooked.
You indicated there is a gentlemen, Henry(?), who is an expert in the medical plans.
Issue
being I am just 62 and want to activate my Social Security Retirement so I can donate it to
friends in need, and various causes, but this income will kick me off of DC Medicaid that
I am currently on, AND I WILL NOT CHANGE INSURANCE, unless and until I know that:
A. Medstar Medicaid would cover all my treatments, drugs, etc (as I've been preliminarily
told it would); and
B. THAT I GET CONFIRMATION THAT YES, INDEED, MY SOC SEC INCOME LEVEL WOULD
QUALIFY ME FOR MEDSTAR MEDICAID. (I'm NOT guessing your expert can help me
with this part, tho it would be great if he can.) I'm working with others on this, too.
NOTE: I will NOT make any switch of insurance until it is CERTAIN that it will NOT in any
way interfere with my ongoing treatment.
Thank you again for a deeply helpful meeting.
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