You're welcome.

Please see my discussion elsewhere in this thread with two passages from Matthew. Selling the stash of the Vatican, while it would help some, for a short time, would not solve poverty. However, relinquishing those items would diminish the standing and power of the church to help those same poor in other ways.

John: Not sure I'm getting the exact point. I would say that many of the teachings of Jesus about the poor have been misconstrued (mostly intentionally in my opinion) by atheists - AR in particular - as sacrificing yourself for others. I don't think that is the true teaching.

Matthew 19:21-23
21 Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

That passage is often cited as commanding us to eliminate all our worldly possessions giving them to the poor and live a destitute life. That would be a wrong interpretation. Instead, like much of the teaching of Jesus, this is an allegory. It is meant to identify the struggle between the corporeal world (our possessions) and the kingdom of heaven. In order to reach heaven, we must be willing to give up all that we have on earth - not that we have to give it all up, but not hold it so dearly that we wouldn't give it up - and keep the overall priorities aligned. The young man leaves dejected as he now knows that he must view his life differently. It intentionally does not tell us what he ended up doing, merely that he has the struggle between what he should do and what he would prefer to do. One must live one's life justly and morally, treating others with respect and dignity.

One passage that the anti-Christians don't often bring up is Matthew 26:6-11
6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,
7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head, as he sat at table.
8 But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste?
9 For this ointment might have been sold for a large sum, and given to the poor."
10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.
11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.

In this passage Jesus is chastising his apostles who think that it would be better to give the proceeds of the scented oil to help the poor (the typical charge of those believing that Jesus was the ultimate altruist). But, Jesus says that there will always be the poor (wise or omniscient?) and what little could be done for them by such an action, while helpful, would be inconsequential - but honoring him (and God in turn) would forever be remembered. That isn't to say that we should ignore the poor, but it was a realization that despite whatever we do, they will always exist. Do what we can to help them but we must also honor God.

Just 2 small examples.

Sorry, Herb. You're free not to participate.

Well, I don't consider myself "lapsed," but I also hold onto the rights and wrongs and not necessarily the dogma as well.

As for this Pope, it would seem that he is sincere but naïve. I don't think that his living in a small apartment rather than the papal residence is a true exposition of his heart, not some façade to fool the masses. However, he seems quite naïve regarding world affairs and economics. This is what happens when the Papal Conclave uses flawed criteria in their selection process.

True, but I, for one, have begun keeping instances of true hypocrisy (the Atlanta Archbishop and another one in PA who each have built themselves multi-million dollar mansions) and attach a copy of those articles to solicitations by the church organization with a comment that "perhaps you can obtain my donation from Archbishop so and so". Also stopped funding BSA council/national, GSA, Rep Party, damn near every large organization. I make my donations directly to my local parish, local Boy Scout troop, local food pantry, etc. Too many of the upper echelons of these organizations have lost their way and seek primarily to feather their own nests. A consequence of the corruption of altruism.

Basically, when the Pope speaks on church doctrine, he is speaking infallibly. Otherwise, he's just another guy who happens to be the leader of the church.

I'm guessing that he's never read the book, and wouldn't be interested in reading such a book. This Pope is much more socialist than his immediate predecessors.

And socialism, as well.

Ranter: You took this way too seriously. While a Catholic myself, there are those (often those of an atheist tilt) who want to point out every time a Pope says something not perfectly in line with doctrine/dogma or such, that that is proof of fallibility, and thus that God must not exist. This was more a tongue in cheek posting. But thanks for the lesson in church doctrine.