Rich Catholics Threaten Pope Francis — Because He Frightens Them

[RKP5637]

Apparently, they want the church only for the rich and as an oppressive persecutory tool against the rest of us, as they say, "hey, I got mine, but dammit, it's just not enough." AKA, love money, not others.

http://www.alternet.org/belief/rich-catholics-threaten-pope-francis-because-he-frightens-them

January 3, 2014
If anyone wonders whether Pope Francis has irritated wealthy conservatives with his courage and idealism, the latest outburst from Kenneth Langone left little doubt. Sounding both aggressive and whiny, the billionaire investor warned that he and his overprivileged friends might withhold their millions from church and charity unless the pontiff stops preaching against the excesses and cruelty of unleashed capitalism.

[Major Nikon]

1. It should scare them more that Jesus told them to give away all their shit to the poor

...if they want to go to heaven.

The pope just wants to facilitate the transaction and take his papal cut for operating expenses.

[reformist2]

3. I love it when the first reply says exactly what I wanted to say!

The Pope ought to have an address where he speaks at length about this teaching... oh how they'll squirm!

[Bluenorthwest]

7. This story cites Dolan as it's only source, Dolan is a known liar, it is all about the money.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/us/cardinal-authorized-payments-to-abusers.html?_r=0

[Major Nikon]

9. Ken Langone is the actual source

That's who Dolan cites and Langone himself echoed the threat.

[Bluenorthwest]

16. Actually the article does not say Langone is the source, sorry. But if he was, he's a known liar

and Dolan is a known liar as well. Both men have history of mendacious statements about money and about crimes of which they have knowledge. I'd not trust either character in this Tale of Two Liars.
Both are rich, powerful, right wing, anti gay liars. I reject them both, totally. As should anyone who cares for truth, for children, for equality.

[RKP5637]

18. +++ 1,000 +++ n/t

[Major Nikon]

20. Money buys control

What they are claiming sounds completely reasonable to me. You have wealthy donors who give to the Catholic church. If they feel that the church is working against their interest, it shouldn't surprise anyone that they are going to use that donation money as leverage against the church.

Even if they are lying I don't see as how it makes any difference. You have a major representative of the church and a major representative of monied interests both saying the same thing. I'm pretty sure the church itself is going to believe it and so will people who actually give large donations.

[jtuck004]

2. All those wristbands that will have to be changed now...to

WWjKD.

Since the Pope is now expected to listen to this guy instead of the big G, will we re-name and move chirstmas to Ken's birthday in the middle of September, have little mangers in the HD stores, built from 2x4's with a DeWalt cordless display beside it? A little baby Langone, 3 Wise Managers, surrounded by Angels with Orange Aprons?

Stay tuned...

[Enthusiast]

4. Recommended 1000X and kicked too.

Either we fix this now or forever suffer the consequences. Economic inequality has reached a crisis level. In these post Citizens United days great wealth gives one too much political influence.

Do we really want to go back to the 19th Century? That is exactly where we are headed.

[Berlum]

5. Latter Day Pharisee Princes of Profiteerage (R - CatholicStyle)

"And in those latter days there shalt come upon the land the Pharisees in their Latter Day Incarnation as Princes O' Profiteerage (R). And they shall be full of opinions. And they will lavish their treasure upon right-wing propaganda pimps, that the truth may be ob-scured." - Bibble

[Bluenorthwest]

6. Articles using Tim Dolan as sole source require context

At the link the article gives only Tim Dolan as citation.
Andrew Sullivan:
"
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York authorized payments of as much as $20,000 to sexually abusive priests as an incentive for them to agree to dismissal from the priesthood when he was the archbishop of Milwaukee. Questioned at the time about the news that one particularly notorious pedophile cleric had been given a “payoff” to leave the priesthood, Cardinal Dolan, then the archbishop, responded that such an inference was “false, preposterous and unjust.”

"False, preposterous and unjust" is quite a statement. New evidence from the records, however, show Dolan was at the very meeting the payoffs were agreed to (just as the current Pope was at a meeting that allowed a child rapist to go on to assault and abuse more children). Dolan may recall that lying violates one of the ten commandments (which, for some mystifying reason did not include "Thou Shalt Not Have Non-Procreative Sex&quot . Maybe there's some exculpatory explanation for what appears to be, on its face, a bald-faced and aggressive lie. So far:


Cardinal Dolan, who is president of the national bishops’ conference and fast becoming the nation’s most high-profile Roman Catholic cleric, did not respond to several requests for comment.
http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2012/05/31/cardinal-dolan-brazen-liar/

New York Times:

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York authorized payments of as much as $20,000 to sexually abusive priests as an incentive for them to agree to dismissal from the priesthood when he was the archbishop of Milwaukee.
.

Questioned at the time about the news that one particularly notorious pedophile cleric had been given a “payoff” to leave the priesthood, Cardinal Dolan, then the archbishop, responded that such an inference was “false, preposterous and unjust.”

But a document unearthed during bankruptcy proceedings for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and made public by victims’ advocates reveals that the archdiocese did make such payments to multiple accused priests to encourage them to seek dismissal, thereby allowing the church to remove them from the payroll.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/us/cardinal-authorized-payments-to-abusers.html?_r=0

[Major Nikon]

12. The article didn't cite Dolan as the sole source

[Bluenorthwest]

15. yes it did. Feel free to cite any other source they cite, but they say this was said to Dolan.

And of course, you don't mention the facts about Dolan, because they are very unsavory and make Dolan seem just as bad as the other rich powerful man he is claiming superiority over.
This is a tale of two wealthy liars, telling lies to retain power. I reject both of them. Some here stand with Dolan, who paid off rapists, lied about that, shuffled 57 million to hide it from the victims, then lied about that. But today, you suggest I should accept Dolan as credible, ethical, honest? Sorry, no sale.

[Major Nikon]

21. I'm not suggesting you accept anything

However, there were two sources at least. The story is actually based on a CNBC interview and CNBC evidently believed them.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101302230

[Baitball Blogger]

8. I think what they want to do is use the church for their own purpose.

Control the loudspeaker and you can control the message.

Imagine all those people they hire to work for them, some coming from dirt poverty, suddenly opening their eyes and seeing their bosses for the real pricks they are. What would they do if they suddenly realized that poverty was not a test from God that they must bear. Now, I'm not saying that they would turn to a life a crime out of anger. But I am saying that it will become difficult for the rich to find good help because people will no longer view menial work as a natural way of life.

[RKP5637]

11. Yep, exactly what they want, "Control the loudspeaker and you can control the message." It's a

ready-made distribution channel!

[Baitball Blogger]

13. Why do you think George Bush II went to the Pope?

He rallied the press around his plans, buying pundits with cash; and he seduced American churches with promises of money via private school grants and other inducements. My own uncle, who was then a Catholic priest, went negative on welfare because he bought into the plan that the churches would be given Federal cash to take care of the poor. And GBII also went to the Pope. Only the "then Pope" realized the danger. He said that he wished he was healthier because he recognized the challenge.

[Skidmore]

10. Perhaps a few of them should be excommunicated

as a reminder that they aren't all that.

[openfield]

19. Exactly

n/t

[Major Nikon]

25. Traditionally the Catholic Church has gone the other direction

By excommunicating Marxists like Castro and others within the Church who dared to express a socialist model for Catholicism. While I think excommunicating the rich might set a good example, I think the pragmatists within the church hierarchy would see it as self defeating.

[Are_grits_groceries]

14. It's very hard to have an impact when you are boxing with someone well above you.

Then there is this verse:
"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
Mark 10:25

[RKP5637]

17. Yep, apparently they've never gotten the message through their greed. n/t

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

22. The Reformation-Part II

There are so many parallels to the issues that led to the split of the church in the 16th century. Power, wealth, control, politics.

[RKP5637]

23. Excellent point/observation! n/t

[Douglas Carpenter]

24. that was there approach to universities - since Bill Buckley wrote , "God,

Man and Yale" in the 50's. Create a financial incentive to get rid of the lefties and lean in a more conservative direction. Clearly they feel they can use their financial power to influence the Church as well.

[Laelth]

26. k&r for Pope Francis. n/t

-Laelth

[RKP5637]

30. Definitely! I'm not a religious person, but I find his message very refreshing. The church

could be used as a powerful tool to try to pull people together, not divide them. To me, he is a breath of fresh air than the tired old rhetoric of the past.

[madrchsod]

27. kenny can huff and puff.........

but he ain`t going to make the new guy change his tune.

[RKP5637]

31. To me, he's sending the message that needs to be sent. The church IMO would be

better for "we the people" if these power-investors left! I like what the Pope has to say, I'm not even remotely religious, but I have respect for anyone trying to pull ALL people together with a good message than diversionary hostilities.

[Historic NY]

28. Using their wealth to hold the church hostage...how 16th century of them..

Last edited Sat Jan 4, 2014, 04:12 PM - Edit history (1)

Kenneth Langone apparently must think his billions will buy Indulgences.

[atreides1]

29. "Indulgence" ?

I guess that would make Dolan the "quaestores&quot pardoner)? I wonder what the good Cardinal promised Langone?

[Orsino]

32. The overprivileged already withold their millions from churches and charities...

...and are the biggest reasons why we need charities.

[jwirr]

33. I think it is interesting that the rich recognized themselves in the words "unleashed capitalism".

FDR capitalism was controlled and it worked for the many. That is what the Pope seems to be saying. Greed is out. And what we have been watching since raygun is the sin of greed. And it is not just in our own country - it is worldwide. If capitalism and democracy are to survive it needs to be changed in favor of a controlled system.

[RKP5637]

34. Yes, we did have a system that worked until they wormed their way into positions

of power and pulled the levers to destroy the system for the many while benefiting only themselves and their insatiable greed at all costs.