Pope says we should live simpler lives, should we?

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  • The Pope makes a good point but where his suggestion of removing materialism and leading a more simplistic life falls down is where capitalism is still in place. By simplistic life I think he is suggesting a more religious way of life, simplistic like a monastic lifestyle which TBH would not be a bad thing if we could remove the god and worshipping stuff out of it. Become more self sufficient and only produce what is required to live. What else do we need. Hey...some monasteries even produce their own Ale. It can't be all bad.

  • The Pope makes a good point but where his suggestion of removing materialism and leading a more simplistic life falls down is where capitalism is still in place. By simplistic life I think he is suggesting a more religious way of life, simplistic like a monastic lifestyle which TBH would not be a bad thing if we could remove the god and worshipping stuff out of it. Become more self sufficient and only produce what is required to live. What else do we need. Hey...some monasteries even produce their own Ale. It can't be all bad.

    There are too many of us we can’t be self sufficient many people don’t even have gardens to grow a few veggies .

  • The Catholic Church is already the biggest charitable organisation in the world . It’s doesn’t distinguish by religion it’s hospitals treat all comers and it’s schools also allow in people ie in the Middle East of people from other faiths . People whatever their religion like a Catholic education for their children.

    https://usa.inquirer.net/15692/catholic…le-organization

    There are many ways of measuring how big a charitable organisation is. Certainly, the Catholic Church is big, but there are some other pretty serious players involved

    List Of Wealthiest Charitable Foundations

    This list is based on the amount of endowments, which is money invested in perpetuity, which makes a profit and that profit is put to charitable donations. The endowment remains, ensuring there is a steady flow of money year after year.

    There are many ways of being charitable. To blandly say that this or that is "The Biggest" highly contestable.

    As for the beneficence of the Roman Catholic Church....... well........ the Catholic church took a dogmatic position on the issue of homosexual adoption after the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act was amended to remove the "Need For A Father" clause. Catholic adoption agencies refused to comply with the law and continued to discriminate against gay and lesbian couples. They lost their court cases and had to close.

    Last Catholic Adoption Agency In UK To Close

    This was a case where the Catholic Church directly discriminated against a group of people on religious grounds, as distinct from religious belief. A lot of Catholics might have applied to adopt through the Catholic Adoption Agencies and would have been refused help on the sole grounds of their homosexuality.

    You could argue that it's the fault of gay people who want to adopt children. That depends on your view of gay people. But the church had it within its power to amend its rules and refused to do so. The church brought itself into conflict with the state, not the other way around.

    Discrimination, like charitable donation, comes in many forms.

    By the way........ I was brought up in the Catholic faith and went to a Roman Catholic Primary School. I know how the system works. Technically, I'm still a Catholic, but no longer have anything to do with the church.

  • The Pope makes a good point but where his suggestion of removing materialism and leading a more simplistic life falls down is where capitalism is still in place. By simplistic life I think he is suggesting a more religious way of life, simplistic like a monastic lifestyle which TBH would not be a bad thing if we could remove the god and worshipping stuff out of it. Become more self sufficient and only produce what is required to live. What else do we need. Hey...some monasteries even produce their own Ale. It can't be all bad.

    There’s nothing to stop you from doing that, Norra, but I think the majority of us would pass!

  • It is possible to live a "simpler" life without going to live in a yurt and subsist on a diet of lentils.

    The key word is "moderation". We all want to live in a comfortable home.... drive a little car..... take a holiday...... have some nice things. These are not unreasonable aspirations and are well within the scope of the vast majority of people.

    We can achieve most of our aspirations without having to do vast damage to natural resources. Have solar panels installed to reduce reliance on generated electricty.... move to an electric - or at least, a hybrid - vehicle. Use a bicycle when feasible. Recycle more. All very easy things to do and within the reach of ordinary people.

    Unfortunately (for capitalists), restraining our spending won't make capitalists rich. And so they use the power of advertising to exhort us to buy things we don't really need. We can cook our own food at home. Do we need to send out so Deliveroo can bring artery clogging junk food to our doorstep...? Do we need to that new EE mobile phone that a smirking Kevin Bacon tells us we will be mocked and ridiculed with "Network Envy" if we don't have...?

    Much of the things that are doing so much damage - not only to the environment, but also to our social fabric - are the product of wanting and striving for things we don't actually need just because they are pumped at us relentlessly day after day.

    Perhaps this sort of marketing pressure can't be legislated against, or regulated. But we can practice self restraint. Actually, no, I don't want "Street Food" with a 30% delivery charge chucked on top of the price. I'm quite capable of cooking our own food......... and its far better food than the shite that comes in a carrier bag off the back of a moped.

    The answer to living a simpler life lies within ourselves.

  • Electric vehicles is a con to make us spend more money. The oil industry is moving towards dredging the oceans for the resources to make batteries and what is going to power all the charging sockets. What would be good is if we could extract the methane from Siberia and use that as an energy source. The power of farts. Any old fart will do. LOL

  • Putting the the Pope and religion to the side I completely agree with the statement that we should all live a more simple life. We should all go back to being farmers and live more a Shaker or Amish, self sufficient lifestyle alongside nature. Maybe even go back further and live more like Anglo Saxons. Of course all the time there is money and greed it will never happen so that will be the self destruction of the human race including the rich greedy ones by which time it will be too late for them to change their ways. The next 50 years are going to be crucial as to whether we survive or not. If you think how far tech has advaced in 50 years, what's it's going to be like in the next 50 and that's before we attack global warming and protect the planets resources. We could end up either in a Mad Max type scenario or Terminator wars. Were at the begging of the end of civilization and the survival of our species right now.

    It's true that most of society's problems are caused by the fact that we live such unnatural lives. Humans function better in small, intimate communities where everyone works together for the common good. Anti-social behaviour and crime is swiftly dealt with, as there is no doubt about who the guilty party is.

    Sadly, though, there will always be outsiders who will want to spoil things, either by invading our lands and stealing what we have, or trying to impose their ideas on us.

  • "We should all live simpler lives without materialism" Says the man who lives in opulent splendour amongst priceless works of art and priceless gold and silver artifacts. Something not right in his thinking.. He should set an example by flogging off all the vatican treasure and distribute the proceeds among the poor nations.. Leading by example is the only way.. Pontificating from afar surrounded by riches is totally unacceptable.

    The Voice of Reason

  • It's true that most of society's problems are caused by the fact that we live such unnatural lives. Humans function better in small, intimate communities where everyone works together for the common good. Anti-social behaviour and crime is swiftly dealt with, as there is no doubt about who the guilty party is.

    Sadly, though, there will always be outsiders who will want to spoil things, either by invading our lands and stealing what we have, or trying to impose their ideas on us.

    I don't think small intimate communities are really necessary, it is the avoidance of large cities that will improve your life beyond recognition. You espoused the virtue of commune type living which I would absolutely loathe just as much as I would not want to live in a big city. Small market towns with a Tory local authority are the best, highly resistive to change, traditional family focused values and zero attraction for progressives.

    Celebrate it, Anticipate it, Yesterday's faded, Nothing can change it, Life's what you make it

  • To live a simpler life is beyond the reach of most . Sure we would all like to live a rural existence and rear chickens and lambs . To do this you have to be rich and own land ever seen a poor farmer ?

  • You don't have to be rich that is the side effect of the problems. It all basically boils down to population numbers and overcrowding again. The human race is like a runaway train heading for the end of the line to crash and burn.

  • It's OK because wars will eventually even the balance whether that is social warfare or military warfare. It may even be biological warfare and disease as we overcrowd ourselves. All negative things that turn into a positive to bring balance to yin and yang. All we have to do is tip to far in one direction or the other. ;)

  • I don't think small intimate communities are really necessary, it is the avoidance of large cities that will improve your life beyond recognition. You espoused the virtue of commune type living which I would absolutely loathe just as much as I would not want to live in a big city. Small market towns with a Tory local authority are the best, highly resistive to change, traditional family focused values and zero attraction for progressives.

    Living in a commune would be absolute hell for someone like me...if I were in prison, solitary confinement would not be a punishment! However, it is true that mankind functions better in small settlements. There is a place for everyone, so long as they are able to contribute to society.

    Small market towns are struggling to retain their traditions, with 'modern' developments reflecting the changes in the population. At least a few councils have the courage to stand up and refuse to allow the construction of new religious buildings which do not reflect the history of the area.

  • I’m with you on the prisons! I’d rather be in solitary than mixing with the violent nutters in there.

    I’m not sure about the small communities. You would never be able to get away from those people who constantly irritate you or cause you trouble!

    I work best in a modern urban society but with the countryside not far away.

  • You would never be able to get away from those people who constantly irritate you or cause you trouble!

    That's the problem of living in a village. Everyone knows your business and sticks their beak in and then there are the village gossips. The others side of the coin is that it's all friendly and everyone says good morning and stops for a chat, especially in village shops and everyone looks out for one another and gets together at the village hall events or local pub. All very sociable but it can be a bit much if you want time out or are trying to avoid someone.

  • LOL there's that too. And everyone knows who drives back home from the local pub over the limit because they can't be arsed walking. It's funny as it's kinda of acceptable in the countryside as everyone does it. It's alright walking in the Summer time but on dark Winters night with only a torch to light yourself up with when you see an oncoming car speeding down the lanes.

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