I do not mean to berate the Vatican but for a religion that preaches sacrifice, charity, living simply, etc how is it that the seat of Catholic religion is the richest body in the world and is all gold and riches? If Jesus were alive would he not live in a rent controlled studio apartment and route all the money donated to those in need? Interior Castle> That is complete crap...the Vatican has been the #1 of the worlds top 5 wealthiest for over 10 years imacatholic2> OK some points there but let me respond. Those vastly wealthy men do not proclaim to be doing the work of Jesus, they do not say they teach and live by his values. Also you ask about if we all donate money...well many do...to the church..the church doesn't make money on it's own..it gets it from us so that point is not really valid. I did not and do not say the Vatican is not doing anything....but in regards to the message of Jesus and his teachings the Vatican is 100% NOT living them..they live in wealth and comfort when if they lived in a normal building as many town priests do they could use those billions to feed+dress the poor, etc. All of which they do...but of course 11st they need a really kickass home and rooms full of gold so that everyone knows how humble and charitiable they are. username_hidden> Not really valid here. That was her PERSONAL possession she chose to break...the Vatican takes MY money along with yours and gilds their toilet paper and then says donations are down and people need to care. Same as me using my money to go to a bar and get loaded and some senator using MY TAXPAYER dollars to spend in a bar...that is not his money and not meant for his own aggrandizement
Religion & Spirituality - 13 Answers
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1 :
Because they are hypocrites and Jesus's philosophy of happiness through not-having was stupid.
2 :
The Vatican is corrupt. But just about everyone knows that already. In fact, the entire catholic religion is pretty much corrupt. Stay Cool
3 :
The Vatican is not the only organized religion that hordes such wealth. GOD BLESS! AMEN! SHALOM!
4 :
Because the Vatican, and most other wealthy religious groups, have nothing to do with Jesus Christ and what he REALLY preached.
5 :
Have you not read Revelations? One is the true church, and the other is the false church clothed in scarlet and jewels....
6 :
Because they enjoy having a good life dear, just like we do.
7 :
Having attended some of the highest Church groups and having friends in the Vatican, I can attest that the official hierarchical church is poor as a church mouse. Some orders have money. But the Church, NO. I hope you aren't one of those insane Sell-the-Pieta types. Because no one agrees with you there, not even poor people.
8 :
I would just like to agree with the above posters that the Catholic church is corrupt. I would also like to add that every other church is also corrupt. Thank you.
9 :
Apart from land and buildings (and every organisation must be based somewhere) much of the wealth of the Vatican is in the form of church decorations, fittings, vestments and liturgical equipment. This material is, by its nature, dedicated to the worship of God. And the Bible teaches that we should not spend everything on the poor to the exclusion of God. See Mark 14:3-7. "And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster cruse of ointment of pure nard very costly; and she brake the cruse, and poured it over his head. But there were some that had indignation among themselves, saying, 'To what purpose hath this waste of the ointment been made?' or this ointment might have been sold for above three hundred shillings, and given to the poor. And they murmured against her. But Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her?"
10 :
The mission of the Catholic Church is to proclaim and establish the Kingdom of God begun by Jesus Christ among all peoples. The Church endeavors to save souls. Keeping the priceless art available at the Vatican in trust for all mankind to come, see, and inspire belief in the Kingdom of God is part of this mission. The Church might be able to raise a couple of billion dollars by selling everything but that would soon be gone and the world would not be much better off. Especially if mankind does not change for the better. Both the Old and New Testament says that it is the mission of all mankind (including you and me) to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves. It is our job to stop poverty and create justice and peace. If every human being on the planet gave $10 then $60 billion would be raised. If the one billion people in the richest countries gave one $100 each then $100 billion would be raised. Not only do these riches make the Vatican art collections look paltry, this is only a fraction of what can really be raised if people got their priorities straight. You and I and the rest of humanity can do much much more to "help people" than the Vatican can all by itself. We need to stop making excuses for our selfishness by pushing the blame on to the Catholic Church. By the way, the Catholic Charities worldwide distribute billions of dollars in goods and services each year to the needy and have been doing so for well over a thousand years. Oh, and lets not forget that the Vatican has the ultimate responsibility for the lifelong support of over 400,000 priests, over 54,000 religious brothers, and over 760,000 religious sisters worldwide. http://cara.georgetown.edu/bulletin/index.htm With love in Christ.
11 :
That's a great question. Regarding the extraordinary collection of priceless art and architecture at the Vatican. The Catholic church is an ancient instuition- approx 2000 years old. If your house and your worldly goods were preserved for a thousand-or-so years they would become priceless simply because of their rarity and historical value. Some of the treasures would have been given as gifts by the Kings and Queens of Europe. Some would have been commissioned by Popes. Back a thousand years ago the "Michelangelo's" and the "Giotto's" weren't seen as the "Old Masters" that our modern culture regards them as. They "decorated" churches, cathedrals and palaces. They were the best at what they did, but for all intents and purposes they were the interior dectorators/architects/portrait photographers of their day. They were artisans, not artists. As time has passed their work has become the priceless works of art and architecture that makes up the historical narrative of western art. I am not sure I agree with you when you say it the richest body in the world. There is no doubt its art treasures are priceless but its hard to say what its finances are like. It would certainly have a relatively big balance sheet but it is a world wide church and it does cost al ot of money to organize, run and maintain such a global institution.
12 :
The Church can't really be compared to a unified corporation or a conglomerate. In the U.S., its members and assets are divided along geographical lines into 194 dioceses, each of which is legally separate. I've read estimates that say the Catholic church has more wealth and assets than the top 5 corporations in the world, COMBINED. I think it's an obscene travesty that cathedrals have ornate and costly trappings while so much of the world is starving to death. Trade in those candelabras for wheat, rice and medicines!
13 :
The Catholic Church operates on a shoe string budget. How about you calculate the number of Churches worldwide, Priests, Nuns and schools. Then add in the fact that the Catholic Church contributes more to charity than any other "nation" (i.e. the USA) on earth and see whats left. Good luck with that. Peace be with you.
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