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Ear to the Ground

Pope Warns Africans of Materialistic ‘New Colonialism’

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Posted on Oct 4, 2009
Pope Benedict
bbc.co.uk

Pope Benedict, shown here in 2006, opened a three-week synod of African bishops by pressing his case against capitalism.

From his palace at the Vatican, Pope Benedict warned bishops of an ongoing “new colonialism” that exports capitalist materialism—what he called “toxic spiritual rubbish”—to the African continent.

The BBC:

Pope Benedict has warned that a form of colonialism continues to blight Africa.

Opening a three-week synod of African bishops, he said political colonialism was over.

But he said the developed world continued to export materialism - which he called “toxic spiritual rubbish” - to the continent.

Almost 200 bishops from 53 African states have gathered to discuss how the Catholic Church can help resolve the continent’s social injustices and wars.

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By stcfarms, October 5, 2009 at 11:16 pm Link to this comment

The invaders never even left the Americas, Hawaii or Australia…

By PSmith, October 5 at 7:09 am #

Corporate Colonialism - Globalization

It would have been slightly more realistic had he bothered to mention today’s
Corporate Colonialism that continued from the time of so-called
‘Independence’. That and the African independence leaders assassinated by
the west in order to continue the colonialism-by-other-means that was the
‘Independence’ that Africa won. Won and lost, when the colonial powers left
Africa by the front door and had their corporations return by the back door.
For the last _five_ decades and more.

“The first major exploitation, denigration and humiliation of Africa was the
slave trade. This lasted almost 500 years. The second major exploitation,
denigration and humiliation of Africa was colonialism which goes way back
before the Berlin Conference of 1884-85. And colonialism prepared Africa for
the third major phase of exploitation, denigration and humiliation that
globalisation now threatens to be….” - President of Tanzania, Benjamin
William Mkapa, - What Africa Thinks About Globalization - 05-20-2008 -

Report this

By stcfarms, October 4, 2009 at 8:22 pm Link to this comment

Ah, the pope calling the kettle black…

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By Marc Schlee, October 4, 2009 at 4:23 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

“I wanna be a cowboy, bay bay!”

Kid Rock

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By mcthorogood, October 4, 2009 at 10:31 am Link to this comment

And all along I had thought that the Bishop of Rome was a disciple of Milton Friedman.

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By Folktruther, October 4, 2009 at 9:19 am Link to this comment

Congratulations, Freddy.  You can use it in a tremendous business opportunity that will sooner or later be offered you, either from Africa or the US.

Pope Ratso is imposing an imperialist ideology on Africa in the guise of fighting it.  In a continent plagued by AIDS, nothing illustrates the perverted vlaues of traditional religion more than the Pope’s midevial strictures against condoms.

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Fat Freddy's avatar

By Fat Freddy, October 4, 2009 at 8:53 am Link to this comment

The next time I get an email say I won the International Lottery (from Nigeria), I’ll just forward it to The Vatican.

You have won £3,000,000 GBP.Contact,cherryringsdesk9@btinternet.com
With the information below:Full Name,Telephone Number,
Marital Status,Occupation,Address,Country,Age,Sex.
Sincerely,
Mr.Williams Cheste

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