The Case against Capitalism

Much has happened between 2008 and 2011 that obliges me to reassess the role of Capitalism as a morally acceptable system. The financial crisis of 2008 does not seem to abate as economic recovery in North America is very slow. The GDP growth has been repeatedly revised to lower values in both the U.S. and Canada. The European countries are undergoing a larger crisis. The Euro-zone countries are unable to fulfill their promises to help the less privileged members of Europe such as Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. America alone, who through globalization has exported its own economic system and almost imposed it on the rest of the world, seems to be struggling with the downgrade of its credit rating by Standard and Poor this week. What can we make of an economic system that feeds on the theory of free-market? Investors do not need to grow as much as the average citizen needs to grow. Compare the powerful American education system with those in Africa. Graduates from African or Asian universities require to qualify their degrees to the equivalent degrees in the U.S. The investment in the young people in America costs the average American money which is unaffordable by African graduates. Yet, the resources of Africa have been exploited by the Western powers. It is a long story of slavery that goes back to many centuries. Today the New World must give back to the poor of Africa. In the big picture I propose one moral solution: America, Canada, Australia and Europe need to lower their standard of living of individuals gradually to a level that would match that of Asian and African economies. But is this possible? Unlikely, since greed and selfishness are part of the human weakness especially in a materialist economy. Probably we must learn from those old civilizations that a fair society can be built on the moral integrity of the faithful. The Church has always defended the poor and today too she needs to raise her voice for their sake. The Master taught us this by his example, and the examples of holy people He inspired throughout the ages.

Jobless!!!

In the aftermath of the global recession caused by the financial crisis of 2008-2009, the jobless rate increased drastically in almost all of America and Europe. It also affected the Middle East where unemployment rose in many countries above 15%. Today, the unemployment rate in the U.S. is nearly 10% while it is around 8% in Canada. Yet, we cannot measure the negative effect it has on families and individuals. Most people who are laid off are in their 50s thus it would be hard for them to find jobs that match their experience. Worse, both the U.S. and Canada appear to have tightened the immigration from other less-developed countries. Europe too is suffering from a hard-hit euro which has brought inflation to a higher level. The question is for how long would we have high unemployment? The right to work is recognized in every culture. Think about it.

Empires?

The United States is about to default on its debt. If the political debates between Democrates and Republicans do not resolve within a few weeks, this will be unprecedent not only for the near collapse of the American economy but also for the global economy at large! It is morally unacceptable that discussions between Congressmen of the U.S. and the U.S. government determine the fate of billions of poor people on earth. The IMF which is the largest world bank can do nothing to prevent a return to old empire! Think of the Roman Empire and its decline. But today we have satellites and Internet communications that almost nothing can be hidden. This is a WARNING to the U.S. Wake up! It is also a WARNING to the many governments i.e. people who deal with corruption and accept it. It has become fashionable to eliminate the adversaries by force. More stories of corruption are coming to the news these days about the largest tabloid newspaper in Britain which is now out of print. Investigations have been launched against its billionaire owner by the British authority for immorally tapping into telephones of people. Others are hinting at corruption in the Italian government. But it seems that this is a worldwide phenomenon in spite of the U.N. Declarations about human rights! On top of the list come the dictatorships we know about in the Middle East. But the dictatorship that makes me shudder is that of the mightly dollar! The Capitalist economic system is probably the best system today but there are millions who are still suffering poverty and now is our turn. Nor is Communism a solution! Communism was able to generate corruption and violence in the U.S.S.R. and its satellite countries. Violence is still the norm in Communist China and Cuba on the part of corrupt goverrnments. However, the distribution of wealth must be implemented to reach out to Africa and Asia. Blessed John Paul II frequently warned that Capitalist monopoly is not tenable - He suggested the Third Way! For rich people to accept lowering of their standard of living, it takes more than regulations of the economy. It takes good will on the part of citizens and governments. We must give priority to the needs of others. This is where love shines. This is where Christ shines. It is in the hearts of the faithful that Christ reigns...We must repent! Is not that what Fatima was all about?

Purgatory

Many non-Catholic Christians question the doctrine of purgatory. Although Orthodox Churches pray for their dead, they have no clear answer as to why a dead person needs prayers if he/she is in heaven where he/she already enjoys the blessed life with the holy ones in the presence of God, or if he/she is in hell where the damned do not have hope in the goodness and mercy of God. However an explanation was offered by Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic Orthodox Church as to the reason why the Coptic Orthodox Church offers prayers for their dead. He simply says that Christians who have departed this life go to paradise (not heaven) if they are blessed and wait there in peace for the Day of Judgment. The unrepentent go to Sheol (not hell) where they await their damnation on Judgment Day. As for other Christian souls, they do not rest and so the Church prays for them that they may attain peace in their hope to be among the elect on Judgment Day. In history, however, purgatory was known since the early centuries of Christianity. Purgatory affirms why Catholics pray for the dead in the hope that they died in grace. It can be inferred from the words of Christ himself. In Matthew chapter 12, Christ speaks of the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as a sin that will not be forgiven "neither in this age nor in the age to come." But what sin Christ cannot forgive? Note that Christ spoke of this sin after he was accused that his healings are performed by the power of Satan, so he immediately relates his power to the Holy Spirit. But why could not he, who has all the power to forgive, forgive this sin? Here we refer to the principle of the cooperation of the sinner with grace. Even though grace is a free gift from the Spirit of God, it must be received by the person. The fathers of the Church, especially St Augustine, interpreted this sin as the total refusal of the person to repent of his/her sins until the last moment of life. Since the Holy Spirit is always urging sinners to repent, this sin is considered a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which again is impossible for anyone who repents before death. Now, if Christ mentions that there are sins that are forgiven in the next life, it means that some sins are committed that do not lead immediately to hell where there is no hope, and not to heaven where no one defiled with any slight impurity can see God who is all pure. These sins are known as "venial sins." In purgatory, a state of the saved souls that are yet not able to see God, a purification takes place. The fire of purgatory is the burning desire of wanting to be with God. The soul in purgatory knows that she is saved but longs to be with the beloved One. From Church history, it is known that many saints passed through purgatory before they were to see God "face to face" (Cf. 1 Cor. 13). The elect must "complete what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of his body" (Col 1, 24). This means that for us to see God we must die to ourselves even if gradually; for no one can see God and live.

The Divine Heart

Today we celebrate the feast of Divine body of Christ in the Melkite Catholic Church. While violence continues to rage in the Middle East, we need to look beyond the divisions of religions. In the Middle East, factions of the same people are found in war against each other in the name of religion. Christians are scared that Muslim fundamentalism will take over their freedom. Western powers are taking advantage of the largely undemocratic political systems to force their form of democracy and oultaw dictators, but my impression is that it has to do with control of the area economically and politically. Muslims are divided between Shia and Sunni. Christians are divided between Western and Eastern. Let's forget for a moment the schism between factions, cultures, and religions and ask the one God whom we all worship to help us stop the blood shedding in the name of Christ who shed his blood for the reconciliation of all people with his Father. This would be a celebration of the Divine Heart...The heart of Jesus!