Unions and the Catholic Church
 

Just learned about this today. It's pretty fascinating.

In 1891 Pope Leo XIII issued an encyclical titled "Rerum Novarum", Latin for "of Revolution". In summary it describes the problems caused by laissez-faire capitalism. It also suggests unions as a way for workers to negotiate with their employers as an alternative to government regulation.

After reading something like this it is easy to see how bamboozled the American Christian community is getting.

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/le...ovarum_en.html

Ayup.

There's more, keep digging. And wasn't just the Catholic Church either.

Believe it or not, at one time we believed workers had a right to organize. They still do, but fascist corporate oligarchs don't like it,so they're doing their best to take it away from us through plant closings, intimidation and massive political donations. All the while convincing the timid, the slow-witted and their willing sycophants that it's the unions that do all of those things.

Welcome to the New World Order.

Dave

The Methodist Church has a somewhat enlightened economic philosophy. A few excerpts from the Social Principles follow.

¶ 163. IV. THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY


We claim all economic systems to be under the judgment of God no less than other facets of the created order. Therefore, we recognize the responsibility of governments to develop and implement sound fiscal and monetary policies that provide for the economic life of individuals and corporate entities and that ensure full employment and adequate incomes with a minimum of inflation. We believe private and public economic enterprises are responsible for the social costs of doing business, such as employment and environmental pollution, and that they should be held accountable for these costs. We support measures that would reduce the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few. We further support efforts to revise tax structures and to eliminate governmental support programs that now benefit the wealthy at the expense of other persons.

Property

We believe private ownership of property is a trusteeship under God, both in those societies where it is encouraged and where it is discouraged, but is limited by the overriding needs of society.

Collective Bargaining

We support the right of all public and private employees and employers to organize for collective bargaining into unions and other groups of their own choosing.

Work and Leisure

Every person has the right to a job at a living wage. Where the private sector cannot or does not provide jobs for all who seek and need them, it is the responsibility of government to provide for the creation of such jobs. We support social measures that ensure the physical and mental safety of workers, that provide for the equitable division of products and services, and that encourage an increasing freedom in the way individuals may use their leisure time.

Consumption

Consumers should exercise their economic power to encourage the manufacture of goods that are necessary and beneficial to humanity while avoiding the desecration of the environment in either production or consumption.

Corporate Responsibility

Corporations are responsible not only to their stockholders, but also to other stakeholders: their workers, suppliers, vendors, customers, the communities in which they do business, and for the earth, which supports them. We support the public’s right to know what impact corporations have in these various arenas, so that people can make informed choices about which corporations to support.

http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nl/news...1LtH&b=5065913

Regards,

D-Ray

You will be hated and called a commie pinko queer Unitarian for that, Don.<sarcasm alert>

http://euroheritage.net/solid1.jpg

The Catholics are still pro union I believe.

Pete

I don't think it's an issue of being pro or against. The bigger issue is recognizing that the people best able to solve a problem are the ones that are closest to it. The church seems to recognize that it is best for the government to avoid micromanaging employer/employee relationships.

Some industries, or regions, or whatever, may want to unionize. Others might not. That's natural. But to say that unions are always bad and rich people are always good is a recipe for disaster.

Oh, Boy. You've exposed the UMC for the Communist organization it is. Now Jones and Limbaugh will have to go into overtime badmouthing your church.:rolleyes:

Actually, I'm surpirised they haven't already. I guess they kind of walk a tightrope when it comes to churches. They need their support, even though their ideology has always run contrary to Christian principles in more than one way.

Dave

They went on an anti-church tirade during the presidential elections. That was the whole "leave your church if they are sojialists" campaign.

Somehow, that aspect of the campaign escaped me. I was unaware that they did that. But it doesn't suprise me at all. All of that pandering to "Christian Values" always did feel really fake to me. Amazing, how quick Baboons will turn on anyone who slows the troop, isn't it?

Dave

If you want a party that embraces Christian values, the Dems' for you :p

Pete