Many people have made the point that the very economic system–the corrupt system–that leaves billions struggling to make ends meet while the elite party on and on and on is the same system that has ravaged the environment and threatened the very existence of humanity on the planet.

Now, the Pope says it.

His expected statement:

The vision that Francis outlined in the 184-page encyclical is sweeping in ambition and scope: He described a relentless exploitation and destruction of the environment, for which he blamed apathy, the reckless pursuit of profits, excessive faith in technology and political shortsightedness. The most vulnerable victims are the world’s poorest people, he declared, who are being dislocated and disregarded.[emphasis added]

And:

Francis cites the Bible’s book of Genesis to underpin his theological argument, though in a passage certain to rankle some Christians, he chastises those who cite Genesis as evidence that man has “dominion” over earth and therefore an unlimited right to its resources. Some believers have used this biblical understanding of “dominion” to justify practices such as mountaintop mining or fishing with gill nets.“This is not a correct interpretation of the Bible as understood by the Church,” Francis wrote. The Bible teaches human beings to “till and keep” the garden of the world, he said: “‘Tilling’ refers to cultivating, plowing or working, while ‘keeping’ means caring, protecting, overseeing and preserving.”

His most stinging rebuke is a broad economic and political critique of profit-seeking and the undue influence of technology on society. He praised the progress achieved by economic growth and technology, singling out achievements in medicine, science and engineering. But, he added, “Our immense technological development has not been accompanied by a development in human responsibility, values and conscience.”

Central to Francis’ theme is the linkage between the poor and the fragility of the planet. He rejects the belief that technology and “current economics” will solve environmental problems or “that the problems of global hunger and poverty will be resolved simply by market growth.” He cites finance as having a distorting influence on politics and calls for government action, international regulation and a spiritual and cultural awakening to “recover depth in life.”

This guy must know his Marx LOL.Look, I’m no organized religion guy for a lot of reasons. But, whether you are or not, I think the Pope as an audience.

And it will drive the lovers of the so-called “free market” that the Pope is, correctly, pointing the finger at the very system is loved and almost deified by Republicans and Democrats alike. What political speech does not begin, even from the so-called “liberals”, with “Don’t get me wrong, I’m for free enterprise, competition and blah blah blah…”

Then Pope has basically indicted the entire system.