VATICAN CITY ? Pope John Paul II (search) warned several U.S. bishops Friday that American society is in danger of turning against spirituality in favor of materialistic desires, giving way to a "soulless vision of life."

 

 

 

To fight this, the pontiff argued, the U.S. church must study contemporary culture to find a way to appeal to youths. He made his remarks to bishops from Indianapolis, Chicago and Milwaukee who were making a periodic visit to the Vatican.

 

The American church "is called to respond to the profound religious needs and aspirations of a society increasingly in danger of forgetting its spiritual roots and yielding to a purely materialistic and soulless vision of the world," John Paul said.

 

"Taking up this challenge, however, will require a realistic and comprehensive reading of the 'signs of the times,' in order to develop a persuasive presentation of the Catholic faith and prepare young people especially to dialogue with their contemporaries about the Christian message and its relevance to the building of a more just, humane and peaceful world."

 

John Paul added: "An effective proclamation of the Gospel in contemporary Western society will need to confront directly the widespread spirit of agnosticism and relativism which has cast doubt on reason's ability to know the truth, which alone satisfies the human heart's restless quest for meaning."

 

All bishops must visit the Vatican every five years. This year is the Americans' turn, and several regional delegations already have met with the pope.

The U.S. is too materialistic??

 

Gee, what a shocker that is....

Sell some of your paintings for the needy and then we'll talk.

and the papacy is not materialisitic?

 

 

 

let alone the entire Catholic Church.

Brahahahha!!! :lol

With all respect to Pope John Paul II,

 

Go talk to the countries ahead of us in the soulless, money-grabbing, and sans-morality list.

 

You can start with France, head to Germany, and then to the Netherlands.

You can start with France, head to Germany, and then to the Netherlands.

Last time I saw... they aren't capitalistic.

You can start with France, head to Germany, and then to the Netherlands.

Last time I saw... they aren't capitalistic. yes, but it doesn't mean the French aren't materialistic about their perfume, coats, furnishings, and clothing. It doesn't mean the Germans aren't materialistic about thier boats, cars, and planes. It doesn't mean the Dutch aren't materialistic about the riches they make from the "tourism" and trade they take part in.

You can start with France, head to Germany, and then to the Netherlands.

Last time I saw... they aren't capitalistic. yes, but it doesn't mean the French aren't materialistic about their perfume, coats, furnishings, and clothing. It doesn't mean the Germans aren't materialistic about thier boats, cars, and planes. It doesn't mean the Dutch aren't materialistic about the riches they make from the "tourism" and trade they take part in. Wow Cape... that is so... wow...

 

 

 

Like the U.S. government isn't materialistic about the riches they make from "tourism" and trade...

 

Like U.S. isn't materialistic about their cars (Cadillac, Lincoln, and Chrysler), boats and planes...

 

And like the U.S. isn't materialistic about their perfume, coats, furnishing, and clothing (look at the Hollywood whores).

 

 

 

 

 

Give me a break...

much of upper to upper middle class America can be applied to that last point also.

much of upper to upper middle class America can be applied to that last point also.

Just a question Das, Where do you classify yourself?

probably middle class i would suppose.

 

 

 

not that i am sure what it really matters.

all i have to say is that there is no society that cant be considered materialistic. its bulls***, greed is a human problem, not just an american problem. pope needs to look at his own organization before judging other people to be materialistic.

With all respect to Pope John Paul II,

 

Go talk to the countries ahead of us in the soulless, money-grabbing, and sans-morality list.

 

You can start with France, head to Germany, and then to the Netherlands.

Thats laughable brother. People in those countries don't focus nearly as much on money as we do.

With all respect to Pope John Paul II,

 

Go talk to the countries ahead of us in the soulless, money-grabbing, and sans-morality list.

 

You can start with France, head to Germany, and then to the Netherlands.

Thats laughable brother. People in those countries don't focus nearly as much on money as we do. If you want to talk about counting money then include the Swiss.

With all respect to Pope John Paul II,

 

Go talk to the countries ahead of us in the soulless, money-grabbing, and sans-morality list.

 

You can start with France, head to Germany, and then to the Netherlands.

Thats laughable brother. People in those countries don't focus nearly as much on money as we do. If you want to talk about counting money then include the Swiss. Cape, I'm not sure if you've been to these countries before, but its a lot different than the US. The quality of life is so much better. Life is lived as an art and not as a job.

Europeans live life as art because they had been living off the riches of the Americas and their other world empires that they took.

 

Americans can't afford to have 12 weeks of vacation a year, and feed a family, and maintain our lifestyle.

The Pope needs to look at other countries besides the U.S.

With all respect to Pope John Paul II,

 

Go talk to the countries ahead of us in the soulless, money-grabbing, and sans-morality list.

 

You can start with France, head to Germany, and then to the Netherlands.

Thats laughable brother. People in those countries don't focus nearly as much on money as we do. If you want to talk about counting money then include the Swiss. Why, because they have banks?

 

Geez.

 

And, I can say I'm middle class and care WAAAY too much about designer clothes (my Lucky brand jeans with AUTHENTIC Black Flag t-shirt) and authentic jerseys (250 dollar Bengals jerseys).

 

I think the problem is when you see the lower class that has nice cars, expensive clothes and live in squalor. Sure, I buy dumb stuff, but I'm also rooming the upstairs of my parents house until I graduate from school. I'm not buying a Cadillac at the expense of living in a nice house and sending my kids to a decent school and showing them that a Barry Sanders retro jersey is more important than passing the 5th grade.

 

And I've been to Europe. There's not nearly the emphasis on this stuff as there is over here. There's a bigger difference between classes and wages, but I see the Europeans more as Shamrock paints it than I do the way we live (work like ants to buy crap we don't need and then fly to Vegas for vacations to throw money down a vast well).

With all respect to Pope John Paul II,

 

Go talk to the countries ahead of us in the soulless, money-grabbing, and sans-morality list.

 

You can start with France, head to Germany, and then to the Netherlands.

Thats laughable brother. People in those countries don't focus nearly as much on money as we do. If you want to talk about counting money then include the Swiss. Why, because they have banks?

 

Geez.

 

And, I can say I'm middle class and care WAAAY too much about designer clothes (my Lucky brand jeans with AUTHENTIC Black Flag t-shirt) and authentic jerseys (250 dollar Bengals jerseys).

 

I think the problem is when you see the lower class that has nice cars, expensive clothes and live in squalor. Sure, I buy dumb stuff, but I'm also rooming the upstairs of my parents house until I graduate from school. I'm not buying a Cadillac at the expense of living in a nice house and sending my kids to a decent school and showing them that a Barry Sanders retro jersey is more important than passing the 5th grade.

 

And I've been to Europe. There's not nearly the emphasis on this stuff as there is over here. There's a bigger difference between classes and wages, but I see the Europeans more as Shamrock paints it than I do the way we live (work like ants to buy crap we don't need and then fly to Vegas for vacations to throw money down a vast well). yes, but in World War II we saw how this country could make sacrifices and beat any other league of nations out there in producing the machines of war and peace.

 

Today's America can and is prepared better than that generation was to do it.

 

Same can't be said for the European countries who might be speaking German if it were not for the dumb Americans who worked like ants to get the Nazis and Imperial Japanese out of power.

The human race is materialistic.

The human race is materialistic.

that is an understatement.

 

The Catholic Church is materialistic. (also an understatement)

Any human calling any other human, or a nation, materialistic, is in essence "the pot calling the kettle black"

 

Whether or not it's the Pope means chickenshit to me.

The human race is materialistic.

Buddhists, dood. Buddhists.

 

Not materialist in the least. Materialism is empty.

The human race is materialistic.

Buddhists, dood. Buddhists.

 

Not materialist in the least. Materialism is empty. If you are part of the human race, no matter what, it is a flaw of morality, you will somewhat materialistic.