In a video address to the World Economic Forum on Monday, China’s President Xi Jinping spoke at length about current social, economic, and political challenges facing the world, especially in light of the COVID-19 health crisis.
But what is striking about many of his comments is how similar they are to statements Pope Francis has made in recent years.
Here below are some comparable excerpts:
XI: Countries around the world should uphold true multilateralism. We should remove barriers, not erect walls. We should open up, not close off. We should seek integration, not decoupling.
“The most important lesson we can take from these crises is our need to build together, so that there will no longer be any borders, barriers or political walls for us to hide behind. As we all know, we never emerge from a crisis alone, without others.” — Pope Francis’ audio message, BBC ‘Thought for the Day,’ on the occasion of the COP26 Meeting in Glasgow, 31 October 2021.
XI: Small boats may not survive a storm, but a giant ship is strong enough to brave a storm. Thanks to the concerted efforts of the international community, major progress has been made in the global fight against the pandemic.
“No people, no social group can single-handedly achieve peace, prosperity, security and happiness. None. The lesson learned from the recent pandemic is the awareness that we are a global community, all in the same boat.” — Pope Francis on the occasion of the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, 24 April 2021.
XI: Acts of single-mindedly building ‘exclusive yards with high walls’ or ‘parallel systems,’ of enthusiastically putting together exclusive small circles or blocs that polarize the world, of overstretching the concept of national security to hold back economic and technological advances of other countries, and of fanning ideological antagonism and politicizing or weaponizing economic, scientific and technological issues, will gravely undercut international efforts to tackle common challenges.
“New walls are erected for self-preservation, the outside world ceases to exist and leaves only “my” world, to the point that others, no longer considered human beings possessed of an inalienable dignity, become only “them”. Once more, we encounter “the temptation to build a culture of walls, to raise walls, walls in the heart, walls on the land, in order to prevent this encounter with other cultures, with other people. And those who raise walls will end up as slaves within the very walls they have built. They are left without horizons, for they lack this interchange with others.” – Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli Tutti (All Brothers), 3 October 2020.
XI: Last year, I put forward a Global Development Initiative at the UN General Assembly to draw international attention to the pressing challenges faced by developing countries. The Initiative is a public good open to the whole world, which aims to form synergy with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and boost common development across the world.
“The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, approved by more than 190 nations in September 2015, were a great step forward for global dialogue, marking a vitally new and universal solidarity’ (Laudato Si’, 14). Different religious traditions, including the Catholic tradition, have embraced the objectives of sustainable development because they are the result of global participatory processes that, on the one hand, reflect the values of people and, on the other, are sustained by an integral vision of development.” — Pope Francis’ Address to “Religions and the Sustainable Development Goals: Listening to the Cry of the Earth and of the Poor,” 8 March 2019.
XI: We should follow the trend of history, work for a stable international order, advocate common values of humanity, and build a community with a shared future for mankind. We should choose dialogue over confrontation, inclusiveness over exclusion, and stand against all forms of unilateralism, protectionism, hegemony, or power politics.
“The present moment offers a precious opportunity to guide and govern the processes now under way, and to build inclusive societies based on respect for human dignity, tolerance, compassion and mercy.” — Pope Francis’ message to the World Economic Forum, 21 January 2016.
Go here to read the rest. Both the Tyrant and the Pope speak in the honeyed accents of what used to be known as globaloney. Each urge what has become known as The Great Reset. Both envision a future where humanity would have the happiness of a household pet, without that pesky freedom to cause problems. One almost has the hope that the Pope is on the Tyrant’s payroll. One would hate to assume that the Pope is so stupid, and/or evil, to believe any of this putrid tripe.
Marxism has a theology. Is a Religion.
Xi’s terror of decoupling looms large. Removing the hooks China has in everyone is mandatory.
I was bleakly amused by his call for cooperation: “Let’s not argue and bicker over who killed who” leapt immediately to mind.
Of course, anyone that pays any attention to Communist regimes, or Chinese history over the last several thousand years, knows that Xi is saying what he thinks will get him the most gain. He doesn’t believe those statements in the slightest.
The sad thing is, I think the Pope actually believes what he’s saying, while being so naive as to believe that if he just says it enough then everyone else will fall in line (or he’ll dang well make us, for our own good). The statements are pretty on paper, but once current human nature comes into it the concepts are worthless.
I think he does–and he’s following a precedent. The Vatican’s social teaching has gotten increasingly moony for the past three generations over the idea of global caesars tidying up and directing everything.
Back when the popes had to run more than a microstate, they had a better grip on human nature and the limits of governance.
The Vatican’s social teaching has gotten increasingly moony for the past three generations over the idea of global caesars tidying up and directing everything.
There’s a story that someone once asked John XXiii how many people work in the Vatican. His reply: ‘about half’. I suspect the reason for most of the manpower devoted to international confabulations is incorporated into Sir Humphrey’s explanation of why European countries joined the EU: “Luxembourg’s in it for the perks…”. There always seems to be a great deal of wheel-spinning in the Church outside of local parishes and missions.
“One almost has the hope that the Pope is on the Tyrant’s payroll. “
Yeah, at least Judas had the decency to fetch thirty pieces of silver for his treachery.
Similarities?
Neither the Chinese Communist, nor the pope, have spent much time pontificating upon the hereafter and the loss of souls. Coincidence?