Comments on: Going global with the Cola Bear

By: cynthia curran

cynthia curran — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:54:36 +0000

Its true that the Byzantines didn’t opposed interest. However, the silk industry was run by the state. I think its true that the Byzantine empire led to the development of some western economic powers like Venice since they traded with them and gave Venice some breaks on tariffs in this trade arrangement. Also, a lot of Byzantines settled in Italy after the fall of Constantinople which probably influence both Roman Catholics and later Protestants in the area of trade.
As for the bad side of the free market, well we know if some of us that are against the state handling a lot of welfare functions should take note of the late 19th century when both Bismarck and Disreali created the modern welfare state to deal with some of the effects of the early industrical period. Granted the welfare state was small under both gentlemen but expanded a lot during the 20th century. Those workhouses in Dickens led to the creation of the modern welfare state. Many conservative Christians don’t always develop alternatives to the present welfare or make the current one more effective.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:38:42 +0000

I found this today, very interesting ………

HEAT OF THE MOMENT
WorldNetDaily Exclusive
Coca-Cola spearheads
1-world climate tax
100 companies push ’16 days left
to seal deal’ on $10 trillion treaty

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=116310

By: George Michalopulos

George Michalopulos — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:57:43 +0000

Dean, when all is said and done, there is no way that this photo-op or the entire “apostolic visit” can be justified as anythimg more than a desparate attempt to be relevant. Tell +Jonah to keep on doing what he’s doing.

By: Dean Calvert

Dean Calvert — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:42:08 +0000

What’s next?

The Leno Show?

Unbelieveable….just unbelieveable.

And people wanna talk about MY metropolitan (+Jonah)?

wow..

Dean

By: Greg

Greg — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:47:18 +0000

In reply to Andrew. Maybe the issue isn't Coke. Maybe the issue is Turkey. If the EP and Mr. Kent are friends, perhaps he will assist the EP in some of the talks between the Orthodox Church and the Turkish government.

By: Greg

Greg — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:15:24 +0000

In reply to katherine. Thanks.

By: katherine

katherine — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:58:39 +0000

In reply to Greg. I believe that Mr. Kent has been described as a "secular Muslim," whatever that is.

By: Greg

Greg — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:42:15 +0000

In reply to katherine. Is Muhtar Kent a member of the Orthodox Church?

By: Fr. Johannes Jacobse

Fr. Johannes Jacobse — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:03:07 +0000

In reply to katherine. Why Coke? That's easy. Coke is better than Pepsi. (Hey, I worked for Coca-Cola once.)

By: katherine

katherine — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:55:08 +0000

The question has been asked: why Coke?

One reason could be that Muhtar Kent, the head of Coke, and the Patriarch are friends. Mr. Kent is a Turkish citizen, and apparently befriended the Patriarch. The photo was probably taken at a dinner Mr. Kent hosted for the Patriarch in Atlanta.

By: Isa Almisry

Isa Almisry — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:41:25 +0000

I have to take issue with the wholesale endorsement of capitalism. In many ways, it is just as materialistic (in the bad sense: at a Triumph of Orthodoxy sermon Fr. Roman Braga pointed out that Orthodxo Christians, with the Incarnation, relics and icons, are the only true materialists. Many years to him! I’d wish him the episcopacy if I didn’t know it would kill him) as Marxism, and based on the same premises. The chattle slave trade was a child of the “enlightenment” and the rise of the mercantile class, which didn’t feel fettered with medieval thoughts of morality (alms houses were also closed down for the same reasons: not profitable). Dangerous things happen when the bottom line is allowed to be the last word. Gordon Gekko is wrong: greed is not good, it is a deadly sin.

But then, running a fair business for profit is not greed. The NT confirms the dictum of the OT: “Do not muzzle the ox that treads the grain.”

One thing you see in post-communist societies is that the worst excesses of capitalism are embraced: consumerism, affluenza, etc. Getting rich quick, not matter the cost, rather than work ethic, seems to be what is the dominate paradigm.

By: Isa Almisry

Isa Almisry — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:26:45 +0000

In reply to Fr. Gregory Jensen. I am not sure +Maximos is a good example, as the vignette you provide fits in with all accounts of his episcopal character (the same can be said of +Isaiah). The question is those bishops who seem to be inseparable from from the episcopal court.

By: George Michalopulos

George Michalopulos — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:27:14 +0000

Andrew, that's because those who belong to dhimmi churches ARE fatherless.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:14:17 +0000

In reply to Geo Michalopulos.

I think the real issue here is not the jovial moment but Coca Cola thing. Pope JP2 had many jovial moments even when he was riddled with illness but he never lent his authority to a corporation. JP2 could make you laugh but everyone knew he was a man who did the work the church and asked great things of his flock.

The issue here is Coca Cola. Why on earth do you have the successor of St. Andrew giving up a day to hang out with the folks at Coca Cola? No matter how nice the photo is, this does not look good.

The ministry of the EP is not about Green Patriarch, Coca Cola or Pepsi its about being a Father and serving.

I will say it again this whole visit of the EP makes the typical Orthodox Christian feel Fatherless.

By: Geo Michalopulos

Geo Michalopulos — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:35:34 +0000

Somehow, I could never imagine Patriach +Kirill or the Pope in such a predicament. I wouldn’t mind the “unseriousness” and self-deprecating frivolity of the event if this was par for the course for these two hierarchs. As we know, the EP takes himself WAY too seriously on matters having to do with “who shall be first.”

I agree with Andrew, if the EP had instead been a shepherd who was truly interested in his flock, he would have come over more often, visited without a script, told the GOA what they were doing right, what they needed to improve on and…preach the Gospel! He also would have said that as an archpastor, his goal was to see the Church grow and take root in all lands. This would mean that autocephalies would bloom everywhere, and yes, this means North America. Instead we see cheap tricks like this to try and ingratiate himself with –who?–the globalists? The common people?

No, I must be to differ. Bishops don’t have to speak to the little people in coffee shops (though there’s nothing wrong with that). They need to preach the Gospel wherever and whenever the opportunity arises. If that means a halfway house for drug addicts, so be it. But being concerned with matters of primacy is not what the Gospel is about.