Arguably the richest entity on Earth is the Roman Catholic Church. Adherents dispute the claim, saying His Holiness cannot, for example, direct Notre Dame University what it should do with its wealth, but that’s slicing the communion wafer pretty thin. What can’t be disputed is the massive display of art, artifacts and architecture on view in the Vatican and in so many RC palaces around the world. Such ostentation would have outraged its founder, an impoverished Jewish carpenter from the destitute Aramean town of Nazareth, a man whose historical antecedents are found in Bronze Age tales, notably the Epic of Gilgamesh. Before we go further, I want to say I’m happy so many millions take solace in this or any religion. That is fine by me. What I can’t countenance is the manifest hypocrisy the Church practices every moment of every day. It is breathtaking in its scope and I provide three examples.
© 2024 John Oliver
Substack is the home for great culture