'Why is there so much war and violence?' Pope Francis speaks out against violence and greed

'[G]reed is driving world to ruin'

In an interview on Thursday in his apartment at the Vatican, Pope Francis told French magazine Paris Match he felt the world economic system was "unsustainable."

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - On Thursday, Pope Francis told the world that greed was the driving force behind society's ruin. He asked that every nation reject the "idolatry of money."
He continued, stating:

"Capitalism and profit are not diabolical if we don't turn them into idols. They are not if we just leave them as tools. Nevertheless, if money and profit at any price become the idols that we adore, and if greed is the basis of our social and economic system, then our societies are heading towards ruin.

Paris Match generally reports on celebrity lifestyles, billionaires, royals and other popular culture topics; however, it took a stand and presented the pontiff's claims, spreading the message to audiences that might not already listen to papal commentary. It also served as a wake-up call to its readers, particularly when Pope Francis moved onto poverty and the environment.

The pontiff believes the world climate change conference in Paris this December can help reverse the idea that "man and all creation" are in the "service of money." He continued, saying "humanity must renounce its adoration of money and instead put at its centre the person, the common good and future generations who will people the Earth after us."

Though he claimed Christians were realists, he said, "we cannot hide the obvious. The world (economic) system is unsustainable."

Pope Francis even touched on the wars in Syria and Iraq, saying the world had to act in the "face of the emergency," but should not forget to look to the causes of the conflicts and work to fix them. 

"Let's ask ourselves why there is so much war and violence," he said. "Let's not forget the hypocrisy of world powers who talk about peace but sell arms under the table."

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