Mexican bishop: Trump’s economic views contradict Christian faith
February 03, 2017
Bishop Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel of San Cristóbal de Las Casas said that President Donald Trump’s “cares most about business, money, and economics,” which is in “contradiction with the Christian faith.”
“Jesus Christ has told us that money cannot be our god, and therefore, the ultimate criterion for making decisions cannot be economic,” the prelate said in a reflection posted on the website of the Mexican Episcopal Conference. “Jesus Christ teaches us love for the poor, solidarity with the needy, help for the migrants.”
“Our people migrate for economic necessity, not for pleasure,” he added. “No wall will prevent the poor from trying to get into the United States.” Migrants benefit the American economy, he said, because they do the jobs that Americans do not want to do.
The prelate called for food self-sufficiency through the promotion of non-GMO local agriculture and also called for the poor to seek work elsewhere in Mexico rather than in the United States.
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Posted by: FredC -
Feb. 04, 2017 3:18 PM ET USA
Bishops, and perhaps the pope, need to have some advisors who see the good of capitalism. They think only of crony capitalism and laissez-faire capitalism. They seem to heed the word of socialists only. They seem to ignore how the poor have done in capitalist countries as compared to how the poor have done in socialist countries.
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Posted by: dover beachcomber -
Feb. 04, 2017 1:42 PM ET USA
Bp. Esquivel does well to urge Mexico's poor to seek work in their own country—which is what the President wants, too. Other than that, the bishop's approach is off-target. Our economic freedom is what makes the jobs his flock can't find in their corrupt socialist-lite homeland.
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Posted by: bernie4871 -
Feb. 04, 2017 9:54 AM ET USA
The Bishop seems to forget that Mexico is one of the better developed countries in the world and that one of his own peers has criticized his country's policies for not bringing its poorer citizens into a broader middle class. Leaders of Nations take on responsibility for their own people.
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Posted by: unum -
Feb. 04, 2017 8:49 AM ET USA
The good bishop tells us that he knows what President Trump cares most about, but doesn't provide even a clue about how he knows that. Then he goes on to blame the U.S. for increasing Mexico's economic problems without a word on what Mexico's corrupt government must do to help their economy and their poor. All in all, the bishop provides an insight into the failings of the Church in Mexico and its record of blaming others instead of taking action to improve the lot of the poor.
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Posted by: [email protected] -
Feb. 03, 2017 8:49 PM ET USA
This Bishop needs to study economics and realize good economics will help create jobs which helps the poor. Using religion to attack Trump especially when from Mexico is a mistake. Economically Mexico needs to get its actually together. Get rid of its corruption. Might be a good start.
