A pope who really cares

By Deauwand Myers

Pope Francis visited Korea in the spring of 2014. As with his recent trip to the United States, a massive fanfare and news coverage accompanied his arrival.

The Catholic Church, recently buffeted by child sex abuse scandals, has emerged as a more appreciated institution because of Pope Francis's take on Christianity.

Pope Francis's popularity outshines all the popes in my lifetime, with the possible exception of Pope John Paul II.

The Catholic Church has much to answer for, not including legitimatizing brutal European imperialism in the Americas, Africa, and elsewhere, and relegating women to second-class congregants in the Church's hierarchy.

Yet, Pope Francis has put his focus on alleviating poverty, forgiveness, and inclusivity. His recent encyclical on climate change and his statements on the excesses of capitalism have been of particular import to those of the political classes, not least of who are American conservatives.

Pope Francis's message, put simply, is that the earth and its environment should be protected. Unfettered greed necessarily demands immorality, and trickle-down economics and the bifurcation of societies, where there are a wealthy few while many are impoverished, are clearly un-Christian. Further, hyper-excess in capitalism often leads to the erosion and eventual destruction of democracy.

Strangely, that our environment is worthy of preserving, if for no other reason than the survival of the human species, and that wealth disparities on levels not seen since the Gilded Age are not good, is controversial.

George Will, a famous climate change denier and conservative intellectual, wrote in a recent column that capitalism and fossil fuels helped lift millions out of poverty. This is true. Yet no environmentalist is asking the world to become poor or diminish our quality of life to save the planet. Renewable energy and alternative energy have proven to be profitable and feasible, while creating jobs that cannot be outsourced or computerized.

Even if one chooses (and believe me, it is a choice) not to believe the 99 percent of climate scientists who concur that this particular climate change event in Earth's long history is caused by human burning of fossil fuels, the toxifying of our earth, air, and water, and the attendant destruction of animals and plants thereof, will make our living on the planet increasingly tenuous. Clean water and air demand all the things combating climate change requires ― relegating fossil fuels to the ground, switching to renewable energies, and conserving and recycling more.

Trickle-down economics, supply-side theory, and the rest of these economic models have been proven wrong again and again. Giving more wealth to the wealthy does not spur economic growth. The American state of Kansas has had a full-blown experiment with conservative economics, and the results are in ― it is an unmitigated disaster. But if eight years under the horrible reign of global fool Bush II does not prove the folly of conservative economic ideology, nothing will.

Pope Francis, of all people, believes in evolution, science, and empirical data, while still believing in virgin births and Jesus as the Christ.

For those of us who are not religious, the continued debate on issues that empirical data and the scientific method have proven or disproven is maddening.

There is no viable political party in the world where majorities and pluralities of said party do not believe in science, maths, data, or anything the rest of the world has long understood to be fact. Sadly, the U.S. is unique in this regard.

Pope Francis's message, like most religions and humanists alike, is fairly simple. We ought to see the humanity and dignity in all people. Polluting the world is not good. People are to be treated with a modicum of respect and kindness.

Somehow, this is controversial.

Pope Francis, like U.S. demography, presages the end of one of the country's two great political parties. A party where vocal people at its core believe that Muslims cannot hold elected office, or that science and maths should be derided and dismissed, or that social justice issues are ''divisive" even to discuss, cannot survive much longer in the 21st century.

Conservatives all over the world, literally in every developed or developing democracy, but particularly in wealthy democracies, see things like evolution, preservation of our earth, universal healthcare, and the equalizing of the sexes as decided issues.

Korean conservatives, basically more business-friendly, social conservatives who believe in a diminished democracy, do not question science. There are no major political fights over whether climate change is being caused by human activity, or the veracity of how our species evolved.

And so, as we get closer to Christmas, Americans who actually believe in reality should be pleased. Our gift: the days of conservatives having any sway on national policy in the most consequential country are coming to an inexorable, immutable end.

When a spiritual leader believes in science more than political parties do, it is game over.

Deauwand Myers holds a master's degree in English literature and literary theory, and is an English professor outside Seoul. He can be reached at deauwand@hotmail.co m .