Billionaire threatens charity donations if Pope continues support for the poor

[joeybee12]

Billionaire Ken Langone, the founder of Home Depot issued a warning to Pope Francis during an interview with CNBC which was published this past Monday. In the interview he said that wealthy people such as himself are feeling ostracized by the Pope’s messages in support of the poor, and might stop giving to charity if the Pope continues to make statements criticizing capitalism and income inequality.

Mr. Langone described the Pope's comments about a "culture of prosperity" as "exclusionary" statements that may make some of the rich "incapable of feeling compassion for the poor."

The billionaire, who’s a major donor to the Republican Party, is currently working with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, to raise $180 million for the restoration of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Langone said that he told the Archbishop about a wealthy donor who could give millions of dollars to the Cathedral project but was worried about the Pope's "exclusionary" remarks.

http://www.examiner.com/article/billionaire-threatens-charity-donations-if-pope-continues-support-for-the-poor

[exboyfil]

1. I might say the $180M

is doing a lot for the poor by restoring the cathedral (sarcasm).

[msongs]

3. glorification of the church's posessions trumps anything for poor people. Vatican, anyone? nt

[Cha]

57. Really.. but that's the kind of mindset rich idiots like ken langone have.

[hfojvt]

76. well the $180 million is

keeping some contractors employed.

But yeah, that really jumps out - charity?

[bklyncowgirl]

92. I wonder if they're required to use Home Depot materials on the cathedral.

...and no discounts please.

[exboyfil]

97. Good point

I would love to see the accounting on it. A large part of the tax exempt charitable trusts are a big scam. I got to think a book and a documentary movie is called for by some financial investigative journalist.

[geardaddy]

134. And they probably won't use union labor. n/t

[azureblue]

126. let's crunch numbers

The number of homeless who used city shelters is 53,615 in January 2014.

This is just those who use shelters. So let's just say that the total number of homeless in NYC is 75,000. He could give $2400 to every homeless person in the city, instead of pouring it into a monument of wretched excess.

[enough]

2. Jesus wept. (nt)

[jwirr]

62. Amen.

[JDPriestly]

71. Matthew 19:

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

The Pope is following Jesus' instruction. No more. No less.

Langone is not a Christian. It's quite clear. He doesn't necessarily have to give all his money to the poor. That's his decision. But he should not criticize the pope for talking about helping the poor and changing our system which creates so much poverty while making so many people so rich.

[azureblue]

124. Matthew 25: 41 - 47

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

[phil89]

127. So langone should sell his possessions

But the Vatican shouldn't? Mindlessness.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

130. Did you post that reply to the wrong comment?

I didn't see anything in the prior comment that said 'The Vatican shouldn't sell its possessions.'

[F4lconF16]

146. I think what was meant is that

JDPriestly said that the pope was doing everything right. By not asking the pope to give up all the valuables in the vatican, he is holding the pope and the billionaire to different standards. My guess is that the post was echoing feelings of annoyance towards the overly positive attitudes towards the new pope--he really isn't as wonderful as he seems, despite his rhetoric. I have to agree that it's hypocritical to call out the billionaire on one hand, and praise the pope on the other, when the pope has just as much that he could give the poor inside the Vatican but doesn't.

[JDPriestly]

149. Both should sell a lot of their possessions until the poor

are no longer living in such dire poverty as they are in so much of the world and the US. Today, we have democracy and all sorts of governmental and private organizations that can help the rich share their wealth with the poor.

There is no excuse for the attitude of Langone or the excessive wealth of the Catholic and certain other churches that claim to be Christian. On the other hand, neither Langone nor the Catholic Church (and other wealthy churches and religious leaders) need to be impoverished.

One of the marks of one who receives the guidance of God is the understanding of the importance of sharing wealth. That is what Jesus meant. The spiritually wealthy are generous in their hearts, minds and with their material goods.

Langone is not a Christian. He doesn't get the core message of Christianity. Sounds judgmental, but it is true

[sulphurdunn]

157. I'd be content

if the asshole paid the same 35% of his income in taxes that I pay, and the Church ponied up a bit too.

[sulphurdunn]

162. Hmmmm...

a Catholic layman making a veiled threat against the Church. Words like "heresy" "excommunication" and "Inquisition" come to mind. The Catholic Church is much bigger than this arrogant fuck. He will bow and kiss the ring for this. His "tithe" will increase. Count on it.

[FiveGoodMen]

113. We really need him to do a bit more than that to rein his followers in

[demigoddess]

116. I agree and I am

agnostic

[mysuzuki2]

4. Well, fuck him!

Really.

[2naSalit]

39. Zactly!!

Never found anything I needed at that lousy store anyway.

[lunasun]

5. Sick

Home Depot another store I avoid

[freshwest]

10. +1. Thanks goodness we still have some ACE hardware and Lowe's if in a crunch.

[lunasun]

16. Was just at my local Ace this weekend . Home Depot long known conservative founder

http://www.forbes.com/sites/briansolomon/2012/04/09/home-depot-co-founder-obama-re-election-will-cause-despair/

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1471997/posts
And as they ask pass this on!

[freshwest]

30. Oh, I know that about Home Depot, it's why I never shop there. But I am going to pass this on to

someone who recently started shopping there as it's closer and she thought it was cheaper. None of this will go over with her. Thanks for the links.

[Cartoonist]

118. My business instinct

So many on that list I never even heard of. Of the rest, I shop at less than 5% of them. That includes lower price stores like Home Depot and Wal-Mart, and I could use the savings.
McDonalds should be on that list. Boycotting MacD is not just good for your health, it's good for the country. I wonder if the paper intentionally left them off the list so as not to lose any ad revenue.

[SeattleVet]

148. That freeper list is from 2005...

they've bumped a lot of those over to their hate list once they started providing equal benefits or came out in support of marriage equality.

[spixxen]

96. Lowe's is owned by the Repubs, mostly.

[CatWoman]

98. are you sure about that?

[deurbano]

111. If this is accurate, it seems so:

http://shopyourpolitics.com/lowes.html

[TheBlackAdder]

147. It shows Rupert Murdoch's NewsCorp (FOX News) as leaning 58% towards Democrats. nt

[awoke_in_2003]

160. it pays to bribe politicians...

on both sides of the aisle.

[freshwest]

105. I know. In a crunch, I sad, ACE is local, but their owners may be, too.

It's the egregrious in your face GOP that aggravate so much.

[dotymed]

112. Lowes hates Unions also

unless they are purchasing material from them.
As a Union carpenter, i helped build and renovate most of the big name home improvement stores in the Indianapolis area.
Lowe's had their own, non-Union crews that traveled and built their stores.
Ironically, home depot, menards and others used Union workers to build their stores.
Honestly, when you have highly trained, well paid, organized trades people to do the job, you save money in the long run.

For the home depot idiot to equate rebuilding a cathedral to helping the poor, shows how out of touch with reality these billionaires are.
It was a "I'll take my ball and go home" threat. Wow, That is charity?

[northoftheborder]

21. sick sick sick

meant to echo post 5

[moondust]

6. Fuck Home Depot. n/t

[840high]

50. Shop Lowe's or Ace.

[GeorgeGist]

7. Sociopaths ...

who needs them?

[Scootaloo]

8. Wow, that's loathsome

I imagine the response will be this:

[MFM008]

9. ill never step in home despot again

period.

[elehhhhna]

11. douchebag on his way to helllllllllllllllllllllll

trying to buy this pope's silence. Asshole.

[madinmaryland]

12. $180 million going towards a fucking building. THAT is disgusting. Imagine the number

of people he could help with his charity with that amount of cash. Imagine if he actually paid the amount of taxes a person of his means should be paying.

IT'S A FUCKING CHURCH. Pay your fair share to society before donating to a fucking church.

Fuck him and all the douchebags like him.

[rurallib]

13. sounds like the Onion or a script from the Simpsons

what a pathetic human.
May he be buried with his fucking money so that not one dime goes to a poor person.
Miserly mother fucker.

[woodsprite]

72. Well, it is from the Examiner. They just posted that the CIA acknowledges Pres. O is a muslim.

Had it out with my SIL over that one.

[Jackpine Radical]

77. It seems to be a relatively old story. And not just the Examiner.

Here's a version from Salon last January:

http://www.salon.com/2014/01/04/rich_catholics_vs_the_pope_partner/

If anyone wonders whether Pope Francis has irritated wealthy conservatives with his courage and idealism, the latest outburst from Kenneth Langone left little doubt. Sounding both aggressive and whiny, the billionaire investor warned that he and his overprivileged friends might withhold their millions from church and charity unless the pontiff stops preaching against the excesses and cruelty of unleashed capitalism.

According to Langone, such criticism from the Holy See could ultimately hurt the sensitive feelings of the rich so badly that they become “incapable of feeling compassion for the poor.” He also said rich donors are already losing their enthusiasm for the restoration of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan — a very specific threat that he mentioned directly to Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York.

Langone is not only a leading fundraiser for church projects but a generous donor to hospitals, universities and cancer charities (often for programs and buildings named after him, in the style of today’s self-promoting philanthropists). Among the super-rich, he has many friends and associates who may share his excitable temperament.

While his ultimatum seems senseless — would a person of true faith stiff the church and the poor? — it may well be sincere. And Langone spends freely to promote his political and economic views, in the company of the Koch brothers and other Republican plutocrats.

[Heather MC]

91. It was so absurd I laughed when I first read it, hoping it was a joke.

SMH

[RandySF]

14. I would call $180m to restore a monument "charity".

I will never step inside a Home Depot again.

[LiberalFighter]

15. All the Pope needs to do is

excommunicate the dipshit and tell him that he is going to purgatory forever.

If he wants to allowed back in and not end up in purgatory....

[Moonwalk]

67. I'm a bit confused. If he's Catholic enough that excommunication would work...

...why threaten the pope? I mean, if you believe the pope has such power, wouldn't you avoid trying to blackmail him?

[xmas74]

69. Except that he seems to think that money trumps all.

He really seems to think that his money should be enough to give orders to the Pope. Good luck there, buddy.

[Moonwalk]

136. Well, then excommunication won't do a bit of good...he'll just think he can buy his way out.

He's a bit late for the good old days of Indulgences....

[xmas74]

165. Maybe he's trying to bring them back.

I'm sure there are a few that would love to do just that.

[Moonwalk]

169. I'm not altogether sure they ever went out of style....

A lot of money-making and donating Catholics, both ordained and not have been favored by the church, their transgressions confidently forgiven....

[Liberalynn]

103. He must think he can bribe Saint Peter

as easily as he can bribe politicians!

[heaven05]

110. Because money trumps

the vicar of god or at least that's what this POS thinks. I found out about home depots ownership a few years back. Never went back. Yet any large franchise owner, whether Lowes, Home Depot, Taco Bell, McDonalds, Wendy's ect is usually a repug. So can't win IF a person is forced to shop there by circumstance(s). If they have oodles of money, they are USUALLY repug.

[Half-Century Man]

17. Mr. Langone, have you considered fucking yourself?

That might help you through the pain your tiny heart causes your wallet. If this is not sufficient to help, I'd suggest another hobby, you only need two tons of clean beach sand, your own ass and a medium sized hammer.

[whereisjustice]

18. the rich continue to threaten us, how long are we going to put up with this shit before

we start fighting back?

[rickyhall]

47. They own the cops, the military and the nsa

When do we start?

[Volaris]

85. Publicly Funded Elections =)

[freshwest]

131. Or just showing up at the ones we have now. Posted a Sanders video. He sounded tired of the apathy.

Teabaggers show up for every election nationally and locally and they are winning through voting. Too bad their candidates and policies all stink. Someone posted this:



Another poster noted, that the list itself is the Tea Party platform. NO to all of those things.

Not voting leads to losing all these things. Publicly funding all elections is a great concept. It requires voting to elect those who will put it into effect. We did have something like that on IRS forms in the seventies during a time when progressives were prominent. Then along came Reagan...

[daleanime]

19. Beyond disguising.

[jberryhill]

31. some things are not easily disguised

[daleanime]

35. Damn spellcheck...

and my own laziness.





So I'll have to leave it.

[jberryhill]

38. .

[Historic NY]

20. The camel is going to have an easier time...

[nashville_brook]

22. I'm sure LOWE'S is glad for the business from Catholics

like myself.

[Moonwalk]

68. My thought exactly. There might be catholics who agree, but most will probably not like—-

—him insulting a popular pope. And given that the man's popularity goes outside his religion, this guy's may (we can only hope) see a serious drop in business. Dumb thing to say.

[bvf]

23. I couldn't get past

the idea of a billionaire feeling ostracized by the pope's comments on inequality.

Poor guy

[Fred Sanders]

24. Home Depot, time for us to say goodbye. My local lumber yard has better service anyways.

[malaise]

25. Hey Ken Langone

Go Cheney yourself!!!

[Oilwellian]

26. I haven't been in a Home Despot in years

This OP is a perfect example why.

[ballyhoo]

27. I was there yesterday, but never again.

[polly7]

28. Darn it! I used to like shopping there:(. nt.

[Mr.Bill]

29. Nothing like using your "charity" donations

as a tool to make threats and further your political agenda. How benevolent.

[RKP5637]

32. Yet another of my many "What the Fucks" each day. I had a list for Home Depot for

tomorrow. We'll load up at ACE or Lowe's instead.

[RKP5637]

33. Yet another example of what Greed and Excess Money does to one. n/t

[toby jo]

34. So let's see here…. if you holy guys make us guys who obviously feel no compassion for the poor, as

evidenced by income inequality, then we just may respond with no compassion for the poor.

Yeah, Kenny boy, I think you've got em by the balls now.

[20score]

36. What a degenerate, pussified, repugnant, detestable piece of shit.

There are so many things wrong with this douche-bag, it's hard to know where to start. But I'll try by not adding to his wealth by even a penny.

How could anyone whine that much still function in a society?

[paulkienitz]

119. just curious

but how do you get "pussified" as an adjective for this greedy asswipe, whose high-handedness to me sounds rather masculine?

[Ino]

132. There's just no better way to insult someone...

than to equate him/her with things female.

Also notice the "douche-bag" ... a double-whammy!

[no_hypocrisy]

37. Stupid.

1) He's hurting The Church, not the Pope by withholding charitable donations.
2) He's risking damnation after death (if he truly believes), perhaps will cohabitate in the Inferno with Judas, Brutus, and Cassius.
3) If he wants to make the rules, let him leave Home Depot, take his vows, become a priest, become a bishop, become a cardinal, and then let the Conclave elect HIM Pope.

[L0oniX]

40. Charity for power ...that's what I expect from the 1%.

After they have way more money than they need they turn to power manipulation.

The real war: People over profit!

[leanforward]

41. It's difficult to title this.

The day after 9/11, there was a Home Depot trailer on the Pentagon site with 2X4's for rescue/recovery efforts. You couldn't miss that trailer when you crested the I-395 hill overlooking the Pentagon. You couldn't miss the smell, either. I thought "wow". I've been a customer (fan) ever since.

He's lost a customer. You leave the Pope alone. BTW, I'm not a catholic, and I haven't been to church in years. I like this Pope, he's a progressive. Makes me think of the CEO or whatever for Chick-fil-A (sp). He has recanted his position on LGBT. It was here on DU where I found out the circumstances of his change.

The guy is a billionaire, and he is attacking the leading spokesman for the poor.

Maybe there'll be business cost. Anyone else want to join in?

Likewise, I'll change my position if in my general reading from other sources, that he has changed his position. Action, action, action, not words from a press release that he is reconsidering his statement. He has to put money where his mouth is. I trust multiple sources of information.

[navarth]

42. HOME DESPOT

should never get any money from any of us. eom.

[Ilsa]

65. Oh, that's good! nt

[Lint Head]

43. Screw this arrogant asshole.

He hates the poor.

[MADem]

44. That asshole better not try pressuring old Frank. He may be from South America, but his heritage

is ITALIAN. You don't bully an Italian man.

It would serve this jerk right if old Pope Frankie put bunkbeds in Saint Pat's and turned it into a homeless shelter!

Call it the "Pray for the Shriveled Soul of Ken Langone Homeless Depot" and see how he likes those apples.

[theHandpuppet]

45. Home Depot and Cardinal Dolan

Now there's a match made in hell.

[rpannier]

46. Yep just like what Jesus said

Hold thine donations for the poor and underprivileged if thine feels slighted.
For thine is the kingdom of heaven where you will be anointed in holy oils, bathed in heavenly bath salts and have myrrh smeared on thy gums for taking such a bold and brave stand

[ybbor]

48. This story is 8 months old

While this story is shitty, I wish you all had seen it when it came through in December.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024257072

Could have kept the money out of the poor whittle billionaire's pockets sooner.

I guess it is good to keep reminding the peeps.

[jwirr]

66. I guess that we have the Pope's answer then as he did not stop speaking up for the poor. Good for

him.

[SoapBox]

49. What a stupid fuck.

...some kind of brass, Asshole.

[rustydog]

51. How DARE the Pope speak the words of our Lord Jesus Christ!

HOW DARE HE. He probably supports the 47% as well....loser.

[mackerel]

52. I'm starting to wonder if these 1% are trying to get minority status.

[stevenleser]

53. This is why, despite all the change that still needs to come in the catholic church and office of

the pope, I am pleased at the differences from this Pope and I think he is moving the needle in the right direction on economic issues or at least making those who are in the wrong, nervous.

[weissmam]

54. wow

and ass giving money to a crook, what a joke. Just like the rest of the RCC

[JohnnyRingo]

55. Maybe he's gunning for a Nobel Prize

He's a regular Mother Freakin' Theresa.

Is there a right wing Peace Prize that recognizes trickle down charity where the nominees donate to corporations and conservative think tanks and hope 1% of it gets to food banks? Bravo.

[Cha]

56. Yep, Ken Langone is still being a whiny ratfucker. Will the Pope capitulate?

[Blue Owl]

58. More Doing*

*Only if Home Depot grubs some of your hard-earned money first

[Beartracks]

59. If the Pope's remarks hurt your feelings and make you "incapable" of feeling compassion...

... for the poor, then was compassion really much of a motivator for your charitable donations in the first place?

=====================

[PeaceNikki]

159. He wasn't giving to the poor, he's threatening to withhold $180 million for a CATHEDRAL.

[Beartracks]

166. Whoops, my misunderstanding then. But...

... if a m/billionaire ever threatens to withhold charity from the poor because, say, the tax breaks aren't high enough, I've got the response!

:wave:

=================

[blkmusclmachine]

60. Guess what the greedy Church will do!

[jeff47]

61. So he's arguing that the pope not kissing his ass

will make rich people send themselves to hell.

.....where's the downside?

[whereisjustice]

63. Langone comapres critics of the 1% with Nazis

Ken Langone, the big-spending Home Depot billionaire and ally of Charles and David Koch, clumsily defended his March 2014 comments comparing populist criticism of the 1 percent with the rise of Nazi Germany, in an interview with Capital New York published this week.

Langone, a regular attendee of the twice-yearly secret strategy sessions for the mega rich organized by Charles and David Koch, has been speaking publicly of his concerns for the continued success of the richest Americans.

"We're being strangled by regulation," Langone told a conference of hedge fund managers in Las Vegas in mid May, as reported by CNN. "You're in the 1%, there's nothing wrong with that," he continued. "You can do so much more with money than pay your taxes."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nick-surgey/ken-langone_b_5353690.html

[marked50]

64. The more publicity this gets -the better

Expose the underbelly of the "Conservative Capitalist" wherever it exists-

[avebury]

70. Ken Langone has obviously totally missed the

point of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

[ReRe]

73. Hey, I'm still boycotting Home Depot since...

... when, 2008? Don't know if it was this po wittle rich man, or a CEO of Home Depot.. but he was telling everyone to not vote for Obama. Anyways, I haven't shopped there since. And fuck Langone. I have heard arrogance like this before, and seen karma catch up to them too.

[SunSeeker]

74. I love my local Ace. And if they don't have what I need, I go to Lowe's.

I find Ace Hardware and Lowes to be just as low priced as Home Depot, but their employees don't look beat up and exhausted like the people working at Home Depot.

Langone's evil permeates the whole enterprise.

[dionysus]

167. the one ACE we had here was tiny and closed. our mega grocery store, wegmans, used to have a home

type store next to all of their large stores; chase pitkins.

they seemed to be doing good business, but they shut down all the chase stores several year ago. I had much preferred them to lowes or home depot. plus, you could do your grocery shopping at the same time as the grocery store was right next door...

[SunSeeker]

170. You can always buy from the Ace Hardware website.

I like to do that since delivery is free to my local store. I bought a bunch of lawn chairs that way. There's a lot of stuff they only carry on their website. The coolest thing I got from the Ace website was this indoor mosquito trap called the Stinger. It attracts them with what looks like a blacklight bulb, then sucks them into a little tray. You just plug it in and it does the rest. It really works and only cost around $30.

[dionysus]

171. cool. thanks.

[Recursion]

75. He should check out what Francis's boss said about rich people

He might be in for a surprise...

[defacto7]

78. K & R

It's already been said in the comments.

[Rex]

79. It's good to be the king.

[applegrove]

80. ***hole. Why would his word be more important under the church, under god, than

one of the poor people the pope is talking about?

[Initech]

81. Oh go cry me a river Ken.

[BainsBane]

82. What a narcissist.

[daredtowork]

83. ROFL! Ken Langone is SO GOING TO BURN IN HELL! :O

Billionaire challenges the Pope's Infallible Sacred Authority? There are some things good Catholics just don't do! You don't tell the Pope the Earth is moving around the sun when the Pope says the Earth is the center of the universe, you don't say that the Church is ready for female priests, and you don't challenge the Pope when he follow the example of Jesus and pass around the bread and fishes!

A. The Pope isn't fallible. He hasn't been since 1870.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_infallibility

B. Threatening to pull charitable donations is the same thing as saying those donations were a bribe in the first place and the Church is a corrupt institution, there to do the bidding of the rich elite just like, say, the American Congress.

In this smackdown, the Pope is so going to win.

And when we say ooooooooooh, burn! It actually does mean burn in Hell!

[alp227]

84. 8 month old news

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ken-langone-pope-francis

[Eugenian]

86. Nice cathedral restoration project you got there, Padre.

Pity if somethin' were to happen to it.

[DallasNE]

87. Langone Likes To Play Hardball

So will the Cardinals, lead by Cardinal Dolan, attempt to oust Pope Francis and throw the Catholic Church into turmoil?

And can a boycott of Home Depot be far behind.

[MrScorpio]

88. Let me say in no uncertain terms, Ken Langone is an asshole

Touchy, greed-filled, paranoid motherfucker, suffering from delusions of grandeur.

Fuck him.

[Roland99]

89. Let me see if I have this straight...

So, if the Pope continues to bring to light the plight experienced by the poor in this day and age of immense income/wealth inequality not seen in 90 some-odd years, then this uber-wealthy asshat prick of a douchebag is going to have additional problems trying to find compassion for the poor????

[Buns_of_Fire]

90. Let's play a quick word-association game:

"Hot." "Cold."
"Salt." "Pepper."
"Up." "Down."
"Ken Langone." "Fava beans and a nice chianti."

[catbyte]

93. Boo freaking hoo. There's nothing more disgusting than a whiny billionaire. I will

NEVER set foot in a Home Depot again.

Cretin.

[Enthusiast]

94. Ken Langone, go fuck yourself.

[DiverDave]

95. This douche thinks he is big enough to threaten gods

mouthpiece on earth?
I wouldn't want to stand so close to this idiot, just in case there really is a god.

[Hosnon]

99. Oh, go fuck yourself. This is the most ridiculous thing to ever come out of a rich man's mouth. nt.

[olegramps]

100. When will the victims of the 1 per centers finally rebel ?

Far too many of these billionaires have gotten rich by paying desperate workers unjust wages. The riches that they have gained by cheating their employees justifies confiscation and jail terms for racketeering. I find them no different than the mafia that used extortion and intimidation to enrich themselves. The ultra-wealthy conspire to rig elections, opposed minimum wages and health care, suppress the vote, gerrymander districts and totally disenfranchise the working class by destroying unions. The French solution has a certain appeal.

[still_one]

101. No surprise from that ass. I also do not believe this pope will accommodate him

Would not be so confident about the pope's predecessor's though

[Liberalynn]

102. What a cretin!

[raven mad]

104. Aha! Another (non)Christian.

So much for family values and the teachings of Jesus Christ, eh?

[moondust]

106. The system that turned this POS into a "big success"

is itself a POS: amoral corporatism.

[J_J_]

107. nt

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

139. Good one

[heaven05]

108. that's to be expected from

someone who can't be bothered with the poor. actually he is the poor of the poor. He just doesn't know it, yet. POS capitalist whose money is more important than human life. May he find his reward in heaven.....NOT!!!!!

[LeftishBrit]

109. Even as a non-religious person, something about camels and needles' eyes comes to mind

[99th_Monkey]

141. Not to mention Jesus angrily chasing the money-changers out of the temple.

Mr. Langone apparently longs for "the good old days" when the wealthy could buy "indulgences".

[raouldukelives]

114. I gotta find that Bible they all seem to read.

Nothing they do. Not a thing. Matches the words that are written in mine. It almost seems like they are intentionally trying to accomplish the opposite for they are quite successful at it.

[valerief]

115. The pope works for the billionaires and is not--NOT--supposed to ever go off message. nt

[silvershadow]

117. No more Home Depot for me. nt

[silvershadow]

120. I just commented on Home Depot's Facebook page. I would suggest others join me. nt

[Trillo]

121. Well, it certainly explains Christianity's love affair with prosperity.

Not just prosperity, but extreme prosperity.

[blackspade]

122. "...that may make some of the rich "incapable of feeling compassion for the poor."

too late.

the 1% have no compassion but they still believe that they are Christians...what a fucking joke.
They are immoral parasites of society.

[Taitertots]

123. Pope: "tithe at least 10% or get excommunicated "

[MynameisBlarney]

125. Oh FFS!!!

What a flaming douchehammer!

[Third Doctor]

128. I'll never buy from a Home Depot again.

[leftyohiolib]

129. i believe this is old news

[ck4829]

133. Charity is about altruism not adoration

When you give to charity, expecting reciprocity even in the form of positive press, then that is not charity, just a PR stunt.

I don't tweet it every time I give some change to a homeless person, maybe I should, maybe I should get mad because I didn't have people singing my praises back when I volunteered at a food pantry. But then again, I'm not a part of that culture of prosperity (for some) that Langone is clearly in the heart of.

[geardaddy]

135. My friend calls it "Homeless and Desperate"

Because of all the folks who lost their jobs in other industries who work there for minimum wage and get little training on working in a hardware store.

[Veilex]

137. If the shoe fits...

[Nuh Uh]

140. January 2014??

This is a little dated to bring up now don't you think?

[Stuart G]

161. Yes, this was here in DU when it was first discussed in January

Does this need to be rebooted?..not new...

[grahamhgreen]

142. Boycott Home Depot. At least, only buy their loss peaders.

[rocktivity]

143. And now for something completely -- coincidential?

Home Depot Looking Into Credit Card Hack

The retail and home improvement giant admitted Tuesday morning that it's looking into a possible breach, first noticed by banks...

P.S. The Vactican hasn't got $180 million to spare? And shouldn't they the spending it on people who need it more?


rocktivity

[Plucketeer]

144. Gotta be tough....

Wanting to have a toe-hold in both heavens! Sorry, Ken. Jesus is not smiling upon you. Remember the needle eye and that fat-ass camel? I'm an atheist and even I can understand the message you do not!

[lame54]

145. "If this pope keeps talking about me being heartless I'm going to prove it."

[W T F]

150. Wonder if the Pope will call for a boycott of Home Depot by the World"s Catholics?

[sdfernando]

151. 3 words...camel, needle, eye....that is all /nt

[liberalmuse]

152. Some rich people should be dropped in a volcano.

I'm sick of their whining and garish displays of wealth with the full knowledge of how hard it is for the average person to survive. Seriously, STFU. I don't condone bloody revolution, but I'm beginning to understand why people were driven to it.

[jberryhill]

153. Polluting a delicate ecosystem like a volcano?

[liberalmuse]

154. I didn't mention which planet...

[bigtonka]

155. This is a sick, greedy man

unfortunately, there are a lot of them around

[copperearth]

156. Just saw in NY Times that ...

Home Depot may have been the victim of hackers into their computer systems. Couldn't happen to a better target!

[Docross]

158. Threatening the Pope?

Did I get that right? I'm not a Catholic, but I'd be watching my KARMA.

[wolfie001]

163. He should keep his lucre and pay his damn taxes the nasty twit. nt

[lululu]

164. another asshole who has no idea what the word Christian means

I deeply regret ever buying anything at Home Depot.

[lonestarnot]

168. Popie should send him some bedbugs and tell him to keep his ill gotten dough where the sun doesn't

shine. Oh and I'll never buy another fucking thing in HOme depottie