posted
He's France's most famous person for 14 years running - their equivalent to Mother Theresa, yet Americans have never heard of him.
I just read his book Fraternité, which unfortunately isn't available in English. It's amazing. It defines the ideologies behind the French motto "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité" in terms of world societies. Liberty unrestrained gives us free-market economies with no protection for the working class that leads to third-world poverty; Equality unrestrained leads to oppressive authoritarian "socialist" regimes. The only way to make Liberty and Equality work together is by instilling a sense of the third value - Brotherhood - in each person.
Abbé Pierre founded the society of Emmaüs - a secular organization that provides not ony shelter and care for the homeless, but gives them a job and a role to play in society. He organizes bicycle tours of Europe for inner-city teens who've never left their quarter. He promotes a radical solution to unemployment: the sharing of work hours, reduction of consumption and increase in volunteer work to counteract the idleness that leads to the crime and misery in poor areas.
Having been so inspired by his work, it is now my quest to educate as many Americans as I can about his ideals. So until I can translate Fraternité into English for you, feel free to ask any questions you like and give your opinions if you're familiar with his life and work.
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posted
He's really an amazing person. He's one of the most popular French and even now, at his age, he's fighting for everybody's rights to have something to eat and a place to sleep.
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posted
Hey, I worked a great deal with Emmaus in Italy-- we helped out on a farm that was run by mentally handicapped folks-- they do really good work.
And to think I was going to post something sarcastic on this thread.
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posted
Since it may prove difficult to actually do so soon AK, let's discuss his basic premise.
What do you all think of the idea that "Brotherhood" - genuine concern on the part of each individual for fellow human beings - is the only way to reconcile political, social, and economic differences? Is there a form of government that accomplishes this best? Are there concrete steps we can take to move closer to these ideals? What can we as individuals contribute?
Also interesting is his view on sharing work as an answer to inequality. In France, a law was recently passed limiting the national work week to 35 hours. Can this be realistically implemented to ameliorate inequality? And along with the sharing of work, he stresses the neccessity for reducing consumption. Can America ever really do this? Are we capable of "living simply that others may simply live?"
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quote:He stresses the neccessity for reducing consumption. Can America ever really do this? Are we capable of "living simply that others may simply live?"
I hope by making America the subject of your second question you didn't mean to imply that the US is the only country affected by consumerism.
From the most profound essay on Mormon theology OSC has written:
quote: Where is Zion? said the Lord, Yea, where is the people ready to receive me at my coming?
47. And the people of the church heard his voice, and repented.
48. They repented of their covetousness, and they brought their surplus to the Lord.
49. Those who had large houses gave them to those who had large families.
50. They were not ashamed to go down and live in small houses among the laborers and the poor.
51. And their children learned to despise the rewards of the world, and instead valued the rewards of the spirit, and so the rising generation was pure in heart, and not corrupted.
52. The bishops of the church were astonished at the great wealth that suddenly poured into their storehouses.
53. And they sent forth the money gathered in America so it could bless Saints all over the world, helping feed and clothe and educate a righteous generation.
54. And when the Saints discovered that all their brothers and sisters had their rightful portions of the wealth of the world, and none were hungry or naked or homeless, none were untrained or uneducated, and none were afraid or ashamed, they asked each other,
55. How did this happen? What made us change?
56. Then they realized that nothing had compelled them to change;
57. The Lord had given them no new commandment;
58. The Spirit of God had only invited them to live more fully the law they already had, and they answered with the righteous yearning of their own hearts.
59. Thus they became an ensign to all nations, for although none of them had wealth as the world measured it, they all had enough.
60. And that is the one thing which the covetous world can never have.
posted
Of course I'm not saying America is the only country affected by consumerism. But we are - something fierce. And being, mostly, American, I thought we would be best equipped to apply this train of thought to our own country.
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