‘But the lack of transparency doesn’t start and stop with funds. Even the election of a new Supreme
Pontiff can be as opaque as Russian democracy.’
WHY are many religious organizations so opaque when it comes to the matter of money?
I was baptized a Catholic, but honestly, it seems the Roman Catholic Church itself is the epitome of a religious organization that is far from being transparent about its finances.
To be fair, many other Christian sects are just as hazy when it comes to finances. In the Philippines, I am not sure if a member of the INC could get an accounting of the money collected from them every year. And that’s assuming he or she would have the courage to ask such a controversial question in the first place. I am also not aware if any of the charismatic communities share their financial information with members of their flock
Of non-Christian religions, I have no idea, but it’s the Christian ones that interest me anyway.
Especially because the Bible has many references to values related to the proper appreciation and use of money.
When an organization solicits funds from me but then refuses to account for them, why should I give? I can imagine being told, “Just keep your money, we don’t need it,” if I demand an accounting for the donation I will give. In which case, I would in turn say, “Why must I share what little I have with you when all you need to do is earnestly pray and, as you insist, God will provide!”
So many governments would love to be like the Catholic Church when it comes to hiding its finances, eggheads?
But the lack of transparency doesn’t start and stop with funds. Even the election of a new Supreme Pontiff can be as opaque as Russian democracy.
All we are told is this: wait for the smoke. And white smoke will indicate that the Holy Spirit has chosen one from among the cardinals in the Conclave.
(Actually, the Conclave can choose from outside the cardinals present and even choose me because the principal qualification is that the next Pope must be male, baptized a Catholic and willing to accept the role as successor to St Peter. There seems to be no age limit or academic qualification preferred. And this is why I would like to convey to the Conclave that I am taking myself out of the running so as not to be included in the shortlist.)
Once the door of the Sistine Chapel is shut, all we have to do (Christian or not) is to watch out for the white smoke. We will never know what happens inside unless some participant decides to publish a tell-all years from now.
We just have to accept what we are told: that the cardinals do not campaign among themselves (really?) or that the Holy Spirit makes its preference known – always the eventual winner (ha-ha) or that each elector prays a short prayer before casting his ballot (very plausible).
Otherwise, just like we are not told how much money is collected each year and how much is spent on the operations of the Church, and how much property the Church owns throughout the world. We are also not told how a leader is actually chosen. We just have to believe.
If you are a man of strong faith, who needs transparency?
