Patriarch Kirill compares successful development of world economics to Orthodox Lent
Moscow, March 14, Interfax – Human civilization will further successfully develop if people are able to limit themselves, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia believes.
“Everything that happens today with climate, with people proves that we don’t develop correctly. I am aware that what I say now contradicts to what you say in Davos,” the Patriarch said at a meeting with participants in the Global Leaders Group of the World Economic Forum on Saturday in Moscow.
He also urged to think over the question “whether nine milliards of people” are able to live “for a long time” if they live as developed countries do and if the planet has resources “to make everyone live as in America or as people dream at Davos forum, including Russian economists whose eyes start glowing when they think how good it’s possible to live.”
The Patriarch is convinced that the Earth can’t exist under “permanent economic expansion, growing population, pressure on environment” and always increasing level of consumption – “it’s a false paradigm of development.”
He compared it to the Great Lent.
“We are fasting very strictly. When I say “we”, I rejoice that it is not only people who are regular church-goers but a very big percent of modern people in Russia. For example, meat consumption dramatically goes down (during the Lent – IF)” Patriarch Kirill said.
According to him, the discipline of Lent starts when “a person brings himself up, restricts himself and limits his needs.”
The Primate also touched upon the theme of socially responsible business and noted that during the recent world economic crisis “we’ve clearly seen the dangerous side of earning money.”
“If it’s possible to make money out of air, just speculating on exchange rate, selling debt commissions and other papers and there many such papers, then there’s a question: what money means? It is detached from real work and real values, but people receive big money and then once it clears out that economics is a puffed up balloon,” the Patriarch said.
“Today this topic has fallen silent. Big money was invested, real money was brought into economics and the discussion ceased. It will be very nice if it doesn’t stop in Skolkovo and at Davos Forum, Patriarch Kirill summed up.
