Letter: Machan's column sophomoric at best

The July 27 Opinion page in the Appeal-Democrat included Tibor Machan's column "What's the Pope's problem with consumerism?" I salivated in anticipation. Tibor Machan, holder of the Hoiles Chair in Business Ethics and Free Enterprise at Chapman University; adviser to Freedom Communications, parent company of this newspaper, was crossing swords with the Pope.

Surely this was but the first salvo in a contest of wills not seen since Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church. I envisioned a series of erudite treatise in defense of the virtues of Capitalism and the inherent support for Consumerism in Christian theology. Alas, this was not to be. Tibor's arguments were largely sophomoric.

Tibor's quarrel with Pope Benedict stems from comments the Pope made on his recent Australian tour condemning "popular culture and consumerism." But Tibor's animosity has deeper roots in his childhood. He was once a Catholic, but the teachings of the Catholic Church, and most other churches, made him feel guilty.

Why, says Tibor, should we give up wishing to live prosperously rather than suffering like the churches teach us to do? Since Jesus was supposed to be both God and man, such suffering for him, says Tibor, couldn't possibly amount to what it does for an ordinary mortal. So why should a mortal human being seek to suffer?

Tibor may have his personal reasons for lashing out against the Roman Catholic Church, but what explains the Appeal-Democrat's attack?

The political cartoon side-by-side Tibor's column is headlined "Pope rejects consumer culture," and shows a sinister caricature of Pope Benedict surrounded by racks of ornate robes of office.

The pope, it would seem, does not practice what he preaches. True, the Pope is a political figure in some respects and thus fair game. But this is hitting below the belt.

Bill Fall

Olivehurst