Pope Denounces "Unregulated" Capitalism

In his New Year's Day address, yesterday Pope Ratzinger sat on his jewel-encrusted throne and denounced "selfish" capitalism.

Pope Benedict XVI has condemned "unregulated capitalism" for contributing to world tension, in a new year address to worshippers. The Pope also thanked the world's peacemakers and said humanity had "an innate vocation for peace". The Roman Catholic Church leader spoke at a Mass in the Vatican, then greeted a crowd outside St Peter's Basilica. He deplored "hotbeds of tension and conflict caused by growing instances of inequality between rich and poor". Those "hotbeds" also grew out of "the prevalence of a selfish and individualistic mindset which also finds expression in an unregulated financial capitalism", as well as "various forms of terrorism and crime", he said.

The reactions on Twitter have been amusing.