Verified answer

The Pope doesn't want Christians, he wants Roman Catholics.

What makes you think that it is a natural process for religions to gradually fade into obscurity? The largest religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) have grown remarkably over time and have lasted several millenia - the Catholic Church is the oldest living institution in the world. In the 18th century many Enlightenment philosophers predicted the demise of Christianity, and in the centuries since then it increased in size by a factor of 50% (due to expansion in Africa and North & South America). Christianity is now expanding rapidly into E. Asia and most experts predict explosive growth. (Islam is expanding into Europe similarly.)

If the Pope is worried about Catholic profits, membership is a poor place to turn. If you look at the stats, Catholics tithe at a lower rate than any other religion - practically nothing. The Vatican (whose financial records are public knowledge) has been running in the red for decades, and only began gettting into the black about five years ago. Hardly a profit-making enterprise.

<<Did the pope encourage people to return to Christianity because he’s worried about a drop in Catholic profits?>>

No. The pope is encouraging a return to Christianity because he's concerned with the Salvation of those who have left Christianity.

<<That’s his only motivation as far as I can see.>>

Well, then you're not seeing very far.

<<I mean, it’s a natural process for religions to gradually fade into obscurity.>>

Not the Catholic Church - which has been around for 2,000 years and currently has more than one billion members - not indicative of a religion that is slowly fading into obscurity.

<<Science replaces superstition and fact replaces faith; the only reason people would oppose this is because of money, right?>>

Science does replace superstition, but that fact is irrelevant as Christianity has nothing to do with superstition. Christianity deals in the Truth. The Truth requires Faith - and Faith requires REASON, not superstition.

I oppose your theory, not out of some misguided love of money but because you're just plain wrong.

I would think that the Pope is concerned with their eternal salvation. What does the Pope need with money? He's not getting wealthy out of this. He lives in a tiny apartment in Vatican City. Also many of the leading scientists in the world are Catholic. Any Intelligent person would have to agree that without faith humanity cannot advance. You have to believe that certain things are going to be. Red lights mean stop right? Do you google your home every day from work or school to see if it's still there? That sounds like a waste of time to me. I believe that my house is still standing and that my kids are alive and well in school, and that God loves them. God loves you too.

The Pope and I are severly worried about the situation.POpe Benedict XVI has said that Europe has entered into an era of secularisim. The De-Christianisation of Christanity has led into Secularisim. where every religon is accepted.But Secularisim is not totally bad it encourgaes people to freely practice their own religon. But the evil part is that secularisim leads to the notion that all religons are accepted and paganism is good

Secularisim leads to the conclusion that there is no Truth in the world and that anything can be accepted as long they feel right and Relavtism Immunael Kant Philisophy which Pope Benedict XVI severly and heavily condeems

Christanity has long been the reason the Logus God who came as the Christ to set us free and to die on the Holy Cross for our sins.It has been also the reason why man can understand God's creation

Pope Benedict XVI says Christianity must return to its Christain roots to help us understand the very meaning of our Faith so that more people can acheived salvation in Jesus Christ our God in his Roman Catholic Church and to combat and compete against the rise of Islam which is increasing in Western Europe

Yours in Christ

No, the Pope is just following the same mission of the Church as he and his predecessors have for almost 2,000 years.

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Matthew 29:19-20)

The mission of the Church is to proclaim and establish the Kingdom of God begun by Jesus Christ among all peoples.

Your statement "it’s a natural process for religions to gradually fade into obscurity" is not supported by fact or science.

The facts clearly state that there are more religious believers living today than at any other time in the history.

Science does replace superstition but facts easily live side by side with both faith and reason.

"Truth cannot contradict truth."

-- Pope XIII in his encyclical Providentissimus Deus, 1893

With love in Christ.

Open your eyes and your heart to God's Grace.

If facts replace faith then the scientific hypothesis is dead as well. Hypothesis are made on faith. Jesus Christ, nor His Catholic Church need money to survive. Our 2000 year history proves this FACT without question. What other human organization has lasted as long? Name one.

End the bigotry. Investigate your Fears.

Discover Ultimate Truth.

This is a question from a childish mind. Even the reasoning of Religions fading away shows a lack of intellectual depth.

The catholic church is well known for putting money before God. That was the very reason Martin Luther left the church because the pope was telling people that he would forgive them of all they sins if they would pay him thousands of dollars and they would be at the front of the line for entering heaven.

The last five popes are disrespectable, to say the least.

So, possibly you are right. There was a great rift caused

by Vatican 2. They could not stand to lose a billion

people. So they "coaxed" them.

traditionalMASS.org

HUTTONGIBSON.org

gerrymatatics.org

The Robber Church, Patrick Henry Omlor.org

Nope.

Your question shows your lack of information about Catholicism. Catholicism has always pursued fact and reason, believing that both are crucial to faith.