Very rarely the news brings me a laugh. This week’s laugh was the Vatican trying to get more followers on the Pope’s twitter page, by selling indulgences. LOL. I didn’t even know the Pope had a twitter, but sure enough @Pontifex is up there with the rest of us #JKN. But this news hit gave me something to blog about, so here it is … But first, let us go back a few years …
St. Peter’s Basilica is one of Rome’s oldest and most visited landmarks. It began renovation in the early 1500s’ and was consecrated over a 100 years later in 1626. It stands over 450 ft. high, crowned with a dome over 130 ft. wide. The widespread beauty of this monument was credited to its famous architects such as Michelangelo, Bramante, and Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola. How was such an ambitious project financed, you asked? What kingdom donated it’s wealth to put together one of Rome’s greatest projects? None, rather it was from the ragged pockets of the people who hoped to buy a few years off hell. Indeed, these were the great years of the Papacy, who could bring a concept that contradicted the teachings of Christ, yes a concept not even found in the Bible, and call it an aid to salvation. It’s worth mentioning that projects like St. Peter’s Basilica wasn’t the only thing the sincerity and naivety of the people financed …
But today, the Vatican is coming back with a new and trendy line of indulgences. What project does the Vatican want to put together? Fight world poverty you might ask? Perhaps a new monument? No, instead the Vatican wants to expand its social media, and hopes to sell the concept of indulgences to get a few more followers on twitter. Yes, as of today Pope Francis has a little over 2.5 million followers on twitter. Sure that’s a shy number compared to the other pop stars like 42 million for Justin Bieber, or 39 million for Lady Gaga. Even President Obama found his way in the +30 million list.
It’s sad to see the unbiblical concept of indulgences that should have been buried with the other embarrassing facts of the Vatican come out in this modern age. Indeed, in this present time “sola-scriptura” should be our only motto.
The just shall live by faith [not by indulgences] (Hebrews 10:38).
