Arms Dealers, Traffickers are World’s Harbingers of Doomsday – Pope Francis
Probably feeling refreshed and well-rested after a 2-day absence from the job, Pope Francis blasted the corrupt, slave laborers, arms manufacturers and human traffickers during his general audience on Wednesday. He described people or institutions producing weapons of war are "merchants of death" and therefore the world's harbingers of doomsday.
"One day everything will come to an end and they will have to account for themselves before God," Pope Francis told the crowds gathered in St Peter's Square for his weekly general audience.
Those who manufacture weapons are not interested to learn or hear the word of God, Pope Francis said, because they "fabricate death, they are merchants of death and make death into a trade."
"They make a profit out of death."
Pope Francis likewise lashed out at those responsible for human trafficking and slave labour, and urged on all global families to safeguard "the dignity and possibility of a healthy upbringing" of all children in the world.
Read: Pope Francis Takes Day Off, Nothing Major Says Vatican, Just Tired, Advisers Keen on Doomsday Conspiracy Mill
On the same day, Pope Francis promoted the International Labor Organization's #RedCard campaign which is an appeal to the international community to help safeguard children from forced labour.
He asked the global communities to help "eradicate this scourge" as he held a bright red leaflet, which had, in Italian words, "All together against child labour."
June 12 is heralded as World Day Against Child Labour, a day which Pope Francis said "meant to call attention to the millions of children forced to work in degrading conditions, exposed to forms of slavery and exploitation, as well as abuse, maltreatment and discrimination."
"When a person lives in evil, when they blaspheme against God, when they exploit others, when they tyrannize, when they live only for money, or power or vanity or pride, then the holy fear of God alerts us: 'Be careful, with all this power, with all this money, with all your pride, and with all your vanity, you will not be happy!' No one can bring money or power or vanity or pride to the other side. We can only bring the love that God the Father gives us, God's caresses received by us with love, and we can bring what we've done for the others. Be careful not to put hope in money, pride, power, vanity; this promises us nothing."
