Pope says West's 'toxic materialism' is blighting Africa

~~[b]~~Pope says West's 'toxic materialism' is blighting Africa[/b]

The Pope compared the world's poorest continent, which he visited earlier this year, to a spiritual "lung" at risk of being attacked by what he called the viruses of materialism and religious fundamentalism, as he opened a synod of Roman Catholic bishops on Africa.

"There is absolutely no doubt that the so-called 'First' World has exported up to now and continues to export its spiritual toxic waste that contaminates the peoples of other continents, particularly those of Africa," he said.