Western materialism corrupts Africa: Pope

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict opened a synod of Roman Catholic bishops on Africa by denouncing the Wests materialism and lack of moral values, which he said were contaminating the worlds poorest continent like toxic waste.
In his homily, the Pope compared Africa, 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.
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 people of other continents, particularly those of Africa, he said.
In this sense colonialism, which is over at a political level, has never really entirely come to an end.
Lamenting the exploitation of Africas vast resources, the Pope also spoke out against religious fundamentalism, which he said was mixed with political and economic interests.
Groups who follow various religious creeds are spreading throughout the continent of Africa ...teaching and practicing not love and respect for freedom, but intolerance and violence.