Pope Benedict the somethingth

As I type this George Bush is on the news licking ass. I totally agree with Peace-Phoenix, this Pope can be of no benefit to the world. He is an academic with no knowledge of real life problems, hopefully he is simply a caretaker Pope. If we must have a Pope I vote Father Aidan who's just left our town. A young, funny, liberal guy,and I'm an atheist.

 

This doesn't seem like a realistic possibility ... when you have backwards ideology so ingrained in an institution what you need is to destroy the institution. The church is anti-liberal by nature, it's anti-thought, anti-tolerance, pro-prejudice, pro-ignorance and superstition. Anyone who thinks the church needs reforming to fit with our times has missed the point. You can't be part of the church, subscribe to its doctrine, and be a civilised member of a liberal society. Catholic reformers might mean well, but they are doomed to failure - they need to recognise what a scourge this institution is and reject it totally if they really want to participate in a progressive society.

 

Absolutely. Look what's happened to the anglican church. It can't decide whether to be liberal or conservative in its doctrine. On the one hand, if it remains conservative, it risks alienating itself from the modern world and consigning itself to the footnotes of history. On the other hand, by becoming increasingly liberal it risks losing the very identity that defines the christian faith. Result? A church in danger of fracture and disintegration. Shame, huh?

 

Which church are you talking about here? Catholic? Or just in general?

 

Well I was thinking about Catholicism, but I think any fundamentalist faith pretty much fits that model.

 

Hmm ok... so apparently I know a lot of intolerant, prejudiced, ignorant, superstitious uncivilised people... Wonder how I never noticed that...
I must be one of them myself then!

 

Ha ha! Dick means in german fat!
I rally hoped for an african pope, because he would have a different view about condoms when he is from a country were a lot of people suffer from AIDS.

 

perhpas the people who chose him thought "hmmm he's old giv him a chance before he dies...what a clean old man."....well i hope so or the cardinal dudesa re not right in the head...he was a member of hitler youth for crying out loud.....

 

Obviously I agree. Strangely enough, however, there are still some 1.1 billion nutters who follow the Catholic faith. Given that they're not about to drop their religion overnight and choose progressive secular athiesm as a way forward, we can only hope for the best of a bad situation. The bad situation is that we have Catholicism in the first place. And the best possible outcome, for damage limitation, would be a more liberal Pope who does not preach anti-condom messages and help spread AIDS in Africa and Latin America....

 

Actually no, largely Catholics in the third world tend to be a lot more conservative, anti-abortion, homophobic and anti-condoms and sex education than European Catholics. There are a few exceptions, such as Desmond Tutu, who I have a lot of respect for, if only he could have become pope! Many Africans were very supportive of the most conservative candidates, whilst it was the Europeans who wanted a more liberal approach. Most of the bishops in Germany opposed Bennedict's election. The same is true of the Anglican church. Whilst a significant number of Anglican's in Britain supported the appointment of a gay bishop, the move was strongly opposed in Africa, and threatened to split the church in two....

 

In an age where it was required. Membership to the Hitler Youth was compulsory from 1938. Even then, according to certain sources, he was an unenthusiastic member.

I'm also sure I read somewhere that he deserted the German army during the final weeks of the war.

 

That's just a rumour. Nothing was ever proven!

 

I don't think many people in Germany had much choice at the time. I wouldn't say he was a Nazi, any more than Michael Howard is a Nazi, but he certainly is a cuntservative! Interestingly, I posted several years ago about the most likely next pope having been a member of the Hitler youth. I think that was in the Gay forum, defending them from homophobic Catholicism. But none of the Catholics there were having any of it. If only the old forums were still around, I could go back there and say I told you so!

 

you know thats a good point...it just adds to the list though....lol

 

haha u shud do it now...in huuuuge letters... I TOLD U SO...well.... PEACEPHOENIX TOLD U SO.....MWAH HAHAHA

 

Is this the first official fanclub of "The Sun"?
Or is it just the application platform for its authors?

Oh, I really enjoy reading that anticontinental stuff.

 

Ah come on Green Shades, we're trying to discuss this seriously, surely it can't sound as bad as an article from The Sun?

We;ve managed to discuss this without it insulting any major religion

Oh, wait.


Well, we've managed to discuss a German fellow with no mention of Hitler or the war along the way.

Oh, wait.


Well, we've managed to get this far without making fun of his name and suggesting a better Pope based on a play on words involving his name.

Oh, wait.


Well, we've managed to discuss the Catholic faith with no mention of lewd acts involving choir bo...oh, wait.


Wow, maybe you're right, we do seem a little bit like The Sun. What's even worse is, it took a Frenchman to point it out to OH, WAI...

 

(quote)
Actually no, largely Catholics in the third world tend to be a lot more conservative, anti-abortion, homophobic and anti-condoms and sex education than European Catholics. There are a few exceptions, such as Desmond Tutu, who I have a lot of respect for, if only he could have become pope! Many Africans were very supportive of the most conservative candidates, whilst it was the Europeans who wanted a more liberal approach. Most of the bishops in Germany opposed Bennedict's election. The same is true of the Anglican church. Whilst a significant number of Anglican's in Britain supported the appointment of a gay bishop, the move was strongly opposed in Africa, and threatened to split the church in two....
(end quote)

Very true. In fact, the US church have had to apologize, and they're almost excommunicated; they're not allowed to sit on various comittees of the Church. It really is naive to suggest that these fellows in Africa with AIDS would be healthy if it weren't for the Catholic Church. They choose to be catholic, and then choose to be promiscuous. Condoms aren't the cure for AIDS; having sex with only one partner is.

 

um dude he is one old dude i guess those romans like when ppl die on TV and stuff they have always been pretty big on ritualistic public deaths

 

(quote)
Absolutely. Look what's happened to the anglican church. It can't decide whether to be liberal or conservative in its doctrine. On the one hand, if it remains conservative, it risks alienating itself from the modern world and consigning itself to the footnotes of history. On the other hand, by becoming increasingly liberal it risks losing the very identity that defines the christian faith. Result? A church in danger of fracture and disintegration. Shame, huh?
(end quote)

I'd disagree. The anglican church, as you rightly observe, has been torn between liberalism and biblical morality. As a result, its followers aren't sure what they stand for, and the church is doing very badly. On the other hand, the Catholic church has stuck to its guns, and is (still?) the fastest-growing church. I think people respect them for standing up for what they beleive in, and not succumbing to modern moral relativism.