I don't know much about Pope Ben. He looks scary, though. Pope JP looked like everyone's Grandfather, to me at least. I hope Pope Ben has a good stylist/image consultant. I'm thinking ditch the Popemoblie for a Popecopter, too.
I don't know much about Pope Ben. He looks scary, though. Pope JP looked like everyone's Grandfather, to me at least. I hope Pope Ben has a good stylist/image consultant. I'm thinking ditch the Popemoblie for a Popecopter, too.
noname -- It's happened before! Not too long ago either, I think. Maybe before John Paul II. Cuchulainn seems to be pretty learned on the subject, he might know.
The Pope doesn't need to be "liberal" or "conservative". The Pope needs to strictly follow the doctrines of the Bible. Birth control among married couples is one thing, but things like homosexuality, the scandals with priests molesting children, etc.--"liberal" and "conservative" doesn't matter in these situations, only "Biblical".
I agree, but when it comes to homosexuality, it seems as if this Benedict guy is passing judgement on them, when it is obviously not his place to do so.Birth control among married couples is one thing, but things like homosexuality, the scandals with priests molesting children, etc.--"liberal" and "conservative" doesn't matter in these situations, only "Biblical".
Also, I think that any moronic priest who molests a child should be excomunicated, no questions asked.
Also, one last thing. I really didn't like it when I read that this guy suggested that politicians who supported abortion be denied communion. Now what the smurf? Maybe they are taking the wrong stance, but to deny them the body of Christ, as they call it? Again, it seems to me like they are passing judgement on people by doing this, and that is not thier place. Religion shouldn't turn people away, that's Gods job, and only Gods job.
I don't expect him to change the doctrine, but it's the supressing of debate on the subject that I don't like. So long as they keep pretending these issues don't exist, they are only going to drive people away from the church.
As nik0tine said, it's not that he is "biblical", it's that he is a damn dogmatic bastard. You can follow the Bible without being a authoritarian fundamentalist asshole, and well, it seems like it's not his case.
Well, just another one that will be condeming condoms and condoning condemnations. Good thing he's 79.
The Pope supports refusing Communion to people who support such a non-Biblical subject as the murder of an unborn child. That's a bad thing? In every Communion I've ever received, the priest/preacher/pastor/etc. tells the congregation beforehand that they shouldn't partake in the Communion if they have sins weighing upon them--whether they be simply not a Christian, or if they haven't confessed some sins (not just to a priest in a booth, I mean to God), or whatever. If the Church sees abortion, or supporting abortion, as a sin (and it should, considering that the Bible sees abortion as a sin), then it's not just accepted, it's expected that they turn away those people. That doesn't mean that they're turning away their forgiveness, just Communion, which isn't necessary in forgiveness.
I believe that priests who molest children should be shot...but since obviously that's not an acceptable solution, excommunication is the least of it. I also believe, however, that there should be criminal charges brought upon those priests.
And you can stop saying "good thing he's so old, that means he'll die soon". That's a little cruel, wouldn't you say?
Indeed it has, most recent is Pope John Paul I who's tenure lasted a month before he died of a heartattack. He was a great man who promised a lot & his tenure was all to short.Originally Posted by Sasquatch
Regarding Homosexuality & abortion. Whilst the Catholic church believes homosexuality is wrong the DO NOT judge people by it, and the church has always opened it's arms to those who seek guidance. Whilst they are against it, it's certainly not a 'you're going to burn in hell' stance anymore. Abortion is a different matter, they believe life is life and it is no man or woman's place to take it. Whilst you may disagree with that stance you are in no place to call what they believe wrong, there IS no wrong or right on this subject & there never will be, the pros & cons are in equal balance.
You need to remember, as I've stated before, the Pope needs to live by his faith and it is not solely up to him alone to change the most important and original Christian faith. There are about 20 Cleric's in the Vatican that basically have the say. The Pope is a figurehead & your disagrements with the religion cannot always be blamed on one man.
About the child molestation, this subject is annoying. The percentage of child molestation committed by Clerics is 1%. That leaves 99% of people of other vocations who don't get that label. While it is still 1% too much we need to realise that demonising the Priesthood for this is pathetically narrowminded. In matter of Politics I find myself always opposing Sasquach's views but in matters of the cloth I agree with him 100%. This demonisng of the biggest Christian church is getting as fashiobable as demonising everything American. It's Pathetic, whilst I'm not a Catholic, I was raised as one & respect the church a great deal. Local Priests did a LOT of good for my community and myself, especially during the troubles here & when my Protestant friend got shot dead. He knew I lost faith, he knew I was living out of wedlock with my girlfriend. He did not judge me, preach to me, force religion at me. He was there mearly as a guidance and Spiritual help and told me that the Church doors are always open for me if I ever wanted to go back.
Blaming the world's ails on the Catholic church , aswell as on America, serves only to prove how fickle, forgetful & unappreciative the human race really is.
There have been popes with shorter tenures. As I was looking over it last night, popes in the 8th century were particularly short lived - there was one, I understand, that only lasted a week or so.
Sig under construction.
That was more when the Papacy was a very powerful and political post and assassins were constantly roaming around with sharpened daggers.There have been popes with shorter tenures. As I was looking over it last night, popes in the 8th century were particularly short lived - there was one, I understand, that only lasted a week or so.
If you confess your sins, in catholicism, it tends to mean you are forgiven after you do the penitence. If you say divorced people or pro-abortion can't recive communion, you are saying they cannot be forgiven, or at least I understand it like that.
I guess you can say that if you hold any respect whatsoever to this person. I don't like this man, I don't like him being in charge of the church, I don't like the fact my family- who are Catholic- have to be frustrated because of the decadence of the Vatican. I think a Pope with a more open outlook on things (and being religious dosen't mean being a sexually repressed dogmatic, look at the Franciscan order, for example) would be helpful for the world. How do we get a new pope? Well, after the current one abdicates or dies. So if this guy dies, well, I'll be sorry I can't thank him for it.And you can stop saying "good thing he's so old, that means he'll die soon". That's a little cruel, wouldn't you say?
Mostly diseases, actually, from what I could see - for the most part I was just glancing over the profiles to get the gist of it. The one week one though was just a badly timed heart attack, I recall.
Anyway, I'm not saying I hope this guy dies soon, I'm just saying that there have, in the past, been popes with extremely short tenures, and so going after one month wouldn't be unprecedented.
Sig under construction.
Actually, no, that's far from what I'm saying. I never mentioned divorced people, because it's not something they can change or take back. People who support abortion, however, I don't see a problem with refusing them Communion. As abortion is un-Biblical, and thus a sin to support, and Communion is meant only for those who are, supposedly, at the moment, "clean", it's only logical to deny Communion to those people. Any pro-abortionist can be forgiven, but I don't believe that can happen while they still support abortion. If they repent from their sins--including supporting abortion--then it means they will turn away from them, or at least try to.
I don't apologize if your family is frustrated that the leader of their religion is a strict follower of their religion. If one disagree with the Pope--and thus Catholicism--then the simple solution is to move to another branch of Christianity, or whatever religion caters to that person's beliefs. Being the Pope doesn't mean being nice and trying not to push people away, it means following the Bible, or at least the Catholic Church's interpretation thereof.I guess you can say that if you hold any respect whatsoever to this person. I don't like this man, I don't like him being in charge of the church, I don't like the fact my family- who are Catholic- have to be frustrated because of the decadence of the Vatican. I think a Pope with a more open outlook on things (and being religious dosen't mean being a sexually repressed dogmatic, look at the Franciscan order, for example) would be helpful for the world. How do we get a new pope? Well, after the current one abdicates or dies. So if this guy dies, well, I'll be sorry I can't thank him for it.
Rumors say he has been part of a nazi organization.
As were all the children his age at that time. You weren't asked by the nazis whether you wanted to join the youth group or not. You were forced to.
And then there is Death
Im dissapointed to hear about his old fashioned views. What I liked so much about John Paul II was how much he did for the world. Freeing Poland and many other parts of the world from unsuccesful communism etc. Im not expecting much of that from this old fashioned guy but I dont mind too much. I get the feeling hes only been made pope for the sake of having a pope. I think the cardinals are looking into what qualities they want from the next pope, what areas of the world he wants to focus on etc. Thats how Id see it. Id be very happy to see a coloured pope.
Posting Permissions
