The new pope - Benedict XVI

[nik0tine]

I don't know much about him, but I already don't like the guy. I don't think he is going to do any good at all. It pains me to think this has happened. John Paul II worked so hard for peace and understanding, and, from what I gather, it looks like this guy is going to reverse all of that.

[Shadow Nexus]

I read some of his speech.


...



Well, the good news is that he is 78.

[Cuchulainn]

If you liked JP II you will like him. He was JPII's closest advisor for over 20 years & for the last years of JPII's reign it was virtually him calling the shots. He's as Conservative, Anti-Communist & Strong willed as JPII. They called him 'The Enforcer'. Don't expect any radical change under his short papacy, he's there as a strong willed & steady stop-gap for when they bring in a more liberal Pope. He's there to strengthen before change.
I wish him all the best in his tenure, despite being Conservative he is a very strong & able cleric. I think the Cardinal's knew exactly what they were doing.

[Skogs]

I heard he was JPII, except probably more conservative and without the charisma.

[Cuchulainn]

I heard he was JPII, except probably more conservative and without the charisma.

You got him in one. Although he lacks the Charisma, he is certainly a more learned man. He has been the Vatican & Pope's Speech writer for years. I excpect now they are just paying him his dues before he passes on. They have lined up a more Liberal Pope after his tenure, maybe someone from Africa (probably Nigeria) or Mexico.

[Rase]

That was fast.

[edczxcvbnm]

That was fast.

Its not like they weren't preparing for this day for like that past 5 years

[TasteyPies]

Cool Beans, shoulda been the black guy though.

[udsuna]

Cool Beans, shoulda been the black guy though.

Oh, yeah, that'd raise a few eyebrows. Then again, the KKK follows a protestant form of christianity, so it wouldn't hit as hard as it should have. But it'd still be a great kick in the teeth. Eh, he's got another couple decades or so years to live, he'll be the pope before you know it. Because this one isn't likely to last.

[fire_of_avalon]

Cool Beans, shoulda been the black guy though.

Oh, yeah, that'd raise a few eyebrows. Then again, the KKK follows a protestant form of christianity, so it wouldn't hit as hard as it should have. But it'd still be a great kick in the teeth. Eh, he's got another couple decades or so years to live, he'll be the pope before you know it. Because this one isn't likely to last.

A kick in the teeth for whom, the Klan? They're notoriously anti-Catholic anyways.

I'm just excited to see how this develops the faith as a whole. I've never seen such a power change hands, so I'm interested in how people change their views to match his views, how he does things differently (if at all) from John Paul II, and so on.

[nik0tine]

He looks like the devil.

[udsuna]

A kick in the teeth for whom, the Klan? They're notoriously anti-Catholic anyways.

Yeah, I know, hence pointing out their core is protestant, but I'm talking all the catholics (and other christians that consider the position of pope as one with meaning) who are also racist... like so many of my relatives, and their friends, and all the others that I don't know about.

[Casey]

78 years old young, that would be sadistically funny if he died next month. "Oh no, the world mourns again, and the story will be all over the news for a couple weeks."

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

There have been black popes before. It isn't exactly a new station, and they usually draw on places from where there is a great deal of support. Parts of northern Africa have had a strong Catholic base for quite some time, and several popes have come from there.

[Cuchulainn]

There have been black popes before. It isn't exactly a new station, and they usually draw on places from where there is a great deal of support. Parts of northern Africa have had a strong Catholic base for quite some time, and several popes have come from there.

Whilst not being new to have a black Pope, the last one, Pope Gelasius served between 492AD-496AD. So it is more or less a new station. There has been, altogether 3 African Pope's, Victor I, Gelasius I & Miliades I serving the years 183-203 A.D., 492-496 A.D. & 311-314 A.D. respectively.