Well, Pope John Paul II died (officially) today.  Probably the most beloved pope in a century.

Even though I'm not Catholic, gotta give some props for a great leader, and humanitarian.

its gonna be hard for someone to replace that guy.. one in a million

Yea.  Very impressive in his younger years.  These last 7 or 10 have been rough for him.

I highly doubt his replacement will be as good as he was.

I predict that the new pope will be charismatic, progressive, and will take Catholicism back to its roots.  He will do great things in uniting the world ideologically, and will form a close bond with the USA.
He will also be the last.

Ok, why will he be the last...and how does anyone KNOW he will be the last? I smell something. Love the little GS500, Pope was probably a good man and I love this forum.

C........

I am sure he was a good man who bought comfort and indeed joy to many.

We cannot forget that whilst tens of millions of people, particularly in the third world where Catholicism is very strong have contracted HIV-AIDS this man has been preaching the anti-condom message with great vigor. Many African bishops have questioned this but nothing changed.

Obviously he is not directly responsible for millions of deaths but he must bear some responsibility, he is after all a powerful charismatic spiritual leader.

As for the future many European catholics expect that within 20 years priests will be allowed to marry, the Catholic church has welcomed married Anglican priests who have left over female ordination, ghey issues etc,. and this has to be a double standard. If  Priests are allowed to marry, have eight kids and want a pay-rise I wonder if contraception will come back on the agenda. In the time-scale of the Christian church it's not that long ago that Priest did marry and some say it was stopped for financial reasons rather than spiritual ones.

No celebration here but no tears either. I wont even mention Pius XII, the bulwark against bolshevism and Adolf Eichman's (and others) Vatican passports.

Well, can't say I agreed with him, but he did stand tall for the catholic beliefs.   I don't agree with a lot of the Catholic churches beliefs... but that does not make him anyless great a man.  Quite the renaissance man!!!  Impressive!

May he now rest in peace and may he be with his maker.

Hope they fire that italian tart that yelled out "Hello, the Pope is dead!" on the Fox broadcast on Friday.  That was SOOOO tacky.  He deserved better.  

QuoteWe cannot forget that whilst tens of millions of people, particularly in the third world where Catholicism is very strong have contracted HIV-AIDS this man has been preaching the anti-condom message with great vigor.

Actually, one would expect that practicing Catholics would have the lowest AIDS rate in the third world.

QuoteNo celebration here but no tears either. I wont even mention Pius XII, the bulwark against bolshevism

Someday you're going to finally learn that communism and communist revolutions are not a good thing.

Although I don't share the same beliefs that Catholics do anymore, you have to respect someone like the Pope who has been so firm and consistent in their beliefs with a want to make things better.

i am not a practicing catholic either, and... more than likely never will be.
but i admire him,he had his beliefs and ideals, and never strayed from them.  

Gisser,
Now they have buried him I will answer your last and (incomplete) quote. Nowhere have I ever advocated communist revolution or said it was a good thing although it set me thinking. Cummunist revolutions have tended to be in countries that were totalitarian states anyway so indirectly they may have been steps in the right direction, who knows? Castro better or worse than Batista? better for whom? go figure.

The term "Bulwark against Bolshevism" was used by Hitler, many contemporary world politicians and the Papacy at the time for the string of fascist states from the "Balkans to the Baltic" as if fascism was somehow acceptable whilst communism was not. I have always thought they were both doors to the same hall. The tradgedy of communism was not so much those places that chose it as those that succumbed to conquest like Eastern Europe after WW2.

Cal Price  

I watched some of the funeral.  It reminded me again why I can't stand religion.

i believe, ( i could be wrong), but the Anti condom message, in the christian message, sex was for procreation, not recreation, i believe it is where the condom thing was :dunno:

Quote from: snapper
Hope they fire that italian tart that yelled out "Hello, the Pope is dead!" on the Fox broadcast on Friday.  That was SOOOO tacky.  He deserved better.  

I didn't hear about that.  Yes, that's pretty unprofessional.

I still would like to know why his replacement will be the last...somebody mentioned it, I just wanna know why. Love the scooter (GS500) and this forum.

C.......

It was Michael from Tasmania, if you take his whole post it was probably said with a wry smile or tongue-in-cheek. I often refer to our next King as the last but more in hope than expectation, perhaps some of that crept in as well. Not right, not wrong just different.

QuoteThe term "Bulwark against Bolshevism" was used by Hitler, many contemporary world politicians and the Papacy at the time for the string of fascist states from the "Balkans to the Baltic" as if fascism was somehow acceptable whilst communism was not. I have always thought they were both doors to the same hall. The tradgedy of communism was not so much those places that chose it as those that succumbed to conquest like Eastern Europe after WW2.

No, I don't see those two isms as being mutually exclusive.  China, North Korea, Cuba at times show elements of both.  I consider the opposite to those systems to be free and fair democratic elections, constitution, and rule of law.  Anyway, sorry to dredge up this thread but I've spent all week away sorting my meager finances and, of course, filing tax returns.  I get a  refund this year  though I suppose that means the Govt was borrowing my money interest free .

Yeah, Governments do that, whatever their complexion. Who said "You can't beat City Hall" not the same person as reportedly said "Render unto Ceasar what is Caesar's" but I think they pretty much meant the same thing. You've been working for the government like it or not but at least we both get a periodic opportunity to change things. Pax.

Quote from: MichaelI predict that the new pope will be charismatic, progressive, and will take Catholicism back to its roots.  He will do great things in uniting the world ideologically, and will form a close bond with the USA.
He will also be the last.

why does your prediction scare me...? forming a close bond with the US is definately going to happen. "uniting the world ideologically" is the part that scares me...but i don't doubt that it could happen. is w bush a catholic also? he'll be a big part of it too.

Cal,

But do you REALLY get to change things?  I don't know about GB, but here in the US we're pretty much stuck with "who THEY want to run".  The two parties REP, DEM, each decide who they want to run and submit a candidate.  Of course this candidate is a good buddy to their respective party and will follow the party line.  If you're independent you're pretty much out of luck because you have to go through so many hoops to get on the ballot.  You need THOUSANDS of signatures.  So, in effect we're "given" our representatives, they're "chosen" for us and we don't REALLY get to choose anything except which party we're voting for.  It's pretty much a sham.

Of course I realize that if there were 500+ independents in Congress NOTHING would get done.  You think there is bickering now, and with just 2 parties arguing things move slowly, make it 500 different parties and then watch the fighting as they all argue for what they want.

It sucks because the parties are so powerful and so much is done for the party but it's better than a free-for-all.  And thankfully they're all businessmen looking out for business.  As long as business does well, the country does well.  After all, it's business that makes the world go round.

As for the new Pope.  Maybe he'll do the right thing and start selling those assets the church owns to actually help the needy.

Why is a tax exempt entity like the church allowed to run as a "for-profit" organization?  If I ever got elected that's the first thing I'd change.  You give out what you take in or you lose the tax free status.