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Pope Benedict resigns...this is NOT a joke...Pope Benedict resigns
Mon, 2013-02-11 06:37
#1
Pope Benedict resigns...this is NOT a joke...Pope Benedict resigns
Mon, 2013-02-11 06:39
#2
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-21411304
(snip)
Pope Benedict XVI is to resign at the end of this month in an unexpected development, saying he is too old to continue at the age of 85.
He became Pope in 2005 following John Paul II's death.
Resignations from the papacy are not unknown, but this is the first in the modern era, which has been marked by pontiffs dying while in office.
(snip)
Did...not...see...this...coming...
Mon, 2013-02-11 07:17
#3
This joyous news perfectly accompanies the first rays of sunshine this morning after two days of blizzard conditions.
Mon, 2013-02-11 07:46
#4
They'll probably elect someone even more conservative to replace him. Dying empires and all of that.
Mon, 2013-02-11 07:50
#5
Thanks for the good news, Ken.
Mind you, I always had that dude pegged for a quitter...
Mon, 2013-02-11 08:11
#6
Being forced into the Nazi party as a young boy, made him too easy ot a target for the virulent Catholic haters.
Hopefully, we get someone a little less Conservative in there to replace him.
Mon, 2013-02-11 08:28
#7
Being forced into the Nazi party as a young boy, made him too easy ot a target for the virulent Catholic haters.
Not really. It was about all the other hateful stuff that is part and parcel of Catholicism which makes the institution and its leadership a target for anti-oppressive sentiments.
Mon, 2013-02-11 08:29
#8
Personally, KeyStone, I have always tried to respect all popes equally - the Nazis and the others alike.
Mon, 2013-02-11 08:32
#9
I was no more impressed with JPII's populist approach either, because in my estimation at least there should be far less popularity for some of the views that he fronted.
Mon, 2013-02-11 08:36
#10
Well, I have no love whatsoever for this Pope and most of his positions, but I say bravo. Watching John-Paul II onstage in agony for the last years of his life was a painful spectacle, it also played to the most lurid aspects of religion.
As the Guardian states:
Pope Benedict XVI has resigned, saying that at age he cannot carry out all his tasks adequately and is losing strength in body and mind.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/11/pope-resigns-live-reaction
This also includes a press conference by his spokesman, in Italian. I haven't viewed it yet. If anyone else speaks Italian...
Will they choose a Pope from the global South, Africa or Latin America? Or an old-guard cardinal from the Italian Church? Hope it is not a MILITANT homophobe (he obviously won't be gay-friendly, but hope it is not someone who excuses homophobic violence). And, will the frigging Church do anything to clean up its own house with respect to endemic child abuse?
Mon, 2013-02-11 08:40
#11
I just heard a report saying the Pope has fallen in love and is resigning so that he can marry!
Pass it on.
Mon, 2013-02-11 08:45
#12
Maysie
Ha ha ha! Who's the (un) lucky guy?
Mon, 2013-02-11 08:52
#13
Gregory XII.
Two resignations explained in one fell swoop.
Mon, 2013-02-11 08:57
#14
On a serious note, watch for this Canadian bastard Marc Ouellet to be in the running.
Mon, 2013-02-11 09:09
#15
I've heard they don't have such a great retirement package.
Mon, 2013-02-11 09:18
#16
Being forced into the Nazi party as a young boy, made him too easy ot a target for the virulent Catholic haters.
Hopefully, we get someone a little less Conservative in there to replace him.
Ah yes Cardinal Rottweiler the scourge of all Catholics who preached liberation theology. Who forced him into that role?
Mon, 2013-02-11 09:55
#17
Timebandit
This makes me wonder if his resignation is in advance of some big and hairy scandal that is threatening to break.
Mon, 2013-02-11 10:28
#18
Maysie, the Pope has long had a VERY handsome, athletic, German aide: http://www.thetablet.co.uk/article/163576
You'll find lots of other pics of gorgeous Georg. He has made the most recent cover of Italian Vanity Fair.
Mon, 2013-02-11 10:48
#19
Boom Boom
Ratzinger has been perhaps the most unloved Pope in my lifetime. I always thought "uh oh, here comes trouble" on his appointment.
Mon, 2013-02-11 11:26
#20
Maysie, the Pope has long had a VERY handsome, athletic, German aide: http://www.thetablet.co.uk/article/163576
This article demonstrates how disturbing even "progressive" Catholic thought can be. A random sample:
Georg Gänswein, despite his athletic and youthful appearance, is extremely conservative.
Um, ok, yeah.
And on the issue of young Ratzinger being forced into the Hitler Jugend - yeah, that's possible. Like, remember when he arrived in Africa and announced that condom use can actually accelerate the spread of HIV? I'm quite sure that kind of humanitarian opinion would have gotten him booted from the anti-genocidal pro-African Nazi youth. Generations later, he is at last free to express his compassion openly.
I don't believe in Hell. So when I say "may he burn in Hell", you know of course that I don't really mean it, right? Anyway, I was forced into the ranks of the Left, so don't be too too harsh on me.
End of rant, until my next post.
Mon, 2013-02-11 11:41
#21
Actually I'm prepared to cut people a bit of slack for what they might have been involved with as kids. I would do so with any child soldier, particularly in a country where there really was no getting out of it.
A former inlaw of mine loved Hitler so much an older relative had to force him to pretend to be smaller and be evacuated so the family would have at least someone to provide for them. Of course, he wanted to go to the front and get killed for his leader. Clearly the behaviour of a rational and responsible human being.
As for Rattenfaenger, I think he has enough to answer for as an adult. The Nazi stuff is as gratuitous as any other godwinism as far as I am concerned.
Mon, 2013-02-11 11:46
#22
He delayed being forced into it as long as he could, did fuck all when he was in it and fled as soon as was practical.
If that was the ONLY thing in an otherwise blameless life, then I would praise him and attack people who brought that up.
However his policies and attitudes from the last 40 years are what makes him despicable and unworthy. I judge you on what you choose to do and say, not what others make you do or say for you.
He fails on those counts
Mon, 2013-02-11 11:52
#23
Actually, I don't care if he was an enthusiastic HJ member. People get involved in stupid shit, and there is a reason why children do not have the same legal responsibility as adults. And that goes double for such a stressed and controlled society as that one.
Mon, 2013-02-11 11:55
#24
As for Rattenfaenger, I think he has enough to answer for as an adult. The Nazi stuff is as gratuitous as any other godwinism as far as I am concerned.
Small technical point: pointing out someone's real life involvement, voluntary or not, with the Nazi regime is not a Godwin.
Mon, 2013-02-11 11:59
#25
True enough jas. Thanks.
"as any godwinism", I should say.
Mon, 2013-02-11 12:07
#26
Now conspiracy theories I am just fine with:
Mon, 2013-02-11 12:16
#27
Boom Boom
From a friend via Facebook: (excerpt)
Richard Dawkins has tweeted: 'I feel sorry for the Pope and all old Catholic priests. Imagine having a wasted life to look back on and no sex.' Meanwhile bookies Paddy Power are in my view winning the war of words by putting odds on Richard Dawkins to succeed Benedict at 666/1.
ps: "666" - get it? 
Mon, 2013-02-11 12:53
#28
It's been a pretty long time since there have been two living Popes. I think he should move to Avignon and keep his options open.
Mon, 2013-02-11 13:12
#29
We can use another babylonian Captivity.
Mon, 2013-02-11 13:45
#30
They even had 5 popes at one time, at one time in history
Mon, 2013-02-11 13:59
#31
Boom Boom
I just listened to a RC theologian in Washington interviewed on CBC, she suggested that the papacy has to change in the 21st century, work towards gender equality, there should be women priests and cardinals, and women should be eligible to be elected Pope, and there should be term limits. She criticised Benedict for covering up the hierarchy that hid the clergy sex abusers, and said a much younger, activist Pope would be the best choice for the church, and the world.
Saddens me that all of her suggestions are highly unlikely to become reality.
Mon, 2013-02-11 14:05
#32
Thing is, they can only continue to move further in the direction of Opus Dei and the Levebvrists for so long until something breaks. The hierarchy are already dangerously out of touch with the real world.
Like some other established churches, they aren't set up with any grassroots power. So its their choice if they want to dig themselves to oblivion.
Mon, 2013-02-11 14:40
#33
Saddens me that all of her suggestions are highly unlikely to become reality.
It saddens me that she doesn't ask herself: "Why is the Church always trying to hold back, rather than be in the forefront of, human progress in matters of morality and social justice?"
Posing that question might help her understand the true role that religion and the Church play in the modern world.
Mon, 2013-02-11 14:57
#34
It saddens me that she doesn't ask herself: "Why is the Church always trying to hold back, rather than be in the forefront of, human progress in matters of morality and social justice?"
I hear you, and if there weren't many in the Catholic laity (and even some on the payroll) who are active on social justice issues this would be a no brainer. Thing is, in that respect the Catholic church isn't all that different from many other large and complex societies. It just happens to be one of the most powerful and most fossilized ones.
Mon, 2013-02-11 18:11
#35
Boom Boom
The Archbishop of Ottawa was just on P&P and said the next pope will of necessity be a conservative, because it's a requirement of the position to uphold the doctrine and tradition of the catholic church. Also, gay marriage and the ordination of women can not possibly ever happen in Roman Catholicism because both run contrary to catholic belief and tradition. Also, calls for reform come from Western churches, while the vast majority of catholics live in very conservative countries. However, it is a certainty that the scandal of child sexual abuse in the church by priests will continue to be a priority for whomever becomes the next pope, because it's simply an unacceptable situation.
Mon, 2013-02-11 18:11
#36
Yes, although it isn't a case of conservatism. JPII started a trend toward the hard right which has been continued by his successor. Ratzinger's dismissal of other churches as heresies is positively medieval.
And the church has made radical changes to the right and left in the past. Mandatory marriage by clergy was only formalized in the 1700s, and the ultimate ban on married clergy in 1200.
That church has changed before. It has been forced to change when needed. I am more worried by what they have invariably done when given free rein.
Mon, 2013-02-11 19:26
#37
There have been momentous advances in LGBT rights in several Latin American countries. Of course Latin America is "Western", not just by geography but by cultures, but I believe the Archbishop is thinking of "First World" countries.
It is ludicrous, as doctrine has always changed, though the pace of change can be excruciatingly slow, and change is not always in a more open and tolerant direction.
Mon, 2013-02-11 19:45
#38
Prince Charles tweeted his reaction:
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Pope Benedict XVI have both stepped down to give someone else a chance. How very thoughtful.
1414 retweets | 51 replies
Mon, 2013-02-11 19:48
#39
Is he joking? LOL!
Mon, 2013-02-11 19:51
#40
Is it the real Prince Charles? ;)
Mon, 2013-02-11 20:00
#41
Is it the real Pope?
.... sur le pope d'Avignon.... etc
Mon, 2013-02-11 20:06
#42
On y danse, tous en rond.
Mon, 2013-02-11 20:07
#43
where it stops.
anyone know?
Mon, 2013-02-11 20:09
#44
Boom Boom
The real reason Benny quit - never before revealed:
Mon, 2013-02-11 20:12
#45
This makes me wonder if his resignation is in advance of some big and hairy scandal that is threatening to break.
I've been thinking exactly the same thing!
Mon, 2013-02-11 20:20
#46
Is he joking? LOL!
Sucker! Click on the link!
(Confession: I got sucked in for about 5 seconds too, before laughing hysterically. Read some of the other tweets by that account, they're hilarious!)
Mon, 2013-02-11 20:52
#47
Boom Boom
Mon, 2013-02-11 21:14
#48
I just heard a report saying the Pope has fallen in love and is resigning so that he can marry!
I thought Minnie Mouse had already chosen.
Mon, 2013-02-11 21:27
#49
Is he joking? LOL!
Sucker! Click on the link!
(Confession: I got sucked in for about 5 seconds too, before laughing hysterically. Read some of the other tweets by that account, they're hilarious!)
You got me. I had just run out the door when I realised they'd never let him get away with that (though when you consider some of the things he has said....)
Mon, 2013-02-11 21:45
#50
I don't get it. You mean Charles wants to be Pope because Liz won't step down? Is he even eligible, now that he's widowed and remarried??
Why does everyone "get" it except me? I'm just too gullible I guess. C'mon guys.
Tue, 2013-02-12 06:35
#51
Boom Boom
