The Pope did what?!?! [Archive]

Ranger

07-11-07, 10:20 AM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070710/ap_on_re_eu/pope_other_christians_4

Hahahaha! If you haven't seen it yet come and get it. Omg, I don't even know what to say. My family - at least my mom and dad - are outraged at the Catholic Church right now.

Personally, I'm agnostic, so I don't give a crap about it either way. However, as a cultural anthropologist (focusing on the evolution of culture by way of religious influence) with a minor in theology I just have to shake my head and hit my forehead.

What the FUCK?!

I personally don't like when religion begins to tamper with the way people think and work. Something like this just makes me sad, and a bit worried. How can you go and say, "oh, yea... someone forgot to get you the memo... your not Christians, because your not Catholics".

Is this pope screwing up big time? Didn't he JUST have to apologize to an assload of angry, ak-47 weilding muslims a while back for opening his mouth then too? I'm interested in what other's have to say about this one...

Storm Veritas

07-11-07, 10:39 AM

He's not a smart man.

Everyone knew when he was appointed that he was way too conservative to do anything that is in the realistic best interest of the Catholic Church. Instead, he's hugely secular and devastatingly closedminded.

This is awful.

Karuka

07-11-07, 10:43 AM

He's an old man. they're counting on him to die in a few years.

His successor will either be

A) more liberal, say "that was an our bad, let's fix this,"

or

B) the antichrist or the antichrist's right hand, in which case he'll be like "you are going to Hell anyway, blah blah."

AsukaStrikes

07-11-07, 10:48 AM

...The hell?

I'm not even going to touch that issue. He can deal with the problems himself.

Letho

07-11-07, 11:09 AM

I don't think this is as great of a surprise as the media pumps it up to be. The way I see it, what he said (in a rather blunt manner) is basically what every denomination is saying: We're right, you're wrong and if you want to be saved, you better convert to <enter random religion/denomination here>. It's just that the Pope has a bigger audience as he is a solitary leader of the Catholic Church. If you ask a Protestant whether a Catholic believer would go to hell, he'd probably tell you that he/she would unless they converted to their beliefs.

The Valkyrie

07-11-07, 11:16 AM

Exactly what I was going to say Letho --- what's the big deal? Nearly EVERY religion, EVERY denomination, minus a few rather enlightened ones, say that "our way is the way to heaven and yours is the way to hell". Yeah it was a stupid thing to say, but hey why not jump on the bandwagon of all the other monotheistic religions and throw the baby out with the bathwater. Now you know why I'm pagan with a smattering of beliefs from all the other religions thrown in based on what I've learned. Who cares what you believe so long as you believe it. Whatever. Not like he did anything that's not being done elsewhere.

Karuka

07-11-07, 11:18 AM

No, because people are gonna believe what they believe...but it's really funny because it's really bad PR for the Roman Catholic Church.

Empyrean

07-11-07, 12:01 PM

I knew from the beginning I wasn't gonna like that guy.

It's true, on some level a lot of religions do make the same point, but this still pisses me off. Especially where I read this: "The document said that Orthodox churches were indeed "churches" because they have apostolic succession and enjoyed "many elements of sanctification and of truth." But it said they do not recognize the primacy of the pope — a defect, or a "wound" that harmed them, it said."

Being Orthodox, that bit offended me even more, and I was already irritated enough by the article.
I've never believed in that whole "we're right, join us and you won't go to hell" thing. Having that kind of ignorance thrown in our faces is just...ugh.

And yeah, Storm, he is exceedingly closeminded. Hopefully whoever succeeds him will be more open. And, well, smarter.

Of Free Will

07-11-07, 12:25 PM

I'm not sure I've ever laughed at the antics of the Pope before.

Till now that is.

Ther

07-11-07, 01:07 PM

This pope doesn't have his own comic book, which makes him less reliable and authoritative then his predecessor:

http://scrapbar.com/ebay/popejohnpaul2a.jpg

Really, though, this isn't a big deal, as Letho and Valkyrie said, although it does play against the church's growing interest in ecumenism.

Scars

07-11-07, 01:09 PM

You can be as angry as you like, but the fact remains that he's untouchable as long as he has the Bulletproof Popemobile.

Ther

07-11-07, 01:12 PM

You can be as angry as you like, but the fact remains that he's untouchable as long as he has the Bulletproof Popemobile.

He drives in a style too - the Popemobile is a Mercedes Benz offroader.

The Valkyrie

07-11-07, 01:20 PM

I think I should be the next pope.

Oh wait. I'm married, have a child, and I'm not Catholic. They won't let me be the pope will they?

Damn.

Karuka

07-11-07, 01:21 PM

You can be Althanas' Pope.

Death's Nephew

07-11-07, 01:27 PM

You can be Althanas' Pope.

lol...

Yea, it's pretty sad that this is happening. I understand a lot of you are saying "It's no big surprise!", which is true. One of the issues is how...well that he was able to just severe ties like that so easily with no real opposition from within the Vatican's more liberal cardinals.

The pope obviously needs to be nerfed.

The Valkyrie

07-11-07, 01:44 PM

YAY!!!! I want a ceremony, and a popemobile and a nifty hat. And I want to be called the Antichrist (which is what my granny says the pope is --- she says he has 666 on his hat or whatever). Just don't tell my best friends that I'm the new pope.

Laurea Aeglos

07-11-07, 02:16 PM

Personally I have never really understood the in fighting of religions. I mean they are worshiping the the same thing just in a different way. How can one side be wrong and the other right? Eh, to me all religions are the same. Well, most are any ways. The far field satanists that sacrifice things are just a little too odd for me to comfortably wrap my mind around.

Lol, according to Catholics I'm going to hell so what do I care. I'm just a former Catholic turned Wiccan.

Storm Veritas

07-11-07, 02:21 PM

Actually, this is a -REALLY- big deal.

The largest area of impact right now for a stupid-assed statement like this is Ireland. Ireland has long been divided into Ireland and Northern Ireland based largely on the failure of Catholics and Protestants to live peacefully. Recently, some calming efforts have been made by both sects in Ireland to cool the waters, and there has been a concerted effort to "unify" Christianity under one related umbrella.

The hope was the different religions could agree to disagree with the various executions (sorry for the crusade pun) of their particular denomination, so long as they believed in Christ and one God and the Divine Trinity.

This pretty much takes a steaming dump on those peace efforts. I think I actually would rather see Bono as Pope than Benedict.

Additionally, the Cardinal system INTENTIONALLY chose Benedict because of his conservatism (conservativism? what's the word?). Saying the Catholic church will vote in a more liberal pope is like hoping that Texas is going to vote for Obama.

Karuka

07-11-07, 02:26 PM

Well, the next Pope IS supposed to be the Anti-Christ.

:p

At least, that's what one of their famed prophets taught.

9. The Glory of the Olive. The Order of St. Benedict has said this Pope will come from their order. It is interesting that Jesus gave his apocalyptic prophecy about the end of time from the Mount of Olives. This Pope will reign during the beginning of the tribulation Jesus spoke of. The 111th prophesy is "Gloria Olivae" (The Glory of the Olive). The Order of Saint Benedict has claimed that this pope will come from their ranks. Saint Benedict himself prophesied that before the end of the world his Order, known also as the Olivetans, will triumphantly lead the Catholic Church in its fight against evil.

10. PETER THE ROMAN - This final Pope will likely be Satan, taking the form of a man named Peter who will gain a worldwide allegiance and adoration. He will be the final antichrist which prophecy students have long foretold. If it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived. The 112th prophesy states: "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Petrus Romanus, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations; after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End."

From here (http://www.crystalinks.com/papalprophecies.html)

Saxon

07-11-07, 02:52 PM

Funny how it has to be this or the next generation as the 'last' for all humanity. I never did like the whole prophesizing the whole apocolypse thing. Its one of the few reasons that people like Nostradomas managed to survive the test of time through 'after-the-fact' prophecies in poetry that can be taken in either direction. I'm hoping I manage to live long enough to see the next pope get brought in to see the reactions of the people. Makes you wonder how theologians and other scholars are going to go about editing the Bible and claiming another date to be the end of the world. Its just sad that some people have the need to find a punchline to life and refuse to just let the world go on peacefully.

But, anyway, I agree with Storm that this is a bit of a big deal considering the condition Ireland has been in for awhile now and it seems like its only getting worse. For once, just ONCE, I'd like to see these men of the cloth take it upon themselves to be as selfless as the person they choose to worship. Benedict has probably just given the moral license to start another long, bloody war to a culture that has turned to bloodshed in the past in order to 'deal' with those considered to be heretics.

Letho

07-11-07, 03:12 PM

But isn't Ireland a bit of an extreme example, Storm? I mean, how many countries except Ireland are in that specific position, to be torn in half by religion? (I honestly don't know.). So I guess what I'm saying is that globally this won't have that much of an impact. People probably won't start wars against each other over religion just because of this. Not until Vatican starts hoarding oil. Then the US would squash them. ;)

Ranger

07-11-07, 03:32 PM

Honestly, I thought it was a big deal too... I mean, I'm not sure how it is most places outside of Gainesville (which is the only city I've ever 'lived' in)... but here the churches don't argue with anyone except the Catholics.

I grew up a Christian, knowing that as long as another person believe in god and gave their live to him/her/it they would be saved. There wasn't any strife, and really isn't, between the denominations around here. We move and do what we please (at least did back when I believed).

However, this is different. He's saying that everyone's wrong except him... and that people like the Episcopalian's are close, but because he's not their head they aren't right either.

Personally I think the man's a nut case. Seriously. That's crazy.

The Valkyrie

07-11-07, 04:46 PM

That prophecy isn't out of the bible it's from Saint Malachi of Ireland. Check him out along with Mother Shipton. Entertaining if not spooky.

And I never said it wasn't a big deal, just that I'm not really suprised since other religions and denominations have been saying the same thing for ages. It's a shame we can't all just get over ourselves and live like... humans.

Wraith

07-11-07, 05:52 PM

Tiberius

07-11-07, 05:54 PM

Pope: 1

Everyone Else: 0

Pwnt.

Of Free Will

07-11-07, 05:58 PM

I voted for the other guy running for pope. Now that was a candidate.

I would've run for pope myself, but even I'm not gay enough to pull off these shoes (http://planetsean.blogspot.com/uploaded_images/PopeRatShoes1-744778.jpg)

Soon as I saw that I thought to myself...

" There's no place like home. *click click click* There's no place like home. *click click click* There's no place... "

Dissinger

07-11-07, 07:00 PM

As a roman catholic, i groan everytime something like this happens. Everytime I see things like this I can't WAIT to see what people end up throwing at me because of it, like I magically gave him the idea that trashing other religions wasn't only a good idea, but a surefire way to win friends and influence people.

Tack on the fact he's basically ripping up the Vatican 2 and we got issues.

Sighter Tnailog

07-11-07, 07:20 PM

He's saying they are wrong because they lack apostolic succession and they don't believe in the transubstantiated host.

Which is patently ridiculous. The former comes from a historical argument as ridiculous as Landmarkism* and the latter from an extraordinarily literal readings of the words "this is my body" in the Eucharistic formulations of the gospels**. The Pope can say what he likes, but it's based on the fact that he'd really much rather live in a time when the Inquisition reigned, the Mass was in Latin, and women were treated even worse than they are today. Oh, and not to hit a low blow***, but he was a Nazi!

*(Landmarkism is the 19th-century Baptist belief, still persisting in places today, that they were direct-line religious descendants of John the Baptist. The idea was "proved" through attempts to trace Baptist lineage back through a number of sects and breakaway groups in the Middle Ages and early Christianity, but the history was so bad that finally the Southern Baptist seminaries -- Southern Baptist! -- rallied against the ridiculous notion.)

**(Metaphor, anyone? This is a site for writers, I hope someone knows the definition better than Benedict.)

***Actually, this is to hit a low blow.