Thank you, Sagart. So do I. My own take on the man is that his primary legacy will be as Joseph Ratzinger, theologian and scholar. And perhaps the humility he is showing by resigning. I admire him for that. But most everything else about his papacy and his role in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, I would prefer never happened.
Looks like Bono gets another shot at the papacy. I can't believe they passed him over last time, although perhaps they did because it would seem like a step down from his current position.
Job vacancy: Wanted man to drive around in glass transit van. Must like children (not too much). Must like traveling and runway kissing. Smokers welcome but only ones who smoke a metal ball on a chain. Must like Italy. Must love peace and hate war. Comes with several stylish costumes and more chains than Mr T. Must not be or have been married. Under 75s need not apply. Must be familia with computer packages such as: Stained Glass Windows, Word of The Lord; Exelcis and Ecclesiastical Office. Apply: Vatican City, we are looking to fill the post by 28th February 2013
I don't think that's a requirement. In fact, I have the feeling that most Popes hated Italy. Especially the Italian ones!
Considering all the changes society has gone through, should the new one call himself Pope Suburban, or perhaps Pope Finkelstein or Pope Abd al-Yasu to reflect more ethnic diversity?
So you would prefer that not only he, but his whole family, had been executed as traitors to the state? Because that's what the Nazis did. It is not our place to expect anyone to die. We have no right. This includes Ratzinger and anyone else who was conscripted against their will.
The Catholic Church considers the Pope a perfect successor to Saint Peter... infallible. A perfect person, even a Saint, should be willing to die for the cause of Christ. Ratzinger did NOT do that. By Catholic Church criteria, Ratzinger did not live up to their own standards. [This point has nothing to do with the separate issue of hiding pedophile priests from prosecution. On that count, Ratzinger won't be meeting St. Peter at the gate. Rather, he'll be heading in another direction.]
Nobody's perfect. And besides, at the time, he was just a kid. He hadn't even gone into seminary yet. There were no standards he could have been expected to live up to. Like I said, we have no right to expect anyone to die. For example: If somebody comes into your place of work with the intent to rob you, you could fight back - in which case the robber would probably kill you. But if you choose to cooperate so that they, you know, WON'T kill you, that is just a normal human instinct - to want to live. Everybody has it.
Having been in, you know, actual combat where people were trying to kill us... we chose to stand and fight, rather than follow "just a normal human instinct - to want to live". - Jesus, crucified. - Paul, crucified upside down, because he felt unworthy to die the same death as Jesus Christ. - John, cousin to Jesus, beheaded for preaching against Herod's incestuous relationship. Many, many more examples can be found throughout Christian history, as well as, those of other faiths. We must agree to disagree on this issue.
Also it took courage for Ratzinger to desert the German army. That in itself provided severe risk to his life, because he would have been executed if caught. So doesn't that count for something?
Joining the Hitler Youth was like being on facebook. Everyone did it. I don't think too many 14 year olds would make a stand and die over such a thing. I have nothing nice to say about the pope but he wasn't a nazi. There's plenty or real stuff to trash him over.
Sorry, that's absolutely wrong. Successor to Peter, yes. Perfect person...no more so than Peter was. Remember him? Denied Jesus three times? Yeah, that Peter. As for infallibility, that's only under certain specific circumstances, none of which apply to a 14-year-old seminarian. Jan
Sector 7, Jan is correct. Infallibility means that the pope does not err when he speaks ex cathedra (in his official/public capacity), defining some doctrine of faith or morals. And there are some limitations even within that. Infallibility has nothing to do with perfection as a person, or with anything unofficial that the pope says. Benedict himself has pointed out that his books -- some written after he became pope -- are not infallible or even church dogma, just the opinions of a theologian. Also, some courageous people's standing up for their principles/beliefs, even at the risk of death, doesn't mean that the natural human instinct isn't to preserve one's life. Part of why we admire martyrs is that they have chosen the less instinctive, more difficult way.