The Pope

[Deranged Nasat]

So, I'm sure this is already being discussed in the Neutral Zone, where Nasats fear to tread, but I only just heard the news about the Pope resigning. My knowledge of the religious traditions involved isn't the best - can anyone explain the likely fallout of this? Is it relatively common for a pope to step down due to age? Most of the recent popes have died in office.

[Starkers]

Apparently it's not unheard of for a Pope to step down due to age, but it's been a while (as in centuries I believe)

[Deranged Nasat]

Starkers wrote:

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Apparently it's not unheard of for a Pope to step down due to age, but it's been a while (as in centuries I believe)

I believe Benedict XVI was one of the oldest to take office...

[Squiggy]

Starkers wrote:

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Apparently it's not unheard of for a Pope to step down due to age, but it's been a while (as in centuries I believe)

Gregory the XII was the last pope to step down, in 1415. However, that was for political reasons as he had lost the support of his cardinals.

[CorporalCaptain]

He's saying it's for health reasons, and, for my money, he didn't look well at the 2012 Midnight Mass.

[Thor Damar]

What? The Emperor is resigning?

(I seriously wasn't expecting that...)

[Starkers]

I’m assuming in these last few weeks he’ll be partnered up with a young, crazy, loose cannon of a priest…

[lvsxy808]

I find the Catholic Church to be a rather loathsome institution in general, but I hope they take this golden opportunity to move into the 21st century (or hell, the 19th would do) and try to get in step with the real world, rather than dig in and double down with the right-wing craziness that has pushed them further and further towards irrelevance and obsolescence.

We've been joking around the office that there must be some massive scandal in the offing and he's getting out before it hits. But then I thought, what else could there possibly be that's worse than what everybody already knows?

Or as someone else said, "time for a room full of virgins to get together and decide who gets the wear the white dress."

.

[bbailey861]

lvsxy808 wrote:

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I find the Catholic Church to be a rather loathsome institution in general, but I hope they take this golden opportunity to move into the 21st century (or hell, the 19th would do) and try to get in step with the real world, rather than dig in and double down with the right-wing craziness that has pushed them further and further towards irrelevance and obsolescence.

It'll never happen.

[Squiggy]

Starkers wrote:

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I’m assuming in these last few weeks he’ll be partnered up with a young, crazy, loose cannon of a priest…

Nah...he's getting too old for that shit.

[Chaos Descending]

lvsxy808 wrote:

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... but I hope they take this golden opportunity to move into the 21st century (or hell, the 19th would do) and try to get in step with the real world, rather than dig in and double down with the right-wing craziness that has pushed them further and further towards irrelevance and obsolescence ...

Humor me, what do you mean by this?

Ordination of women? Acceptance of abortion? Ordination of homosexuals?

[Timelord_Victorious]

Chaos Descending wrote:

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Humor me, what do you mean by this?

Ordination of women? Acceptance of abortion? Ordination of homosexuals?

Stopping to condem condoms as an instrument of the devil would be a start...

[Starkers]

Squiggy wrote:

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Nah...he's getting too old for that shit.

[lvsxy808]

Timelord_Victorious wrote:

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Stopping to condem condoms as an instrument of the devil would be a start...

Any of those would do.

The problem with the traditions of the Catholic Church are that they are completely contrary to actual human nature as it really is, rather than some unattainable ideal. They are the very epitome of "Do as I say, not as I do."

If only they weren't so utterly unrealistic, all of the scandals that have befallen them would have never happened. But because they try to deny all that is normal in the human experience and force guilt over things that are completely natural, all those natural human urges come out in the ugliest, most destructive ways possible. But they are so entrenched in values which went out of date decades if not centuries ago that they just keep doing the same thing over and over, and it will never get better unless they change something very fundamental.

If there is to be a new pope, he or she should be one who can accept the real world in 2013 as it is, and that there need not be a contradiction between following a spiritual calling and being anything other than a straight white male. "Christian" does not need to be a synonym for "sexist," "racist" or "homophobic," despite so many trying to force it to be exactly that.

There is nothing wrong with trying to live up to an ideal, and trying to better yourself. But so few so-called Christinas actually do that, and so little of what we hear about the church embodies any of the values they claim to hold.

I mean, look at this story here - a Catholic priest was arrested for chasing an underage boy down the street in his underwear after having molested him and tried to take a photo, and his explanation was "I was drunk." That's his alibi! Or this one here - a Catholic priest offered oral sex to a cop to get out of a drink driving ticket. And a million more. Things like this would not happen if they weren't living under such a repressive, fantasist regime.

Or the fact that the Vatican would waste time punishing its own over having a different opinion on social issues - here - instead of putting their effort where Christ supposedly said they should - helping people. No instead they condemn and condemn and condemn, while denying truth and lying to cover up their own tracks. How does any of this reflect actual Christian values?

With the ordination of a new pope, the church has a chance to modernise and be relevant again. Because the way they're going, the Catholic Church is driving away its own audience. The world is moving on, and if they can't keep up, they will die. Ah, but that's Darwin, and they don't believe in him either.

.

[Squiggy]

lvsxy808 wrote:

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If there is to be a new pope, he or she should be one...

No need to be PC.

There will be a new pontiff.
He will be a he.

Accidental Haiku!