Joseph Ratzinger named new pope-- Benedict XVI

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

I'm just curious why all over the world the move seems to be towards the more dogmatic. As if the matters of God are ever revealed with that much clarity. Is this a response to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism?

I'd like to say that being an athiest, this does not impact me - but in some ways, I feel I may soon be under attack (if not already - "godless modern trends must be rejected").

Again, I'm quoting a friend, who would have responded to this better than I'll be able to:

"Since I'm not Catholic, I hesitated before giving my opinion. I think it's accurate to say, though, that the Pope is perceived by many to be a political leader, in addition to his role as leader of the Catholic Church. In that role, what he does affects me at least to some degree, so I offer my opinion for what it's worth for that reason only."