Joseph Ratzinger named new pope-- Benedict XVI - Page 6

mousepod · 04-20-2005, 10:35 AM

One last clarification on the WW2 info. My understanding is that Ratzinger "deserted" after the war into the hands of the Americans. To me, this behavior does not have anything to do with morality. It's simply pragmatism.

I know that there are a lot of Catholics here, and I know that your struggle with your new leader is very different from mine. As an "outsider", I view him as any other newly elected world leader. How he cleaves the Catholic church is not really my concern. I take issue with his worldview - the same way I took issue with Meir Kahane, Louis Farrakhan, and Jimmy Swaggart. **** them all.

Not Afraid · 04-20-2005, 11:31 AM

You know, this whole "fiasco" makes me grateful I am not, nor never was a Catholic. My personal beliefs allow me a direct relationship with "God" without the need for some political leader of questionable ethics and a past that is horrorfying. However, I am still concerned for the influence he has over his followers.

innerSpaceman · 04-20-2005, 04:17 PM

Why has no one yet mentioned his freakily scary sunken eyes?!?!?

What more do you need to know about the man other than to look at his face for an instant and see those skullfaced eyes glaring back at you?

Fortunately for us all, the man looks to be about a thousand years old, and should survive the papacy for a relatively brief stint.

Ghoulish Delight · 04-20-2005, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Why has no one yet mentioned his freakily scary sunken eyes?!?!?

What more do you need to know about the man other than to look at his face for an instant and see those skullfaced eyes glaring back at you?

Fortunately for us all, the man looks to be about a thousand years old, and should survive the papacy for a relatively brief stint.

Oh, It's been noticed.

Claire · 04-20-2005, 04:34 PM

I keep seeing the title of this thread and thinking that Cliff Claven is the new pope......

Not Afraid · 04-20-2005, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Claire

I keep seeing the title of this thread and thinking that Cliff Claven is the new pope......

That's been noticed too.

€uroMeinke · 04-20-2005, 06:04 PM

Quote:

He warned about tendencies that he considered dangers to the faith: sects and ideologies like Marxism, liberalism, atheism, agnosticism and relativism - the ideology that there are no absolute truths.

This is the crux of my problem, particularly the last line, for certainly Catholicism (and all manner of orthidoxy) not only claim that there is a absolute truth, but the are the sole possessors of it.

Unfortunately for me, when one claims to have this sort of "absolute knowledge," I cannot help but think that they are liars - arogant liars. To me it reveals an uncertainty of faith, that cannot stand up to different practices. I cannot imagine that a God, an omniscient being, would be so narrowminded - it seems almost blasphamously insulting.

But then I'm an atheist, and one comfortable with some things remaining unknowable - including the very existence of God. And it's clear this Pope (like the last) sees me as a dangerous enemy for holding these beliefs. Sadly, I'll have to continue to view the Catholic Church as potential enemy as it tries to purge such thoughts from its faithfull.

04-20-2005, 10:35 AM	#1
mousepod You broke your Ramadar! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,635	One last clarification on the WW2 info. My understanding is that Ratzinger "deserted" after the war into the hands of the Americans. To me, this behavior does not have anything to do with morality. It's simply pragmatism. I know that there are a lot of Catholics here, and I know that your struggle with your new leader is very different from mine. As an "outsider", I view him as any other newly elected world leader. How he cleaves the Catholic church is not really my concern. I take issue with his worldview - the same way I took issue with Meir Kahane, Louis Farrakhan, and Jimmy Swaggart. **** them all.
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04-20-2005, 11:31 AM	#2
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	You know, this whole "fiasco" makes me grateful I am not, nor never was a Catholic. My personal beliefs allow me a direct relationship with "God" without the need for some political leader of questionable ethics and a past that is horrorfying. However, I am still concerned for the influence he has over his followers.
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04-20-2005, 04:17 PM	#3
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Why has no one yet mentioned his freakily scary sunken eyes?!?!? What more do you need to know about the man other than to look at his face for an instant and see those skullfaced eyes glaring back at you? Fortunately for us all, the man looks to be about a thousand years old, and should survive the papacy for a relatively brief stint.
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04-20-2005, 04:34 PM	#5
Claire Shagilicious Disneyland!! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Fulfilling my destiny..... Posts: 740	I keep seeing the title of this thread and thinking that Cliff Claven is the new pope...... __________________ Miles: It tastes like the back of a fing L.A. school bus. Now they probably didn't de-stem, hoping for some semblance of concentration, crushed it up with leaves and mice, and then wound up with this rancid tar and turpentine bull**. Fin' Raid. Jack: Tastes pretty good to me.
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