A new Pope

[trencacloscas]

Today the cardinals gather for conclave to select a new Catholic pope.

What does it mean for the non-Catholics?

It's just an open question, for Catholics and non-Catholics alike, since the death of John Paul II created such unexpected expectative. I'm curious about the opinions, that's all.

[Vladd44]

All I can say is I am sitting by the phone waiting for the Call.

Pope Vladd the 44th.

Seriously, I am really hoping for an African or Asian choice.

[DanMRaymond]

He is another figure used to represent the Catholic church. He's just a symbol.

[Arch]

Today the cardinals gather for conclave to select a new Catholic pope.

What does it mean for the non-Catholics?

It's just an open question, for Catholics and non-Catholics alike, since the death of John Paul II created such unexpected expectative. I'm curious about the opinions, that's all.

How can men decided who is holy? I thought GOD had to ordain whom were his servants like prophets?

I even heard they don't embalm the Pope because he is so holy his body decays slower than usually people.

[trencacloscas]

JOSEPH RATZINGER is the new pope. German cardinal, 78, choses the name Benedict XVI, after election on second day of conclave.

Great, a nazi pope. Now this is gonna get gooooooooood!!! 8) :2gun:

[Arch]

JOSEPH RATZINGER is the new pope. German cardinal, 78, choses the name Benedict XVI, after election on second day of conclave.

Great, a nazi pope. Now this is gonna get gooooooooood!!! 8) :2gun:

You got that right. Have you seen his speech before being elected.

Cardinal Ratzinger Sees European Culture in Decline
Warns recognition of same-sex unions would lead to "extremely grave consequences."
ROME, May 14, 2004 (CWNews.com/LifeSiteNews.com) - In a powerful speech delivered to a conference on European identity, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger spoke of a severe "decline" in European culture. The German cardinal also lamented that the European "charter of fundamental rights" defines marriage in vague terms, and predicted that the recognition of same-sex unions would lead to "a dissolution of the image of man, with extremely grave consequences."

Today, Cardinal Ratzinger continued, homosexual activists seek legal recognition for their own unions, and any such recognition "will have to correspond, more or less, to marriage." But when the state gives the same legal recognition to same-sex unions, the cardinal said, society will break from "the moral history of mankind," which has always given exclusive recognition to "the particular communion of a man and a woman which is open to children and thus to the family."

Regarding the broader question of European identity, the cardinal said that the society today suffers from "the dissolution of man's primordial certainties about God, about himself and the world-- the dissolution of conscience and of intangible moral principles." He argued that this "self-destruction of the European consciousness" constitutes a grave problem for contemporary society.

He said that "multiculturalism, which is so constantly and passionately encouraged and supported, sometimes amounts to an abandonment and disavowal of what is our own."

The rise of Islam in recent years, the cardinal said, is partly the result of the new wealth of the Arabic world, but also partly due to the fact that Islam offers "a valid spiritual basis for people's lives." In that respect the vigor of the Islamic faith contrasts with the decline of Christian culture in Europe. Similarly, he said, the interest in Asian religious traditions reflects a failure of Europeans to grasp their own spiritual heritage.

At the conclusion of his sobering speech, Cardinal Ratzinger said that faithful Christians should "recognize themselves as a creative minority" in today's Europe. The task before such Christians, he said,] is to work for a revival of Europe's true Christian culture, "so that Europe regains the best of her identity, and puts herself in the service of all mankind."

What is the EUROPEAN IDENTITY?

What is the EUROPEAN CONSCIOUNESS?

How does EUROPE have it's OWN spritual heritage?

Is this man a nazi or what?

What I get from this speech is that Euorpe must rise and regain its spirtual culture and show the world how to live and not to incorporate multiculturalism.

It laymens turns HAIL HITLER

[trencacloscas]

Exactly. Shameless fundamentalism. He designed the line of politics of John Paul II and now he takes the ride...

[Arch]

Exactly. Shameless fundamentalism. He designed the line of politics of John Paul II and now he takes the ride...

I wonder how many non European Catholics are on this site and how many know how their new POPE feels.

Everyone knows that Hitler was a Catholic and that there were hundreds of Catholic writings condemning the Jews. Hitler even admired Luthers who also shared a hatred for Jews.

[ST88]

Now, hold on just a minute. Benedict XVI surely has some unpleasant opinions and will likely preach these anti-humanist messages to the world, but let's get real about comparing someone like the Pope to someone like Hitler.

I think it's all too easy to invoke the ghost of Hitler for comparison purposes, and it is in most cases inappropriate. It's a little early in his papal career to call him a fascist.

There's a little bit of reading things into his writings, here. The context for the quoted material above was the rising secularism in Europe -- Church attendance is way down, and he sees it as the Pope's job to bring it back up. I think it remains to be seen how he'll do this, but I don't think it will involve rounding up Turks and Moroccans and Algerians & putting them into concentration camps.

[Vladd44]

Congrats Cardinals.

I didnt think they would take my suggestion of making the new Papal state headquarters at neverland ranch anyway.

I am glad they chose such a poor choice. It shows a real desire to cling to old outdated ideas that will only hasten their demise.