The Papal Visit

[RedGlitter]

With Pope Benedict XVI about to make his visit to the US, I wondered if many people here are excited about it? Does the Pope mean much to you? Does his visit? I'm not Catholic, but to me there's something kind of neat about papal visits. Not really sure why. Any thoughts?

I'm Catholic and yet can't seem to get myself worked up about his visit.

I respect him as head of the church but my faith relationship is with God, not the Pope.

[gmc]

once upon a time in glasgow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubRuI...eature=related

[kiwimum76]

I see the Pope sort as sort of a living figurehead for the Catholic Church. He is a very important part of the Catholic church for most Catholics.
I respect the fact that he is important to others and respected by many. But he doeasn't really do much for me. I just see an old man in white robes with a lot of power.
I don't really have any interest in him coming here to visit and I wouldn't be one of thousands lining the streets to see him, but thats just me. I have no problems with other people feeling excited and looking forward to a visit. All power to them!
My feelings about this may be different if I was Catholic and had more of an understanding of the Pope and the church in general.

[abbey]

Originally Posted by RedGlitter

With Pope Benedict XVI about to make his visit to the US, I wondered if many people here are excited about it? Does the Pope mean much to you? Does his visit? I'm not Catholic, but to me there's something kind of neat about papal visits. Not really sure why. Any thoughts?

Have a good visit.

[spot]

Originally Posted by rjwould

Bill Mahr had some interesting comments this week on his show, 'Real Time", concerning the pope and his visit.

This pope, while an administrator of the Catholic religion (of which I was raised by my parents) had apparently suggested in a circulated memo that the clergy adopt a policy to avoid, delay and conceal the (at that time) impending charges of child molestation until the statue of limitations had run out.

Can you provide a reference for this please, I'd like to follow it up. I've googled in various fashions and I can't find anything relating to it.

Ah. I've found out why. There's no Bill Mahr, that's why.

During his April 11, 2008 live broadcast, Maher said of the Catholic Church:

In fact, whenever a cult leader sets himself up as God's infallible wingman here on earth, lock away the kids. Which is why I'd like to tip off law enforcement to an even LARGER child-abusing religious cult. Its leader ALSO has a compound, and this guy not only operates outside the bounds of the law, but he used to be a Nazi and he wears funny hats! That's right, the Pope is coming to America this week, and ladies: he's single!

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Bill, you can't be saying the Catholic church is no better than this creepy Texas cult. For one thing, altar boys can't even GET pregnant!" But really, what tripped up the little cult on the prairie was that they only abused hundreds of kids, not thousands all over the world. "Cults" get raided; "religions" get parades. How DOES the Catholic church get away with all of their buggery? Volume, volume, volume! If you have a few hundred followers, and you let some of them molest children, they call you a "cult leader." If you have a billion, they call you "Pope." It's like, if you can't pay your mortgage, they call you a "deadbeat," but if you can't pay a million mortgages, you're "Bear Sterns" and we bail you out.

And that's who the Catholic church is. The "Bear Sterns of organized pedophilia." When the current Pope was in his previous Vatican job, as John Paul's Dick Cheney, he wrote a letter instructing every Catholic bishop to keep the sex abuse of minors secret until the statute of limitations ran out. And that's the church's attitude: "We're here, we're queer, get used to it."

Which is fine -- far be it from me to criticize religion. But just remember one thing: if the Pope was, instead of a religious figure, merely the CEO of a nation-wide chain of day care centers, where thousands of employees had been caught molesting kids and then covering it up, he'd be arrested faster than you can say, "Who wants to touch Mr. Wiggle?"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005...hildprotection discusses the letter in slightly more analytical language.

[gmc]

Originally Posted by spot

Can you provide a reference for this please, I'd like to follow it up. I've googled in various fashions and I can't find anything relating to it.

Ah. I've found out why. There's no Bill Mahr, that's why.

During his April 11, 2008 live broadcast, Maher said of the Catholic Church:

In fact, whenever a cult leader sets himself up as God's infallible wingman here on earth, lock away the kids. Which is why I'd like to tip off law enforcement to an even LARGER child-abusing religious cult. Its leader ALSO has a compound, and this guy not only operates outside the bounds of the law, but he used to be a Nazi and he wears funny hats! That's right, the Pope is coming to America this week, and ladies: he's single!

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Bill, you can't be saying the Catholic church is no better than this creepy Texas cult. For one thing, altar boys can't even GET pregnant!" But really, what tripped up the little cult on the prairie was that they only abused hundreds of kids, not thousands all over the world. "Cults" get raided; "religions" get parades. How DOES the Catholic church get away with all of their buggery? Volume, volume, volume! If you have a few hundred followers, and you let some of them molest children, they call you a "cult leader." If you have a billion, they call you "Pope." It's like, if you can't pay your mortgage, they call you a "deadbeat," but if you can't pay a million mortgages, you're "Bear Sterns" and we bail you out.

And that's who the Catholic church is. The "Bear Sterns of organized pedophilia." When the current Pope was in his previous Vatican job, as John Paul's Dick Cheney, he wrote a letter instructing every Catholic bishop to keep the sex abuse of minors secret until the statute of limitations ran out. And that's the church's attitude: "We're here, we're queer, get used to it."

Which is fine -- far be it from me to criticize religion. But just remember one thing: if the Pope was, instead of a religious figure, merely the CEO of a nation-wide chain of day care centers, where thousands of employees had been caught molesting kids and then covering it up, he'd be arrested faster than you can say, "Who wants to touch Mr. Wiggle?"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005...hildprotection discusses the letter in slightly more analytical language.

I always think it's more to do with the fact that in the UK anything criticising the catholic church very rapidly takes on a sectarian tinge. Just imagine the outcry if prince William starts going out with a catholic-or if Tony Blair had converted while in office. The scabs over sectarian hatred are pretty thin. People tread carefully It may seem irrational but when it comes to religion rationality goes right out the window.

[xyz]

Originally Posted by RedGlitter

Does the Pope mean much to you?

A person who claims to be God's one personal representative on earth has either got to be just that, or has to be treated as unwelcome, for one reason or another. There are plenty of people claiming to be Napoleon receiving medical help. Now Herr Ratzinger appears to be in sound mental health, very sound, in fact. So, if we do not think him to be the Vicar of Christ, as he claims, we have no option but to regard him as a deceiver, a person who has no socially acceptable agenda to offer.

[Ted]

xyz

There are millions around the world who consider the pope to be the vicar of Christ on earth.

Shalom
Ted

[xyz]

Originally Posted by Ted

xyz

There are millions around the world who consider the pope to be the vicar of Christ on earth.

Shalom
Ted

There are millions around the world who say they consider the pope to be the vicar of Christ on earth.