the motor city huh...
that's a really tangental place to go to look at the pope. Interesting site

He has excellent taste in blogs, too. ;)

Sure does.

And here's his third post re the Pope..

[ external link ]

Right on Jet - and that's a good example of the exact opposite in the media! I'm just really wary of people being turned into saints in retrospect, or at all for that matter. I know no-ones perfect, but I hated the way for example Ronald Reagan was canonised as "one of the greatest presidents of all time" I don't even need to start on what a cunt that guy was...

I have to disagree with you there Heather. I think there is some pretty reasoned analysis to suggest that the Catholic church is now far more conservative than it was when he became Pope. There's a further argument that he's also done a stellar job of cementing his legacy because of the length of his papacy. He has effectively appointed more and more conservative Cardinals, who will elect the next Pope who will appoint the next Cardinals. It's somewhat similar to the way Presidents try to manipulate the makeup of the Supreme Court to reflect their political bent long after they're gone. Further, he presided over a major revamp of the "pretty much unchangeable catholic doctrine" with the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church in 1992.

Well, I can't really argue against your first point on his choice of cardinals, but I was under the impression that the Catechism was written as a comprehensive reassertion of the doctrine that catholics already believe (or "should already believe", if you like) rather than a "major revamp".

I remember quite a bit of criticism of her in the media , I think it might even have been in Cleo or something out of the ordinary like that - stories about her refusing medication for AIDS victims in hospices, as well as going on record in an interview next to a bed with someone dying of AIDS saying "this is how we fight contraception and immorality in Calcutta" -she is now a saint and will go down in history as a saint according to the Catholic church. I wonder if St Francis of Ascisi was up to dodgy stuff we'll never know about either...?

eeeeeeevery speeeeerm is saaaaacred....eeeeeeeeevvery speeeeerrm is goooooooooood.......fair point, as long as there's more people at the local catholic church that's just dandy, bollocks to the lack of resources to feed/clothe/house them, just keep on bringin in more to church and the world just keeps on gettin better as we fill up the world with "little miracles".

//actually no, your supposed to practice abstinence once you've had enough children//

And the longest river in Africa, running through both upper and lower egypt is ...
Did he actually say that? Once you've had enough children etc...? I'm sorry, that's just stoopid.

Yeah, I remember a few criticisms of Mother Theresa coming out too. Cross fingers we'll at least see the odd mention re: John Paul II as well.

Re: the role of the Pope, I would've thought he was in the prime position to effect change within the RC church, due to the fact that they don't hold the bible as the sole source of God's word. He did say some fairly wild things if he was just playing it safe, eg. saying around 2000 that hell does not exist as a physical place.

I was raised RC, still associate with plenty of practising RC people (in my immediate family for starters :) and have heard comments about John Paul II's conservativism for as long as I can remember (in his defence or criticism).

the herald talked of his controversial subjects and short comings. With the condom thing, I think its an irresponsible attitude, but then from his perspective if they’re following his direction they wouldn’t be having sex before they married. However with the situation in Africa many already would have aids from childhood.

no, you're supposed to do it as much as the secular folks but also conceive the kids so the number of worshippers grows. it's not like he was head of the WHO

//he pope was "infallible" when he spoke in public

This is a not dissimilar argument used in a lot of churches to argue that all of the translations of the bible were guided by God, and thus infallible. That is, where the modern versions contradict the original script, that God actually wanted the change.

hehe,

It was "Amen". But I bet he was thinking "Damn Im going to miss revenge of the Sith....."

// an absolutely reliable method of contraception

one thinks someone has misinformed her as to the definition of 'contraception'.

Depends on how long she breastfeeds. Say eight months per child and that's got her about two years of conception-free sex - out of fifteen - with the rhythm method as sole contraceptive. And how often do you reckon they'd be having sex after they've had the third?

maybe he is?