Pope Benedict to retire for health reasons

[JJJ's Ulcer]

The Vatican won't pick an american pope because america is still a superpower. Even Dolan said that. The chances of an american poper are slim to none for the forseeable future.

Forseeable sure, but just wait fifty years when practically every country in Asia will have a higher GDP than the US.

 

[Thundercrack85]

In 50 years at this rate we'll have a gay female pope.

 

[Snow Queen]

In 50 years at this rate we'll have a gay female pope.

Give it 500 years. Gay maybe, but they've been a sexist group for centuries now. And it's practically written into their religion that only men can be priests. But that doesn't make sense since they claim God is in everyone. So shouldn't anyone be able to be a priest or the Pope? But, hey, look at that, I'm trying to find logic in a religion that believes in talking snakes, magic fruit, a God that throws a hissy fit when people don't do what he wants and floods the world and then sends himself down as his son, who is really himself, by banging up a 14 year old girl, by not banging her up, so that he can die for everyone's sins even though he could just snap his fingers and do it instantly. Logic. This God does not have it.

 

[Sawyer]

In 50 years at this rate we'll have a gay female pope.

 

[Thundercrack85]

The other religions are eating them alive. The Catholic Church will have to reform, or it will go the way of... well normally I would say the Catholic Church in this kind of metaphor.

1.2 billion sounds impressive, until you start asking more questions, like "do you regularly attend mass", "do you give money", "do you use contraception", "have you had your children baptized", etc. Come back in 50 years, and take that poll again.

There may be as few as 200 million "real" Catholics left. The rest are just culturally Catholic.

 

[Snow Queen]

The other religions are eating them alive. The Catholic Church will have to reform, or it will go the way of... well normally I would say the Catholic Church in this kind of metaphor.

1.2 billion sounds impressive, until you start asking more questions, like "do you regularly attend mass", "do you give money", "do you use contraception", "have you had your children baptized", etc. Come back in 50 years, and take that poll again.

There may be as few as 200 million "real" Catholics left. The rest are just culturally Catholic.

They flip flop as much as Mitt Romney, reforms won't matter. One moment the Bible is the absolute truth and the word of God, the next some of the stories aren't actually true. MAKE UP YOUR MINDS ALREADY.

 

[Hawkingbird]

They flip flop as much as Mitt Romney, reforms won't matter. One moment the Bible is the absolute truth and the word of God, the next some of the stories aren't actually true. MAKE UP YOUR MINDS ALREADY.

Well, Catholics say that's what Protestantism is. They say they're traditional.

 

[Piper Maru]

In 50 years at this rate we'll have a gay female pope.

And another 50 years after that we'll have a transgender atheist pope.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Probably wouldn't be the first time.

 

[Kane52630]

Is it too late for Pope White III?

 

[KevanG]

And another 50 years after that we'll have a transgender atheist pope.

I'd just like to see an atheist pope sneak in there. Watch the first news interview "What? Nah. You really think there's an invisible man who lives in the clouds who grants wishes? What are you? Five?" and watch it just destroy everybody's mind worldwide.

 

[Xeno]

In 50 years at this rate we'll have a gay female pope.

Since there have undoubtedly already been gay male popes this isn't all that unlikely. (BTW: gay females are lesbians. "Gay male" is sort of redundant, as well.)

 

[Marvolo]

I'd just like to see an atheist pope sneak in there. Watch the first news interview "What? Nah. You really think there's an invisible man who lives in the clouds who grants wishes? What are you? Five?" and watch it just destroy everybody's mind worldwide.

It wouldn't be that hard to BS your way in if you had the commitment to play the part. It would be the greatest method acting anyone had ever seen. Of course you would probably be poisoned by the vatican once you came out and said it was all BS.

I probably wouldn't come out and say I was athiest. I would just start reforming the church and doing controversial things. Do away with priest celibacy. Allow contraception and abortion. Buy a hooker. Ya know the usual. And if anyone questioned me I would slap them across the face and make them do laps around st peters square.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Actually, there probably have been a few atheist popes, since it used to be as much, if not more-so a political office than a religious office. Plus even the most devout Catholics (Teresa for example) go through periods of serious doubt. Even the last pope talked about how at times it seemed like God was not listening.

But then I think deep down, all intelligent religious people realize that faith is just that, faith, and that they, like every other religion that has ever been, could be (and probably are) wrong.

Of course, when you're preaching, or in this case, literally pontificating, it's probably a good idea to not admit that.

 

[Burgundy LaRue]

76 years old? Good to see the Vatican trying to appeal to the youth demographic.

I'm somewhat surprised they didn't go with a younger, seemingly more progressive Pope to help bring the religion more in keeping with modern times. I saw Benedict XVI as a stop-gap pope with his age and ultra-stern ways, but they seem to have gone down the same road with Francis. That said, at least he comes across as friendlier that Benedict, almost like John Paul II in that regard. Not that he'll likely do anything different from the previous papacies, but at least he'll play better at face value for the general public.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I'm somewhat surprised they didn't go with a younger, seemingly more progressive Pope to help bring the religion more in keeping with modern times.

Progressive? Keeping with modern times? Stop spouting heresy, sir.

 

[BestGirl]

It wouldn't be that hard to BS your way in if you had the commitment to play the part. It would be the greatest method acting anyone had ever seen. Of course you would probably be poisoned by the vatican once you came out and said it was all BS.

I probably wouldn't come out and say I was athiest. I would just start reforming the church and doing controversial things. Do away with priest celibacy. Allow contraception and abortion. Buy a hooker. Ya know the usual. And if anyone questioned me I would slap them across the face and make them do laps around st peters square.

Somebody must do this.

I'm somewhat surprised they didn't go with a younger, seemingly more progressive Pope to help bring the religion more in keeping with modern times. I saw Benedict XVI as a stop-gap pope with his age and ultra-stern ways, but they seem to have gone down the same road with Francis. That said, at least he comes across as friendlier that Benedict, almost like John Paul II in that regard. Not that he'll likely do anything different from the previous papacies, but at least he'll play better at face value for the general public.

When I saw a picture of Francis, the first thought that popped into my head was, "at least he doesn't look evil like Benedict."

 

[maver1ck]

The former pope today on twitter:

http://realtweeter.com/055259890/pope-benedict-xvi

 

[Lord]

no i got that from being a smart ass and making a joke.

and as other as said this is out of the blue and the previous pope was in much worse health and far older but him stepping down was never an option.

The last pope didn't even want to be pope to begin with, what's the problem if he wants to step down if he doesn't think he's up to the task?