Pope Benedict to retire for health reasons

[Victarion]

Why do you suppose they say that, Hobgoblin?

 

[Hobgoblin]

Why do you suppose they say that, Hobgoblin?

"Raised Catholic, die Catholic?" I know exactly why. Dad always said that his childhood priest used to tell the congregation that the Protestants in the church across the street were going to Hell.

Yes, I know. The Church was using fear to keep people in line and as people become more educated the fear of Hell will go away. Tell that to my cousin, who is a surgeon and his whole family remains Church goers.

 

[Thundercrack85]

How many are jumping ship? My father talked about doing that. He claimed he wanted to go to a Protestant church and not give any more money to the Church until it cleaned up the mess. He still goes to Catholic mass.

A lot of people are angry and complaining but then they say "I was raised Catholic, I'll die Catholic."

Oh it's a serious problem. Since World War II, over half of all Catholics have stopped attending regular mass. A third have left the Church all together. And the numbers continue to decline. I believe it's now 5% every ten years (the decline has actually decreased, it was 10% every decade in the 60's and 70's).

Think of it this way, more people left the Catholic Church in the last 30 years, than during the Protestant Reformation.

 

[Hobgoblin]

Oh it's a serious problem. Since World War II, over half of all Catholics have stopped attending regular mass. A third have left the Church all together. And the numbers continue to decline. I believe it's now 5% every ten years.

Think of it this way, more people left the Catholic Church in the last 30 years, than during the Protestant Reformation.

What is your source for that info? Have the numbers been adjusted for population growth?

 

[Thundercrack85]

Which info? Cause they'd be several different ones. You can find most of those figures online. There's also an interesting one on how Catholic schools are seeing a stark decline. I think it's half, but I don't remember exactly.

http://www.churchleaders.com/pastor...ose-look-at-church-attendance-in-america.html

Some fun stuff.

You're going to have to use google to get more specific Catholic statistics.

 

[Marvolo]

I dont see lack of charisma as a bad thing. I thought the child abuse story blew up well before JP's death but whatever.



I know many Catholics that are still deeply committed to the Church. I dont think the Church is something that gets to "update" itself. It has its beliefs and stick so them, regardless of what other people think. I dont agree with all of those beliefs but I do respect that the Church doesnt change its tenets just to be popular.

The Catholic Church has changed its tenets repeatedly for the last 800 years for every reason imagineable. It keeps the core beliefs, but everything else has either been added on, dropped, or altered from its original incarnation.

 

[Hobgoblin]

The Catholic Church has changed its tenets repeatedly for the last 800 years for every reason imagineable.

Touche.

 

[Thundercrack85]

The Catholic Church has changed its tenets repeatedly for the last 800 years for every reason imagineable. It keeps the core beliefs, but everything else has either been added on, dropped, or altered from its original incarnation.

Kind of glad they finally agreed that slavery was bad.

 

[Snow Queen]

Kind of glad they finally agreed that slavery was bad.

I always loved this one. Seems God kinda missed that part in that set of 10 rules to never break. Respecting parents no matter what, keeping one day of the week 'Holy', don't worship other Gods but me even though I'm a supreme being and should be above petty jealousy like this and no swearing with my name needs to be on there but slavery, that's okay.

 

[Marvolo]

Kind of glad they finally agreed that slavery was bad.

They were a little slow on that matter, but better late than never I guess.

 

[Marvolo]

I always loved this one. Seems God kinda missed that part in that set of 10 rules to never break. Respecting parents needs to be on there but slavery, that's okay.

Its one of those things that is without a doubt evidence against the Bible being from god.

 

[KalMart]

How many are jumping ship? My father talked about doing that. He claimed he wanted to go to a Protestant church and not give any more money to the Church until it cleaned up the mess. He still goes to Catholic mass.

A lot of people are angry and complaining but then they say "I was raised Catholic, I'll die Catholic."

If people want to stay Catholic, that's fine. It's their leadership administration that has the problems.

 

[Mad Love]

The most obvious evidence that the Bible isn't from god is because it's a book. If god wanted to write something, he'd burn it permanently in the sky.

 

[Snow Queen]

The most obvious evidence that the Bible isn't from god is because it's a book. If god wanted to write something, he'd burn permanently it in the sky.

Or, better yet, he's a *****ing God, just program people to know this stuff already. If there was a good God, there'd be no evil. No school shootings. No suffering. No devil. Because said God would have to be all powerful to do the stuff various religions claim he does. So, why allow all this stuff to happen? To paraphrase George Carlin here: "Face it, if there is a God, he's either evil or he just doesn't care. Starvation, mass murder, hurricanes, floods, wild fires, shootings, this does not belong on the resume of a supreme being, it belongs on the resume of the office intern with a bad attitude."

 

[Mad Love]

George Carlin was the man. I miss his voice of reason.

 

[Thundercrack85]

So, anyone want to place (non-monetary) bets on who the next pope will be?

 

[Mad Love]

I'd place a bet that very few people know who could be the next pope

 

[Piper Maru]

George Carlin was the man. I miss his voice of reason.

George Carlin was the best.

 

[Marvolo]

So, anyone want to place (non-monetary) bets on who the next pope will be?

I've heard maybe the Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York. Him being American makes him kind of seem like a longshot though. Other hopefuls come from below the equator. The Church seems to be gaining in popularity there or maintaining popularity while it is losing popularity in Europe.

Article discussing the possibilities.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/17/world/europe/cardinals-start-subtle-process-of-pope-choice.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/16/4472473/could-the-next-pope-come-from.html

 

[Matt]

Or, better yet, he's a *****ing God, just program people to know this stuff already. If there was a good God, there'd be no evil. No school shootings. No suffering. No devil. Because said God would have to be all powerful to do the stuff various religions claim he does. So, why allow all this stuff to happen? To paraphrase George Carlin here: "Face it, if there is a God, he's either evil or he just doesn't care. Starvation, mass murder, hurricanes, floods, wild fires, shootings, this does not belong on the resume of a supreme being, it belongs on the resume of the office intern with a bad attitude."

Oh brother. Carlin was the king of creating strawman arguments to cover up that he had a very limited knowledge of religion/no desire to increase his knowledge.

George Carlin was the man. I miss his voice of reason.

It wasn't a voice of reason. He was like Maher. It is easy to shoot down religion when you are willfully blind to intelligent, reasonable religious folks and only focus on the extremists and use them to paint everyone in a bad light.

I'd place a bet that very few people know who could be the next pope

My guess is the Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet. Ouellet is very likeable, selecting a North American Pope would be seen as a progressive choice. It would be the illusion of change while maintaining consistency, however. Ouellet is a very strict fundamentalist whose likeability and personality is good for masking his more extreme views which will appease a lot of the old school Cardinals selected by Benedict.

 

[Matt]

I've heard maybe the Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York. Him being American makes him kind of seem like a longshot though. Other hopefuls come from below the equator. The Church seems to be gaining in popularity there or maintaining popularity while it is losing popularity in Europe.

Article discussing the possibilities.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/17/world/europe/cardinals-start-subtle-process-of-pope-choice.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/16/4472473/could-the-next-pope-come-from.html

Of course, that makes the choices from Europe all the more logical. Angelo Scola wouldn't surprise me a bit. I think Ouellet is the front runner, but Scola makes a lot of sense. An Italian Pope could revitalize Catholicism in Italy and Europe.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

Well, many are jumping ship. Some atheists, most just find a church less deaf to the wants and needs of its members.

Protestants are cleaning house.

that all depends on the place really i can honestly say that its still up in the air here. but any religion talk about northern ireland is always linked to political so i wont get into it

 

[Mad Love]

It wasn't a voice of reason. He was like Maher. It is easy to shoot down religion when you are willfully blind to intelligent, reasonable religious folks and only focus on the extremists and use them to paint everyone in a bad light..

Bill Maher is a hack who takes popular cheap shots.

George Carlin was astute, subversive, and highly intelligent. The things he pointed out are still relevant today. He was an independent. He targeted hypocrisy and absurdity wherever it was: far left, far right, religious, or secular.

It's easy to criticize religion because it requires faith. Same reason it's hard to actually shoot down.

 

[Mad Love]

Oh brother. Carlin was the king of creating strawman arguments to cover up that he had a very limited knowledge of religion/no desire to increase his knowledge.

Where are you getting your information?

He grew up with a Catholic education by nuns. Limited knowledge... I bet he was more informed about Christianity than most Christians. You seem like you have limited/no desire to increase your knowledge about George Carlin.

Allow me to help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6c2_Ady66Q#t=7m59s

 

[childeroland]

I'd bet Angelo Scola. Or maybe Tagle, if they decide to go young again.