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That brings up an incredibly interesting question: What would you advise of the new Pope if you had your chance?Deus Ex Machina said:So was I ShamMol. Just to shread them to pieces, because these "progressives" are not intellectually honest enough to admit that what they really want is a new religion.
Not preaching, but... just maybe Pope Ratzinger could use a good atheist like myself to be his attack dog or something. :hammer:
Four words: Be Open To Change.sebastiansdreams said:That brings up an incredibly interesting question: What would you advise of the new Pope if you had your chance?
Stick to your guns and hold your ground.sebastiansdreams said:That brings up an incredibly interesting question: What would you advise of the new Pope if you had your chance?
How ironic that our advice is so completely different. I guess it just goes to show the true differences between a conservative and a progressive.vauge said:Stick to your guns and hold your ground.
Then, put all those sicko priests behind bars and throw away the key that molested the young children.
Forgive them on a spiritual level (as a priest should) and then remove thier collar.
Before I left the Church, my pastor told me something that I will never forget. "To question is to be human, and to be right is to be God." None of us are right all the time when it comes to religious issues and none of us are wrong. We all just tend to interpret things differntly, something the Catholic Church has never been comfortable with. This Msgr. told me this because at one point he questioned his faith in the teachings so much due to one issue he left the Church. He made peace with the fact that everyone had to choose for themselves and not just adhere rigidly to doctrine. He is possibly the man I respect the most, and I am not even Catholic. He showed that you didn't have to believe everything people told you.Deus Ex Machina said:I don't know if I'm being stereotypical at all.
You see, catholicism is a far different game than what most people (including most catholics) are familiar with.
Catholicism is an all-or-nothing proposition. Everything they believe in rests in a belief that the church's authority structure (the "magisterium" as they call it) derives its teachings from god, and is therefore infallible. By definition, to disagree with a teaching of the church is to no longer be a catholic. Because catholicism is all about authority -- a very different game than the typical protestant notion of faith being based on a personal relationship with god.
Did you ever wonder why the four gospels made it into the bible, while the gospel of Thomas, the Gnostic gospels and countless others didn't make the cut? Did you ever wonder how Jesus became the second person of the trinity rather than a really wise philosopher? Did you ever wonder how the holy spirit somehow became the third person, when scripture only makes a really vague reference to said spirit? The answer is: because the canon of scripture and all essential christian beliefs were decided within the catholic church's authority structure (via the "ecumenical councils").
So given the fundamental emphasis on authority, a believing catholic who understands his/her religion does not demand the revision of their teachings to suit his/her time and tastes.
For those who have such demands, there are plenty of other paths to choose.
Want my theory? or the theory written in Da Vinci Code?Deus Ex Machina said:Did you ever wonder why the four gospels made it into the bible, while the gospel of Thomas, the Gnostic gospels and countless others didn't make the cut?
What does a really wise philosopher have to do with Christianity or religion in general? I agree that even if Jesus isn't the son of god he's the best damned Prophet of all times.Did you ever wonder how Jesus became the second person of the trinity rather than a really wise philosopher?
http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineSt...Holy+Spirit§ion=0&version=csb&language=enDid you ever wonder how the holy spirit somehow became the third person, when scripture only makes a really vague reference to said spirit?
That's the truth right there! Especially when it comes down to Mary Magedlen.The answer is: because the canon of scripture and all essential christian beliefs were decided within the catholic church's authority structure (via the "ecumenical councils").
Which is why Ratzinger is at fault for hating the branches of Christianity? the ones who actually follow what their lord tells them and not what some buffoon dressed in robes say.For those who have such demands, there are plenty of other paths to choose.
anomaly said:Now, I'm no fan of Catholicism, nor do I respect or really care about the Pope at all, but I can't help but wonder, an 84 (I think) year old Pope just died so they elect a 78 year old? Does that make any sense?
It just seems like they picked him expecting he'd die in a few years. Think they have some young future-Pope in waiting, who's not quite ready yet?ShamMol said:Actually yeah. When someone who has served as long as John Paul II dies, they usually pick someone who will not change much and be there for a short time-unfortunately, this guy fits the bill.
Personally, I don't know the cardinals well enough to say, but I was really hoping for a pope from Africa so that maybe, just maybe, the Church would deal with the AIDS crisis.anomaly said:It just seems like they picked him expecting he'd die in a few years. Think they have some young future-Pope in waiting, who's not quite ready yet?
Yeah, I was hoping for a Pope from the global south so he could solve some real problems (the poor state of the global south).ShamMol said:Personally, I don't know the cardinals well enough to say, but I was really hoping for a pope from Africa so that maybe, just maybe, the Church would deal with the AIDS crisis.
I already offered my wish to the pope: Be open to change, wherever it comes from. It doesn't mean he has to change, but he should at the very least be open for it. Now, that isn't anything but hope and faith in the goodwill of man.sebastiansdreams said:This far we have wishes that the Pope would some how cure AIDS and give money to the global south. Is there anyone who has some sort of faith based wish towards the Pope, or is it all just based on economics and healthcare?
anomaly said:It just seems like they picked him expecting he'd die in a few years. Think they have some young future-Pope in waiting, who's not quite ready yet?
ShamMol said:Four words: Be Open To Change.
Originally Posted by Arch Enemy
Which is why Ratzinger is at fault for hating the branches of Christianity? the ones who actually follow what their lord tells them and not what some buffoon dressed in robes say.