The Pope

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It looks like he's on his last hours. Although I'm not really religous, I must say I am impressed by the courage he has shown in the face of his impending death.

[crptcblade]

I am impressed by the courage he has shown in the face of his impending death.

Yes, he slipped into that coma like a true hero.

[davebat]

I dont know why everyones so bothered, looks like he'll go to heaven, after all he is infallible.

Perhaps we should turn our attention to the thousands of children born every day with aids, who have no food or water and every day is a miserable struggle until they die at the age of ten (if their lucky).

After all, the pope is 84, thats a pretty good innings.

[mendhak]

Hours later, the Vatican announced that doctors had threaded a feeding tube through his nose and into his stomach to ensure that he was properly nourished.

Here we go again... I wonder if god himself would have to step in for this.

[crptcblade]

I say we all stop giving a rat's ass about everybody else and start focusing inward.

[mendhak]

But Joe, then our lives would have no meaning.

[crptcblade]

Those who can handle it will forge ahead.

[mendhak]

You should become our leader. You can then become famous and we'll read about your life in the tabloids.

Soon, you'll have your own thread.

[Valleysboy1978]

All hail crptcblade!

[demotivater]

All hail crptcblade!

Not until he provides proof.

[Shaggy Hiker]

Not until he provides proof.

Proof of what?

[visualAd]

I dont know why everyones so bothered, looks like he'll go to heaven, after all he is infallible.

Perhaps we should turn our attention to the thousands of children born every day with aids, who have no food or water and every day is a miserable struggle until they die at the age of ten (if their lucky).

After all, the pope is 84, thats a pretty good innings.

I am nearly 100% sure that The Pope has done a lot more for people in these situations than any of us. He has done a lot of positive things and had a postivie impact on the lives of many. Therefore he deserves some respect and recognition.

[wossname]

Popes have been pontificating for a few hundred decades now, its a job for life, so this exact thing happens to all Popes, is he really anything special when compared to other examples of popage?

His Popeness is certainly a lovely bloke and I wish him a swift admission into his afterlife of choice. He'll probably go end up in Heaven, go back to being age 20, with rippling muscles, a huge ... mitre ... and flocks of gorgeous nubile 20something virgins and lots of beer and all that other cool sh&t that you get in heaven.

Its almost enough to make me believe in all that gubbins.

In the mean time I'm with Crpt.

[Shaggy Hiker]

Popes have been pontificating for a few hundred decades now, its a job for life, so this exact thing happens to all Popes, is he really anything special when compared to other examples of popage?

His Popeness is certainly a lovely bloke and I wish him a swift admission into his afterlife of choice. He'll probably go end up in Heaven, go back to being age 20, with rippling muscles, a huge ... mitre ... and flocks of gorgeous nubile 20something virgins and lots of beer and all that other cool sh&t that you get in heaven.

Its almost enough to make me believe in all that gubbins.

In the mean time I'm with Crpt.

When you get right down to it, virgins aren't all that much fun.

[wossname]

Looks like God called...

Pope.Dispose()
Pope = Nothing

[ajames]

he's dead...

[mendhak]

Notified by email:
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/eu....ap/index.html
(Interesting)

Events to follow:
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/eu...ath/index.html

[Valleysboy1978]

I am nearly 100% sure that The Pope has done a lot more for people in these situations than any of us. He has done a lot of positive things and had a postivie impact on the lives of many. Therefore he deserves some respect and recognition.

Perhaps, such is the benefit of an influencial position.
But remember he also stopped a lot of advances simply because of his old fashioned opinions, such as female priests. He is only seen as 100% positive because his position granted that.

In the end, my life will continue onwards without effect, and as davebat said, this guy was 84 years old when he kicked the reverbial bucket. Many in this world don't live beyond 20 so I think he can consider himself lucky

[visualAd]

Many in this world don't live beyond 20 so I think he can consider himself lucky

No doubt he did and like most he had his failings. I don't agree with his attitude to contraception. But for the most part he used his faith and his influential position to do many positive things.

Its a shame that modern day figure heads and leaders don't take a leaf from his book, because if they did the world would be a much better place.

[davebat]

they do take leafs from his book in that most world leaders will bomb other countrys with god on their side.

[Valleysboy1978]

they do take leafs from his book in that most world leaders will bomb other countrys with god on their side.

touche!

[visualAd]

they do take leafs from his book in that most world leaders will bomb other countrys with god on their side.

My interpretation of God is not someone/something that condones or sides with any war.

[davebat]

And thats the problem with God, he remains open for interpretation. Many christians interpret that the no sex before marriage rule no longer applies, some interpret that the no smiting your enemys with hellfire missiles no longer applies.

I think if believe stopped believing in all this nonsense the world would be a much better place, however I do think religion produces some genuinely good people who want to help people out and go good, these are outweighed by the zealots though. And even without religion I think these people would still be good.

[visualAd]

The very fact that we are mortal beings induces fear and a feeling of unease. To realise what maybe the truth, that we are insignificant in the grand scheme of things and that we will live and die and fade from the memory of most is not something we like to realise.

I agree that religion causes a lot of trouble. But I honestly believe it is something we cannot live without and struggle to live with. Humans need hope, faith, gives hope, hope of immortality, a hope that one day we shall be reunited with our loved ones, a feeling that we are not so insignificant.

Yes, there are those of us who do not believe in religion in any form. These people believe that life counts and ensure that they have all the comforts of life while they are alive, this often creates very materialistic people.

In my opinion we need people like the Pope, not so much for his religion but for his faith. He had a very strong sense of belief, he stuck by his beliefs and he used his belief for the good of others. Its ironic, how someone can do so much good for world in the belief of truth alone. There are not many people like this left in such influential positions, the only one left I can think of off the top of my head is Nelson Mandela.

[davebat]

Yes, there are those of us who do not believe in religion in any form. These people believe that life counts and ensure that they have all the comforts of life while they are alive, this often creates very materialistic people.

Im one of those people and I believe in family and friends and getting drunk at the weekends.

[Valleysboy1978]

Perhaps, but remember that the pope made some very unpopular demands, such contraception, no female priests and homosexuality.
As to contraception, it is the choice of each person and they must live with any consequences of the choice they make. Few are so responsible.
Female priests? Why not? This implies that women are inferior beings and would still be unable to vote.
Homosexuality, that is their choice. I have no right to say that what they do is wrong because that is what the modern world should learn, the freedom of choice.

Religious zealots are the least tolerant people I have ever met. I always get the impression that they look down at atheists and agnostics and that they always try to convince me that I should believe or have faith. I believe in my own compassion, love, honour, strength, discipline and respect.

as for what VisualAd has said, yes, I am one who believe that life counts, that is why I will never kill another because they do not share my religious beliefs, unlike other religions who believe themselves to be the correct religion.

[dinosaur_uk]

Apparently the pope was going to resign in 2000

he is truly an amazing character..

[Valleysboy1978]

Apparently the pope was going to resign in 2000

he is truly an amazing character..

There are thousands of such amazing characters every day. Fighting brain tumours, cancers, Multiple-sclerosis, AIDS, Hepatitis, leukemia....should I continue?

A friend was suffering from a brain tumour but all the way through this he was determined to give his children a normal life. He died at 28 after fighting the tumour for almost four years. I would consider him more brave and with a greater strength of character

[mar_zim]

yeah as what visualAd pointing out. yes i do believe there is something that beyond us. But some church practices are not fit to our modern times it seems there too late to react the real situation of our world. i.e using contraceptives and some birth control, people has a right to choose whether on what ways to do. AIDS patients are fast increasing because they are following the teaching of the church by not using contraceptives and some protection. so does the churches can help people who are suffering such ill? well some but when they wake up? that all of us have AIDS and that's the time they pursue using condom is already appropriate? My god.

[mar_zim]

There are thousands of such amazing characters every day. Fighting brain tumours, cancers, Multiple-sclerosis, AIDS, Hepatitis, leukemia....should I continue?

A friend was suffering from a brain tumour but all the way through this he was determined to give his children a normal life. He died at 28 after fighting the tumour for almost four years. I would consider him more brave and with a greater strength of character

so does your amazing characters your talking to unite such thousands of people to follow in one faith?

[mendhak]

The pope doesn't "unite" people in one faith. They were already of one faith, he just gave their lives a little meaning.



Something I wanted to share, related to his funeral

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...0405184305&e=4

[davebat]

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2...3/180901.shtml

[davebat]

what did the pope actually do? Can soemone give me some bullet points.

[Valleysboy1978]

so does your amazing characters your talking to unite such thousands of people to follow in one faith?

Sorry, not sure what you're asking.

As for faith I believe that each of us has the strength of character to do great things. It is just many choose not to, for whatever reason. That is their choice. The only people I respect when it comes to religion are those that go to Africa to help ease the suffering. They understand their beliefs and are acting on it. I just don't agree with the many religious zealots that believe the world should be more charitable, but expect GOD to do it for them. Why don't they?

If I have offended anyone then I apologise for that was not my intention so I am going to stop ranting now

what did the pope actually do? Can soemone give me some bullet points.

Errrr.....can I get back to you on that one

[davebat]

If I have offended anyone then I apologise for that was not my intention so I am going to stop ranting now

No need to apologize were on exactly the same wavelenght here

[Valleysboy1978]

No need to apologize were on exactly the same wavelenght here

[visualAd]

Perhaps, but remember that the pope made some very unpopular demands, such contraception, no female priests and homosexuality.
As to contraception, it is the choice of each person and they must live with any consequences of the choice they make. Few are so responsible.
Female priests? Why not? This implies that women are inferior beings and would still be unable to vote.
Homosexuality, that is their choice. I have no right to say that what they do is wrong because that is what the modern world should learn, the freedom of choice.

Religious zealots are the least tolerant people I have ever met. I always get the impression that they look down at atheists and agnostics and that they always try to convince me that I should believe or have faith. I believe in my own compassion, love, honour, strength, discipline and respect.

as for what VisualAd has said, yes, I am one who believe that life counts, that is why I will never kill another because they do not share my religious beliefs, unlike other religions who believe themselves to be the correct religion.

I don't agree with any of the popes views on the issues you raised above. What I admire about him is the fact that he stood by what he believed to be right and he was very tolerant of those who didn't, at certain points during his papacy most of the catholic church were against his views on women priest.

As for his ideas on contraception - be lived that sex was a gift from god and should only be used to create babies. Should you have sex for any other reason, its a sin so in his view, why have contraception. I guess that seems fair enough in an ideal world but the world is far from ideal and I defiantly don't agree with that view point.

Like I said earlier, my admiration for him wasn't in his religion or his views. But with in the way he lived his life and how he used his life to touch the loves of so many others, whether they be catholic, Christian, atheist, agnostic Buddhist or confused.

[Valleysboy1978]

he stood by what he believed to be right and he was very tolerant of those who didn't

I think this is generally known as being stubborn

It's surprising though how few know what an agnostic is

[davebat]

I admit i had to goosle search it, but id now describe myself as more agnostic than aetheist

[Valleysboy1978]

I think a lot of people who consider themselves atheists would be more agnostic