Benedict XVI resigns

[Darth Penguin]

[Darth Penguin]

So sad all the conspriacy nuts are out in full force. I'm not catholic, but I admire this group for centuries of good work and making the world a better place, it boggles my mind how these internet nuts treat the pope and Catholics so harshly!

some of my more right-wing boards are bleating about it's another of Obama's attempts to bring about universal socalism by getting a pope who is more inclined to (national) socialism...

[Darth Penguin]

[Darth Penguin]

[Lynn49]

So sad all the conspriacy nuts are out in full force. I'm not catholic, but I admire this group for centuries of good work and making the world a better place, it boggles my mind how these internet nuts treat the pope and Catholics so harshly!

Vesper, you're a good person and you know I respect your opinion (at least I hope you know that). But having been raised Catholic, I've seen the "seamier" side of that religion, and do not practice it now. I do not admire this "group". They take a stand against contraception while thousands of women are having babies they can ill afford to raise, and yes, even dying from all the babies they carried and bore. (and you don't have to go much farther than Quebec and some of my in-laws to know that's true!) The pope and his minions live lavish life-styles, sipping the best bourbon, eating the best food, have millions in their coffers, yet ask the poor little old widows to place money they can ill afford to give away onto plates because if they don't they'll probably go to hell or some such punishment! Our church even posted who gave the highest donations in their pamphlets, and let me tell you, if my family wasn't on that list, it would have been an embarrassment to all of us!
They picked and chose what should be and what should be excluded from their bible, decided Mary Magdelene was a whore, and that women were too "unclean" to serve!

I could go on, but this is a very touchy subject, so I'll leave it at that. We all have our opinions, and you and I agree to disagree. I'm sorry if the pope is feeling poorly, but there are thousands of followers who never had the benefit of a good meal, while the vatican grows richer on their backs. The Catholic church has blood on its hands from the crusades through to today.

But. That's just my humble opinion. I do believe in a God, but he's not the one that the Catholic church preaches about. My God is good, kind and forgiving, and until they decided they wanted more power, listened to his followers without benefit of any middle-men.

Sorry. But I feel very strongly about all this, and will now hop off my soap-box and leave it for others to use.

[erin9mmm]

So sad all the conspriacy nuts are out in full force. I'm not catholic, but I admire this group for centuries of good work and making the world a better place, it boggles my mind how these internet nuts treat the pope and Catholics so harshly!

Unfortunately not everything is a conspiracy. There is a history of corruption in the catholic church that overshadows any "centuries of good work". Martin Luther was the first to pave the way of the protestant reformation (and I don't just mention that because I am Lutheran). My father's side of the family are all catholics and my grandmother is the first to say that changes need to be made in the church - one of which is letting the priests marry. There have been a lot of scandals in the news during this pope's reign so it's not that far of a leap to think there is more to it than his age.

[Natalka]

Just a note that some Rites of the Catholic church do allow married men to become priests - Ukrainian Catholics, for example - as well as other Eastern Rites.

My husband's father was a priest, mine was a deacon; we have two nephews who are married priests with families, and have many friends who are married priests with families.

[Darth Penguin]

Anglican priests who left the Church of England following the ordination of women and joined the Roman Catholic communion were allowed to perform all the duties of RC priests while married.

[erin9mmm]

I'm not clear about exceptions to the rule and different catholic rites but I'm just speaking from my grandmother's point of view as a catholic for over 80 years.....and let me tell you she is very opinionated about what she thinks needs to change in the church!

[Patty Smyth]

Rumor has it not only has he had a stroke but failing heart and dementia.

When he worked under JPII he was in charge of keeping all the files and reports of the pedophile priests. Apparently there is quite a long list. I would love to see these files become public as do government files. He was also responsible for transferring known offenders to so called "safe" parishes where they could do no more harm.

Modernization is the only thing that will save the church and even then maybe not. Priests need to marry, women need to be allowed to become priests, they need to soften their stance on birth control because over 90% of catholic women report to have used contraceptives anyways at some point in their life.

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...42261806,d.cWE

[lecale]

.

[madchives]

i'm likely the most nonreliglious (sorry about the spelling)
you would ever see, but respecting anyone's religion sounds
like a great idea almost always.
almost,,,

[erin9mmm]

i'm likely the most nonreliglious (sorry about the spelling)
you would ever see, but respecting anyone's religion sounds
like a great idea almost always.
almost,,,

Yes, and I don't think anyone here has disrespected catholics, just speculating on reasons based on history and recent news. I'm sure there are strong opinions about my church too (Lutheran) for being very staunch and strict - I know I have my feelings about it.

[Darth Penguin]

Top papal candidate has defended "Kill the gays" laws in Africa

As the chatter within the Catholic world turns from shock over the Pope's resignation to speculation about who might succeed him, the name at or near the top of nearly everyone's list is that of Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana. He was appointed by Benedict in 2009 to serve as president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and (surprise!) he's incredibly anti-gay.
How anti-gay, you ask? Believe it or not, Turkson is so anti-gay that he actually defended draconian laws that criminalize homosexuality and gay sex, including Uganda's notorious "Kill the Gays" bill. Speaking last year to the National Catholic Register, Turkson opined that while the penalties imposed by such laws are "exaggerated," the desire of many Africans and African leaders to incarcerate or even execute their gay citizens is actually perfectly understandable, and that the "intensity of the reaction [to homosexuality] is probably commensurate with tradition."

[Patty Smyth]

Top papal candidate has defended "Kill the gays" laws in Africa

Interesting, considering how many preists are gay. it's always the ones who protest the loudest..........