I know there arent too many catholics here but what is everyones thoughts of this dude. I think the media has done a horrible job portraying him. You'd think he was some kind of brutal dictator just because he is against women priests, gay marriage, and abortion. JP2 was against all the same things.

Yeah, I think it funny that he is labeled as an archconservative. As someone pointed out in a nother forum, what did they expect...a pro-choice liberal? He was very close to John Paul II, so I will be curious to see how far he ventures from what John Paul has done.

Its not just that. Conservative is a subjective term. I mean the way the US media has been labeling him you would think he was a Tom Delay conservative and that is far from the truth. In church terms he is more of a moderate than anything else. I mean he is a guy who is basically going to continue what JP2 was doing and has said he wants to continue to enforce Vatican 2 which was a very liberal change of the church. So I mean what makes him conservative? Based on definitions he is more of a moderate than anything else.

I mean really this is a pope who has said in the past that being gay isn't a sin but acting out on gay urges and having sex is a sin because quite frankly you arent supposed to have premarital sex and gays cant get married. If you tell this to a lot of conservative christians in the states they would say you are a left wing liberal.

I had one neighbor mention to me that this is a temporary move. The new Pope is 78 years old. So she wonders how much longer HE will last. She is of the belief that while this Pope will remain for the most part true to JP2, that he will also be more open to some changes, and take the brunt for the next Pope. I find this hard to believe, but it is something to think about.

Yeah they have said that the Cardinals don't want another 26 year long papacy which is baffling to me because I thought it was extremely successful. But they wanted to elect someone this time around who was a little older and who would be more of a transititional pope that would help absorb and continue the JP2 legacy before they go for another one.

I didnt know how old he was, but looking at a couple pictures I have to say it would not be a shock if he wasnt around in 2 months. Not wishing that on him by any means, that is just how it struck me when I seen him.

It wouldn't exactly be the first time. JP1 only lasted 6months I believe.

Yeah I have notice the press as well making seem as though this guy is an evil evil man or something.

i think it was more like 30 days

Yep that is correct.

33, to be exact.

Though most of my family on my mom's side are Catholic, I am not. But, I did find some of the descriptions of the past popes interesting.


http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm


http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/pope0000.htm


I especially found the way Fabian (#20) was elected pope very interesting. It seems that he was on a trip to Rome on the day that the new pope was being elected. Many men had been discussed but none agreed upon. A dove suddenly landed on the head of Fabian and it was seen as a sign and **bam** he's the pope. He reigned for 14 years.

Well you gotta be careful some of these descriptions from back way back when could just be stories that over time get distorted and build the legends for some.

As far as popes....I love St. Victor...look at his picture and you will see why. If there was ever going to be an African American Pope this is exactly what he would look like

Attached Thumbnails

 

Does this mean that the official meal on Good Friday is going to be brats and beer?
Seriously, I agree that the media is trying to portray this guy as evil personified, but he has aligned himself with John-Paul 2 pretty much down the line and he was seen as a "good" man. I wouldn't expect much to change, except that he'll not travel as much.