About the Pope

[Thtwudbeme]

OK, folks...I am a religion major, and a Christian (married to an agnostic..for those that need some balance here)---

Please...please put your prayer requests for the Pope in the Religion forum.

I don't expect anyone...much less everyone..to believe the same myths I do--

I respect Pope John Paul as the head of the Catholic Church.. I do NOT respect his views on birth control, abortion, or gays. Period.

Pope-dom is a political job, folks....and you guys asking for prayers for this man is not going to go over real well with many people.

I am sorry for practicing Catholics, and his followers....

But, please take your prayers to the Religion forums appropriately.

Stephanie
author of one locked thread, and probably two now.

[JanMichael]

1. Thank you! Great suggestion.

Oh, sorry, I suppose as your spouse I should shut up on this one.

However while I hold Agnostic views you know I label myself an Atheist. Mostly just to piss people off, but still, it's more correct:-)

[alcuno]

2. I am praying for the Holy Father.

He is a pope that we will long remember for his fight against communism and consistency on issues concerning the poor.

[saracat]

3. Maybe prayer requests but a reminder, the Pope is also

a political figure and a Nobel winner.Posts about him should not have to be confined to religion.

[Dookus]

4. I agree with your views on the Pope

but I think people should be able to post stuff about him here - but they shouldn't expect not to meet any resistance.

I'm sorry he's suffering - I hope if he pass on, his transition is peaceful. I wish that for all men. Nor will I say mean things about him personally - but it's certainly unrealistic to expect us to ignore the extremely political papacy he led. By all measures, he's a very conservative pope, and that fact shouldn't go unremarked upon.

[Melynn]

5. I understand why you don't like the Pope's views on birth control etc

But what about his views on social issues like war and poverty. I think that progressives should give the Pope credit for taking a forward view on these issues.

[HockeyMom]

6. Born and Unborn

Well, at these the Pope is consistent and ALSO cares about the already BORN, which obviously this Administration doesn't at all.

[Dookus]

9. is telling

married couples wherein one person has HIV that they can't use condoms "caring for the living"?

[JanMichael]

7. His views on birth control, AIDS

are your answers to what he has done about "poverty."

I am telling you, this is sensitive shit here.

Stephanie

[Dookus]

8. I think talk is cheap

he could've done more to end poverty than any person alive by telling families they should do what they can to ensure they only have children they can afford to feed and educate.

[slutticus]

10. Thank You.

[morgan2]

11. if theres one person I wouldn't mind dying

its the pope.

Well on second thought I'd put a lot of people above him, but he's still a waste of space. Someone has to counter all the blind love and devotion to the pope. He's a horrid old man that ran an organization that is and always has been more interested in keeping/expanding their power than anything else.

[Thtwudbeme]

12. Lock this please

Thank you for moving the prayer thread.

Stephanie

[Old Mouse]

13. I am neither Catholic nor Christian

If there has been a request to pray for President Chirac of France, or Junichiro Koizumi, Prime Minister of Japan would you have felt so obliged to protest? France has Algiers, Japan admits the guilt of Nanking. There's not a major country without bloody hands. Do you protest people offering wishes of heath to the pope for his actions as a world leader? His attempts to foster peace in the middle east were unprecedented for a man in his position. His positions against Bush and the war were beyond our own democratic senators in wisdom and morality.

And as a religious leader he is bound by the tenants of his faith. You greatly mistake his authority. The extreme events necessary for him to change interpretation of dogma obviously have not taken place. It is not a social club, it is a religion after all.

You practice an Americanized form of religion that places the individual first. You should try to understand the difference placed on him by the restrictions of his fidelity.

If someone wants to pray for a world leader, bless them for taking the time and energy to care for someone else in a positive fashion.

[DemBones DemBones]

14. Thank you, Old Mouse, that was very well said. nt