That wacky pope...

[Arlos]

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/ ... cnnpartner

So, not only does the Pope invite a splinter faction back in that a) denies the holocaust and b) deliberately split off in order to protest the reforms of Vatican II, he elevates them to a special hierarchical position within the overall church. All this despite the warning that it will irreparably harm relations with other religions...

Just, wow.

I give it less than 5 years before he moves to completely do away with all of the changes made in Vatican II, re-instating things like services only in latin, meatless fridays, etc. I also predict that the church will shed huge numbers of people, especially in first world countries like the US over those issues. He keeps going like he is, Catholicism may well not remain the largest christian sect for very long.

Oh, and never have I been happier I left that religion behind a long time ago....

-Arlos

[Harrison]

I repeat the part about why do people consider religions to be a popularity contest to be won with "subscriptions"?

Who gives a fuck if it's not the largest anymore. That makes it no more or less valid than the equivalent fucks out dancing in circles in the rain.

[Arlos]

You missed the point so completely the mind boggles.

The issue is that the man is trying to turn back the clock to what the Church was like hundreds of years ago, before it acknowledged that the world had changed and reformed itself in the 1970s. This will not only greatly harm its relationship with other faiths, but also could completely fracture the base constituency of the church itself. He also is giving special position to a group of priests whose leader denies the Holocaust ever occurred.

When the actions of the head of a faith are such that it stands the real risk to causing schisms within that faith, that *IS* important. It has nothing to do with a "popularity contest", it's a matter of trying to change or reverse the direction of a church followed by over a billion people, and anytime ANY major occurrence causes disturbances in ANYTHING dealing with that many people, it's important.

Try reading what was written and discerning what was actually discussed before trotting out a stock answer that has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with it.

-Arlos

[Phlegm]

Next thing you know he will start sending crusades again.

[brinstar]

fuck da pope ya'll

[Tikker]

all of your answers can be found here

[Kramer]

that's a shame b/c there were some positive moves made during vatican II

[Gargamellow]

OMG SPAGHETTI NOODLE GOD...I am starving for some religion.

[Kramer]

your logic