Papal Pari-Mutuels- Place Your Bets Here!

[Dexter Sinister]

My bet: it'll be one of 115 men, he will be very conservative and orthodox, he will wear red shoes and a pointy hat, the church will make no progress under his guidance on matters like homosexuality, ordination of women, married priests, contraception, divorce, and remarriage after divorce, and it will continue to lose membership. The church equates modernization with moral decay, as Coldstream often reminds us, because it knows that full modernization would render it largely irrelevant, so that's not going to happen. Nothing will change.

 

[Sal]

My bet: it'll be one of 115 men, he will be very conservative and orthodox, he will wear red shoes and a pointy hat, the church will make no progress under his guidance on matters like homosexuality, ordination of women, married priests, contraception, divorce, and remarriage after divorce, and it will continue to lose membership. The church equates modernization with moral decay, as Coldstream often reminds us, because it knows that full modernization would render it largely irrelevant, so that's not going to happen. Nothing will change.

I fear you are correct...but I have tiny moments of hope, that some of the old boys who know better will prevail.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

I doubt any of the old boys voting DO know better, the College of Cardinals has been carefully stacked by the last two Popes with very orthodox conservatives. The last Pope who could reasonably be called progressive was John XXIII, and that was 50 years ago.

 

[Sal]

I doubt any of the old boys voting DO know better, the College of Cardinals has been carefully stacked by the last two Popes with very orthodox conservatives. The last Pope who could reasonably be called progressive was John XXIII, and that was 50 years ago.

Yes the church has not moved forward much within the last 50 years and in some important ways it has regressed. When I was growing up, we were wild and mouthy but we had some priests that put huge time and effort into our youth group. They spent time with us. They allowed us to do things that would never be done today and in fact they would be charged. There was a bar at the back of the rectory where we got our (pop). It was understood that you could help yourself to a small bit of rum or whatever else was there. We did and would spend hours talking and having fun while we did community work.

Most of the young ones I see now are highly conservative and very regulated and very distant from our youth.

 

[Spade]

Hans Kung- a voice of reason,
Countdown to the Conclave, Day 4: The New York Times and Hans Kung - International - Catholic Online

 

[DaSleeper]

Ironic that while browsing through this thread that one notices that it's mostly the atheists in this forum who seem to have an unatural facination with the Papacy:roll:

 

[Spade]

Ironic that while browsing through this thread that one notices that it's mostly the atheists in this forum who seem to have an unatural facination (sic) with the Papacy:roll:

How dare they!

 

[DaSleeper]

How dare they!

You forgot (unatural)................

 

[captain morgan]

You forgot (unatural)................

You could probably add the word 'unhealthy' to that description

 

[Cliffy]

I only see two self proclaimed atheists in this thread, Les and Dex. Do you see others?

 

[Spade]

The Vatican purports to represent 1.2 billion. Have they no voice? They are our sisters and brothers, are they not? Trapped by a medieval patriarchy.

 

[DaSleeper]

Christianity is not a Democracy...
If you don't like it.....don't join.
If you already are and don't like it.....Quit......and stop crying about it>!

 

[Cliffy]

Christianity is not a Democracy...
If you don't like it.....don't join.
If you already are and don't like it.....Quit......and stop crying about it>!

"Love thy neighbour as thy brother". We are all children of god and that is the concern of all humans. I, personally, include all living things as my brothers and sisters.

 

[CDNBear]

My, the atheists are restless.

 

[Spade]

Christianity is not a Democracy...
If you don't like it.....don't join.
If you already are and don't like it.....Quit......and stop crying about it>!

Oh, but it is.

"So there was to be a Second Vatican Council. What would be its business? Nothing in particular, it would appear; or perhaps it would be truer to say: everything. ... Christian unity was the Pope‘s distant goal, no doubt, but his immediate aim was ‘to let some fresh air into the Church’ and to promote within her an aggiornamento."
-Bishop Christopher Butler
Mind you, somewhat progressive for over a half a century ago.

 

[DaSleeper]

And to you that makes it a democracy?......My....you do have illusions of adequacy....:roll:

 

[Dexter Sinister]

Ironic that while browsing through this thread that one notices that it's mostly the atheists in this forum who seem to have an unatural facination with the Papacy:roll:

There's nothing either ironic or unnatural about it, nor is it anything that could legitimately be called a fascination. Religion has powerful impacts on the society we all live in and the individuals around us, it's useful to be interested and informed. I suspect most atheists know more and have thought more deeply about religion than most theists ever do. Most of us grow up surrounded by it so much that it's just taken for granted, arriving at the atheist position takes a bit of study and thought. Religion in one form or another is one of the defining characteristics of human societies, which is amazing given how easily falsifiable most of its claims are. You cannot understand human nature without an understanding of religion.

 

[L Gilbert]

Most of the young ones I see now are highly conservative and very regulated and very distant from our youth.

Ah. They must be future cardinals.

Ironic that while browsing through this thread that one notices that it's mostly the atheists in this forum who seem to have an unatural facination with the Papacy:roll:

So? How is that relevant to the topic?
BTW, it seems you have an "unatural facination" with atheists.

I only see two self proclaimed atheists in this thread, Les and Dex. Do you see others?

lol.

Christianity is not a Democracy...
If you don't like it.....don't join.
If you already are and don't like it.....Quit......and stop crying about it>!

Since when is Catholicism Christianity? Difference between Catholicism and Christianity

My, the atheists are restless.

This one is just having fun. (You can call it "trolling" if you wish. What can I say? As far as I can tell, it's the mood of the OP).

 

[Sal]

Ah. They must be future cardinals.

perhaps with even higher aspirations... I really think it is a shame because I love my Catholic roots and I am super comfortable with my current belief system which evolved from it. Priests came for drinks to the house and they discussed philosophy and psychology and to my mind they were human beings devoted to God but they were human first so I felt comfortable asking questions and exploring doubts.

When my mum died around 15 years ago I was putting her service together. My guy at the time was a philosophy prof who was an atheist. The regular priest was away and we had a visiting priest do her service. He is actually a cardinal now. What a warm, supportive and brilliant, open man he was. The two of them spent hours together discussing and exchanging ideas had a few drinks together. It was good, I don't get this new approach.

I don't understand why differences aren't okay any more. I don't understand the need to conform. I don't get hardline approach about anything.

 

[gerryh]

Since when is Catholicism Christianity? Difference between Catholicism and Christianity

Ummmm....ya.......ok:roll: