I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonisations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.
I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.
For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.
Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.
—Noted lover of gays and proponent of marriage equality Pope Benedict VI announces his resignation from the papacy at the end of the month, citing health concerns (via PinkNews). The 85-year-old former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is the first Pope to resign his position in six centuries.
Fidelio
So Darth Sidious is calling it a day. We totally need a Latino dude next time. Latinos (including Carribbeans) are almost 80% Catholic and just under 1/2 the population of Catholics, worldwide.
Caleb in SC
Like a new Pope is going to change anything. The Catholic Church is not going to change any of its core beliefs anytime soon. Pope Benedict was basically a “place filler” Pope — an older Cardinal elected for a short term to maintain the status quo. Fidelio, I tend to agree with you. The next Pope will be from the Americas and will likely be relatively young.
stepol
it cant have been easy for him , covering up all the child rape , people trafficing, kidnapping and money laundering must take it out of an old bigot, sorry man . The only replacement i am interested in seeing is a black lesbian for pope !!!!!
Chad Hunt
Quite frankly if the Catholic Church had any sense, (laughing at myself as I just said that allowed), they would elect a new POPE from a country of Spanish descent. The church’s last bastion of faithful followers is surely amongst the latino peoples.
jwrappaport
Time for a room full of old virgins to decide which among them gets to wear the white dress.
1EqualityUSA
Translation: “They found something on me and will come forward, unless I leave.”
2eo
Why the hell can’t this horrible bastard die, and painfully. Nazi fucks deserve prosecution, imprisoning and punishing.
Let alone when the guy is also a paedophile like this horrible, incidious c*nt.
Chad Hunt
Opps … allowed = aloud … can’t type this early in the a.m.
@1EqualityUSA: … You may be right. I wonder if someone showed up to work in his Nazi Regalia instead of that white dress one day on accident. (or maybe not so on accident)
miagoodguy
And as usual, those that decry hate are among the biggest haters. Priceless!!!! lol
jwrappaport
@miagoodguy: Oh, Jesus (pun intended). How many times do we have to say it? Tolerance is perfectly compatible with a refusal to tolerate intolerance. Why is this a difficult concept for people? Tolerance does not mean blind acceptance of tyranny, violence, or evil. Indeed, those things are anathema to it.
Do you not hate Nazism and Stalinism? Do you not hate tyranny and the people who fight in its service? Please, love them by all means. I, however, won’t. I won’t tolerate tyranny in any form, least of all cloaked in a priest’s robes: It’s evil and a disgrace to everything we should stand for as human beings. If saying that I detest Ratzinger as the clerical bully and friend of child rapists that he is makes me a hater, then I’ll wear that badge proudly.
BJ McFrisky
Why, you laughable little haters. I’m not defending the Cat’lics, but imagine if people had reacted the same hateful way at the news of Barney Frank’s retirement—the same Barney Frank whose “roommate” was running an “escort” service from his basement. The same Barney Frank who started the ball rolling on the disastruos housing market crash.
@2eo: I seriously have to wonder at your mental well-being, Tweeo, considering you wish death on everyone with whom you disagree. I’ve never heard anyone of any poltical affiliation wish death on his opponents, and yet that’s your mantra every single time. A shrink would have a field-day with you—that is, providing your wonderful NHS covers mental health.
yaoming
@1EqualityUSA:
1Equality is totally right – No way this guy suddenly decided he’s too old. (Didn’t he just get a Twitter account that he was all excited about?)
I bet it’s either something about his boyfriend, Nazis, or paedophile priests.
They practically wheeled JPII around on a gurney, but Ratzinger’s retiring early to cloistered monastery? Total cover-uo. I wonder if we’ll ever find out what it was.
evdanker
A simple “I quit” would have been enough. Pope Benedict Arnold.
evdanker
…and he was never heard of again…
Aries3dc
I’m totally not going to be invited to the Conclave, but I too would appreciate a relatively young Latino pope. South American with salt and pepper hair, preferrablely. Amen.
Chad Hunt
@BJ McFrisky: Yes, Please let it be stated clear and loud that I for one hate what the Nazi party did and despise Pedophilia. My family was raised Catholic and I had to attend those awful catechism classes and baptismal classes and first communion classes. I remember the first time I had to eat one of those nasty “Host” wafers I vomited. I’ve been to Vatican City on several occasions and love the art, architecture, & pageantry of the whole things but hat is about it.
Rockery
I’m quite indifferent actually
Ron Jackson
I have to agree with Jesse Ventura. To paraphrase, he said that religion is a crutch for weak minded people. Too many religions on this ball of mud. All of them bad.
Caliban
I guess this makes him the Sarah Palin of Popes.
(OK, I admit it. I stole that line.)
BJ McFrisky
@Chad Hunt: Your statement only emphasizes your hypocrisy. Even though you claim the church to be a bastion of evil, you want their next leader to be Hispanic, black, female, whatever (probably Muslim would work best in your book). You want an affirmative-action Pope. Have you not witnessed the damage done by our current affirmative-action-elected president?
And blaming by affiliation this Pope as a Nazi pedophile is like stating that Obama is a cop-hating radical since, you know, that’s who he used to hang with, and we should judge all people by their past friendships.
makino
bye bye nazi bye bye….did u all know that when he was a lil boy hes part of like a boy scout but nazis……..
Chad Hunt
@BJ McFrisky: … Like most people with psychosis you have made a lot of assumptions and no where have I been hypocritical.
I never said the church was a bastion of evil. I never stated I WANTED any Pope. I simply stated if they had any sense they would elect one from a spanish speaking country. That does not equate to I WANT them to.
Yes, our current President, with his Constitutional Law Degree, is a result of affirmative action instead of over a 4 MILLION POPULAR VOTE result or a 332 to 206 electoral college vote. George Bush is God and Bill Clinton the devil.
I have certainly seen the “damage” President Obama has done to bigots.
Why don’t you go troll another site.
JLJ
Unfortunately, by him resigning, he still has a huge influence on who his successor is.
hyhybt
@1EqualityUSA: Interesting assumption, especially when not only are his stated reasons perfectly… well, reasonable for someone his age and he reportedly thought his predecessor should have done the same.
Chad Hunt
@hyhybt: Maybe he didn’t read the job description. He was supposed to be Christ’s Vicar here on earth for life. Sort of like Supreme Court Appointees. No one has resigned the post since the 1400’s … that should tell you something.
jamesnimmo
He’s the VICAR of Christ on EARTH according to Catholic dogma yet this august position doesn’t come with healthcare from GOD to give him the strength of mind and body to continue to the natural end of his earthly life? Like other mere mortal politicians who have painted themselves into a corner due to their own follies–-in this case the harboring of child rapists for generations–-he’s wanting to spend more time with the grandkids.
According to an AP story I read, he’ll do more writing from a cloistered convent inside the Vatican walls. That’s a good place to be since he’ll no longer be a head of state and will be subject to arrest for crimes against humanity. He and Cardinal Law, also hiding out in the Vatican and wanted in the USA for questioning about Boston diocese child rape crimes, can regale themselves with child rape stories.
stfallon1028
At last a bit of good news
the other Greg
Every cardinal (and bishop) in the whole world at this point was appointed by either JPII or Benedict.
So unless the next pope has been hiding his secret liberalism very, very well for many, many, MANY years, he’s going to be yet another homophobic a-hole.
It doesn’t matter if he’s European, Inuit, or that Nasonex bee with a Spanish accent from the TV commercial… who I assume is Catholic and can speak Latin too – you know, because all those flower and weed names are in Latin!
Dream on, guys.
2eo
@BJ McFrisky: Nah, I’m a high functioning sociopath. I believe the world is genuinely better when those who inflict pain and misery on [in this case] billions of people is in the ground and they are buried with the pile of their failures.
We are humanity, life isn’t fair and these child molesters have no right to inflict so much pain and suffering on the world, while hoarding untold wealth that could help their most ardent, least educated [direct correlation] followers into having a better life.
No sympathy for these people. None, when they die I will toast each and every single one.
jwrappaport
@2eo: I’m reminded of that scene in Austin Powers where Dr. Evil says to Austin, “We’re not so different, you and I.”
Chad Hunt
@the other Greg: You do not have to be a Cardinal or Bishop to be elected Pope, any Catholic male who has reached the age of reason, is not a heretic, is not in schism, and is not “notorious” for simony can be elected pope.
Kieran
I was going to say something like I hope nobody here embarasses the gay community by taking the Low Road and proving the old saying, “Haters Gonna Hate”. But I guess I should have known better. We can disagree with the pope’s homophobia without coming across as bitter, angry and nasty individuals. Comparing the pope’s classy, dignified and humble declaration above with some of the petty and mean-spirited comments that follow make the pope look better, not worse in my opinion.
the other Greg
@Chad Hunt: So the Nasonex Bee qualifies!
Chad Hunt
@Kieran: I’m going to quote @jwrappaport: here and say this. How many times do we have to say it? Tolerance is perfectly compatible with a refusal to tolerate intolerance. Why is this a difficult concept for people? Tolerance does not mean blind acceptance of tyranny, violence, or evil. Indeed, those things are anathema to it. … Personally, I (Chad) hope it is a Black, Lesbian, Nun, with several abortions under her habit but as @Chad Hunt: has already pointed out. The chances of that are unlikely.
Chad Hunt
Damn it! I meant as @the other Greg: has already pointed out.
jwrappaport
@Kieran: You clearly didn’t read what I wrote, so I’ll say it again: I hate tyranny in all its forms, especially when it comes in priestly orders. You’re free to love it, but don’t tell us we have to or that we ought to. In the words of Hitchens, “I will not be made to play with the toys.”
Also, let’s be clear: there is nothing remotely classy, dignified, or humble about a man in a big white dress telling us we’re disordered, morally deficient people while proclaiming his own infallibility and unique capacity to speak on behalf of Jesus Christ himself. There are few things that could make the Pope look good, and I can assure you none of them is on this page.
Chad Hunt
@the other Greg: hmmmm … probably … LOL … maybe Antonio Banderas … he was brought up Catholic. (he is the voice of the nasonex bee)
hudson
@1EqualityUSA: the intrigue could be the basis for the next Dan Brown novel…..
1EqualityUSA
keep it up and you’ll be nasonexcommunicated.
timelord89
He assigned someone to an Archdiocese who is making my dream of a Queer Youth Ministry really fucking hard… because where I’m from I think that with all the homeless queer youth from Catholic families we encounter in all our other ministries, HIV/AIDS Hospice Support shouldn’t be the only queer services we provide. I think we should provide support for families of queer youth in which we can train these parents to love their kids just the way they are because the Catholic Church hasn’t supported that stance since… well I’m ashamed to say this… 1997 when “Always Our Children” was issued. Where I am there are so many non-profits and universities willing to come in and help these families, I just know that if the Catholic Church said that they backed up a Queer Youth Ministry the families would come in just because the Church said so, but if the Church doesn’t say so those families won’t come. Ugh why must I be a crazy lesbian genderqueer youth minister with lofty dreams of changing the Catholic Church from the inside, why can’t I just be sane and switch to a different church? I know there are more accepting forms of Christianity out there.
How awesome would it be if God pulled divine intervention and switched all the names in the vote to Sister Simone Campbell? You know the head of the Council of United States Catholic Sisters who the Vatican was attacking because they said she wasn’t encouraging condemning of homosexuality and the use of birth control.
Evji108
This self-loasthing gay but closeted (celibate) Pope was truly one of the worst homophobes on the planet. The irony of it all. He needs our deep sympathy, I wouldn’t wish his plight on anyone. A very sad and broken man. He was doctrinaire, he was cold and he was German. We knew of him well when we lived in Germany in the 90s and as Cardinal Ratzinger he was a real homophobic doctinaire Rottweiler. Good riddance. He alienated more and more people from the Church, lets see if the new Pope can slow down the circling of the drain for Church.
1EqualityUSA
Idolatry is insufficient, hence anemia. Look at the symptoms. People are abandoning this deteriorating farce of a church. Pedophilia, targeted hating, political wallowing, counterfeit doctrine, worldly thinking, scandals, hypocrisy, are all symptoms of a spiritual soil that is so tainted, mockery is abundantly harvested. This church has no root in Christ, evident by its utter failure to thrive. Darkness has tapped the Catholic Church and this is the fruit that they bear. Languish on, political monster. Christ doesn’t need your shameful representation.
Plan B: Usury. Use undereducated, needy, third world Countries to hang onto your last tether to power. Mock on.
Dawster
@1EqualityUSA: Translation: “They found something on me and will come forward, unless I leave.”
10 bucks says it’s an underage Jew.
MartinDK
Every time a conservative hates on gays, people here always say he must be a closet case for sure to say such things
Id say there are lots of religious closet cases here then denying those shameful feelings of irrational wonder and awe. And the frustration of all that secret religious feeling really makes you hate…
Wake up and embrace spirituality if not religion. Or be eaten up by hate.
1EqualityUSA
Dawster, Another 10 spot says he’s been a queerty poster since 2008 and 2eo is holding over him.
Red Meat
@Fidelio: You can just use the word Hispanic to cover all Spanish and their decedents in the western Hampshire
murphy0071
@Evji108: The Church is no longer circling the drain, it is already in the cesspool created by Pope Benedict XVI and his African hired hate mongers.
Liamiii
Plzzz,
Less hate! I love BXVI I have encountered him man to man and he is the real deal. I am okay with him resigning. I hope for a more inclusive future, but why so much hate. I can tell you he hates no one.
oldgayvermonter
Blah blah blah…so some group of former alter boys is going to take him to one of the International Courts for his cover up crimes. He can escape by hiding out in a Vatican dungeon or “monastery”. Good riddance.
Liamiii
@Evji108:
Honest to god that would be laughable if not so venomous! You do not know Joseph Ratzinger, he is a man very comfortable in his own skin. He is not a hater at all. He may disagree with you and me but his is honest and sincere and he is ultimately a lover of all.
jwrappaport
@Liamiii: He hates no one? He has love for all? Can you be morally or intellectually serious for even a second?
He thinks that we’re disordered, immoral people who need help. Moreover, he thinks that, in the event we don’t convert to heterosexuality (or remain celibate), we will and should burn in eternal fire. In other words, “believe what I do, or you will and ought to suffer immeasurably for an incalculable amount of time.” We must have radically different definitions of what hatred means.
2eo
@Liamiii: I can sincerely say I would jam a railroad spike in his gullet and smash it with a sledgehammer until he became the first ever “Paedophile Man-fountain”
He’s a vile Nazi sympathising, disgraceful, laundering, mafia connected, anti human monster of a man, everyone defending him has the blood of millions of AIDS deaths on their hands. Directly, it IS your collective faults.
technicolornina
I have a slightly different interpretation of this.
In the last ten-ish years, our culture has undergone a RADICAL shift. In 2003, when I was a sad little baby-gay who was scared into the closet by George Bush’s talk of banning homosexuality via the Constitution . . . well, that sentence says it all.
Today you can get married in nine US states (and our capital!), all of Canada, Spain, the UK (let’s pause here and applaud the House of Commons and the House of Lords for their decision this week, k?), Mexico City, Norway, Sweden, Finland, some country in South America just legalized, I know I’m missing a couple more in Europe and there’s also an Asian country (Taiwan?) in which marriage equality is now legal. Adoption and trans rights are on the table. Gay families are appearing everywhere (how many of you folks who are old enough to remember 1992 would have said then that J.C. Penney and Macy’s would EVER advertise, openly, to gay people–much less that they’d do it only 20 years later?). The new president of Disney World is openly gay. We have openly gay and bisexual Congressmen, LOTS of them. We have a whole bunch of wildly popular musical stars who are gay, bisexual, or say they’re bisexual and support gay rights* (Lady Gaga, Kesha, Mika, Adam Lambert, Frank Ocean, Lance Bass, Ricky Martin, I’m missing a few), and they have a lot more day-to-day effect on the lives of our young people than an old man in an ivory tower. So do allies both American and foreign like Brandon Ayanbedejo, Dan Radcliffe, and Neil Gaiman. Gay storylines are almost passe even on American TV–I’m not a TV watcher and if you asked me to name five off the top of my head, I could do it (Glee, Days Of Our Lives, Gray’s Anatomy, The New Normal, Modern Family). Young people are looking at people who are like them, who have hopes and dreams and desires and fears just like they do, and going “yeah, so . . . . what’s wrong with that?” And the shift is so fast, and so fundamental, that I was about 16 when it started, I’m 24 now, and holy shit are you kidding me. If I could go back in time to talk to myself at any age for just five minutes, I would go back to myself when I was thirteen, hug myself, and say “It’s okay. You don’t have to be afraid. In a VERY few short years, this is all going to change so much your head will spin. There are lots of other people like you and you are not going to be hated and feared anymore–not by people who matter, and the rest of them? Screw ’em, they’re going in the junkheap of history. Just hang in there. You can do it.”
The church is not blind to that change–hell, let’s call it what it is. The church is not blind to this tectonic shift in attitude. Alas, Benedict set himself up when it was still trendy to hate on the gays, and so any “change in attitude” he might have would be suspect at best. Seeing their base drain away daily, it wouldn’t surprise me if this sudden and abrupt change is actually the church ushering in someone more . . . .
. . . . I don’t want to say “more accepting/tolerant”? I don’t think the next pope is just going to go “haaaaaaaaaaaa, we were wrong, GAYS SHOULD ALSO GET MARRIED.” That would be ludicrous. I do think, however, that the next pope may make small steps in that direction, because that is what has to happen to save the church (Remember when the Mormons suddenly had a revelation from God that black people weren’t evil? Like that, only not as drastic and obviously face-saving). Remember this: less than a hundred years ago, they said it was necessary for a woman to “obey and submit” to a man. They have to evolve or die. They’re too greedy to die, so evolution is it.
*I don’t necessarily believe all of these people, especially the girls who claim to be bi but have no pictures or exes to back them up (Gaga, I’m looking at you; Kesha gets a pass because she was writing about her ex-girlfriend long before she came out). But, I assume that if you’re willing to accept the risks that come with saying “I’m bisexual,” your heart is in the right place–especially if you then put your money and your life where your mouth is. If it enables you to win hearts and minds that want us all to be equal, I’m okay with that–and I say that as a gay woman.
bmwblonde
No worries, they’ll just find another sociopathic, ignorant, delusion-besotted dumb-ass in in ecclesiastical drag (DRESSES) — who hates and wages war against all non-Catholics, women, gays, science, THINKING, etc. So how about we just confiscate the entire RC “church” (actually a hate-group spin-off of the Roman Empire which didn’t die, but merely “morphed”), and liquidating all its assets — and then donating all of THOSE to education, environmental remediation and health care? Jesus (whoever he actually WAS) would likely show up to cheer us on. And remember — Lunatics inside a lunatic asylum “think” that they are normal. Pitiable except for all the evil that “church” has done for 2,000 years. Ugh.
Buzzct
Today is a great day for Catholics, as we actually have some hope. Of course, it’ll all end when the next one is picked and we’re ‘untouchables’ again.
I was lucky enough to attend a liberal Catholic prep school and college, so I stopped fearing the Pope and his flunkies many years ago. It’s all religiously political gibberish. My faith is within ME – not even shaken by the two priests who tried to molest me and my entire art and science classes way back then. I don’t give a DAMN what the ‘leaders’ say, LOL!!!!
Dawster
@1EqualityUSA: Has anyone heard from Charles Merrill lately??
Dawster
(like… 2 people will get that joke.)
Liamiii
@Caleb in SC:
NOPE def not from the Americas…Let us see. And I suspect more conservative not less. BXVI was not just a place holder.
He mad a very important decision. “All you all can go your own way.!” He set the church on the course of smaller first. He does not care how many leave, He is preaching to the remnant. Women priest, gay marriage, forget about it.
The RCC will get smaller before it gives in. Don’t expect it to go a way. 2000 years and still going and will be here long after after everyone who comments here is dust.
Empires rise an fall the church endures. We can hate on it all we want. Like spitting against the wind.
jwrappaport
@Liamiii: That’s funny, I’m pretty sure Luther, the signatories of the Peace of Westphalia, Robespierre, and Napoleon would beg to differ. The power of the Church has been on the decline since 1517 (1648, 1789…), and it is growing increasingly irrelevant and out of touch. You seem to relish the idea of an immortal church, which is strange considering your presence on this site.
D9W
You know what is scarry- we could get someone worse then this guy.
Aidan8
@jwrappaport: RE your #5: LOL… thanks for that. 🙂
Liamiii
@2eo: Yikes you have prof of all this I presume. It is not just bile?
Victor_in_PA
I was hoping they’d just decide not to have another pope, split up the booty from all the “gifts” over the centuries and just disband the cult. But, they’ve got probably a few thousand years of hate stored up in the vatican basement that they have to use before it expires so I guess we’re in for another one and more of the same. It would be nice to have one with a soul though.
Liamiii
@jwrappaport:
And where is Napoleon and Robespierre ? Where is Diocletian and Garibaldi.
The church has survived the rise and fall of empires for 2000 years, and you call it weak? Let us consult history, do you remember Stalin? The Soviet Empire? The Eastern block? Ah a free Poland, Hungary, Check Republic etc. You believe the RCC had nothing to do with that. Do you recall three shots in St Peter’s Sq?
Objectivity, not hate, history.
Liamiii
@D9W:
Depends what you mean by worse.
D9W
@Liamiii: A lot more Anti-Gay then Benedict was for starts.
Tommysole
I guess his scepter has gotten to soft to rape any more little boys.
KARUADAM
@BJ McFrisky: Yes the mother fucker Nazi, finally got gully conscious?. Like all fucking Christian, he to should be exterminated long time a go!.
KARUADAM
Christianity, got NO place in the world!!.
FStratford
@Liamiii:
Napoleon and Robespierre are dead. Just like the popes during their lifetime.
France and the European countries are however free and powerful, and is not under the yoke of the Vatican. Vatican lost its papal states and is essentially a “guest” of Italy.
So yes, Napoleon won. Robespierre won.
FStratford
@BJ McFrisky:
Obama did not win by affirmative action. He won by a LANDSLIDE in both popular and electoral votes.
You may have a short memory but we don’t. Making stuff up just make you look foolish.
FStratford
let me correct myself…
Obama won by a LANDSLIDE in both popular and electoral votes, TWICE.
jwrappaport
@Liamiii: How quickly we forget – Hitler’s concordat with Pius XII?
The Church is morally weak and increasingly politically weak. Religion is powerful, but that’s more a testament of our collective inability to come to terms with our own mortality and the complexity of a seemingly indifferent universe.
Caleb in SC
@jwrappaport: That second sentence was pure poetry!
2eo
@jwrappaport: Don’t forget Odessa, hundreds of catholic servants issuing false passports and identities to thousands of Nazi war criminals and ensuring their safe passage to South America.
Hitler was a catholic, hence why the SS motto was “god with us” and why each order of the SS had a catholic practitioner attached to it.
boops123
Good riddance to anything religious! The sooner it’s all gone the better.
It’s all an insult to the intelligence of the human race.
It’s an ancient, superstitious, ridiculous pile of lies and bullshit.
Anyone that can believe that crap is brainwashed from childhood or really stupid.
Another reason for it to be gone, the horrible child abuse it inflicts by dumbing down the minds of young children with such unreasonable tripe.
John Adams;
“The question before the human race is, whether the God of nature shall govern the world by his own laws, or whether priests and kings shall rule it by fictitious miracles?” letter to Thomas Jefferson, June 20, 1815
“As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is, a revelation. But how has it happened that millions of fables, tales, legends, have been blended with both Jewish and Christian revelation that have made them the most bloody religion that ever existed?” letter to F.A. Van der Kamp, December 27, 1816
“God is an essence that we know nothing of. Until this awful blasphemy is got rid of, there never will be any liberal science in the world.” “this awful blashpemy” that he refers to is the myth of the Incarnation of Christ, from Ira D. Cardi
jmmartin
Pardon the “Oz” paraphrase, but on hearing the news, that the Rat Dude was calling it quits, I sang in the shower, “Ding Dong, the Pop is dead/The wicked Pop is dead.” And like a guod little Munchkin, I began to concoct a scenario having nothing to do with a Pacemaker and old age (his older brother is still with us). In my scenario, “the butler did it.” Literally, this time. When that Castel Gandalfo manservant made off with the personal mail, I knew the gig was up. Less delusional media are beginning to point out that then-Cardinal Ratzinger was directly handling all of the Vatican’s dirty laundry during the world-wide pedophilia scandals. For all practical purposes, it was the Rat who told underlings to obstruct justice, make payoffs to shut up the wounded, and instruct attorneys on when to settle and when not. The Rat had to have known the clerical recidivism rate and thus the goings and comings to desert rehab clinics and then reposting immediately to some other parish; after all, there is a shortage of priests, we’ll overlook a few small things. And have you seen his new digs? They could put half the city of Parma in that structure! I say, good-bye you monster. And yes, good riddance. You who prevailed over the world’s worst Ponzi scheme: the Priesthood. I am not a nice guy, so I think I will convert, become a priest, and go to some developing country to extract indulgences, buy aunts, uncles, grandmas out of Purgatory. If they ask What’s that? you say an invention of an evil religion that has caused more misery in the world than they have done good. Remember the Arianists! Remember the Cathari! Remember the Jews of the Holocaust! Remember the Catholic Ustasha! This dying Pop was a member of Hitler Youth. Good riddance indeed.
Daggerman
…there isn’t really any need to become that excited over this (silly-queen-in-the-closet) resigning because some other git will just pick up from where he left off. As I said before, this pope is probably lying regarding his health, and only wants to go because he’s getting fed up and tired from all the onslaught of the Gay Propaganda!! Or could it be both?
Rock Star
As you know there are no qualifications for being elected Pope, except being a Catholic male. You don’t even have to be a priest. So I will now submit my candidacy for being the new Pontiff. I have a long and interesting history of being Catholic. I am aware of all the shortcomings of the church as well as its positive side. Jesus told me that I should run, and although I did not ask God to throw my hat into the ring, I will obey his wishes.
The first thing I will do is allow priests to get married to whomsoever they wish, male or female. The next thing I will do is allow women to be priests. After that I will open up all the Vatican records and let the public know what the Church has done in the past. This will include all personal and financial matters the Church has been involved in. I will then order that the Bible be translated properly including every instance where Jesus praised gay people and where he showed acceptance of the nature of mankind as part of God’s plan.
Then after a short rest I will have a party like no other in the history of the Church to celebrate the wisdom of Jesus and his message of love, forgiveness and the the acceptance of diversity and the only law that Jesus ever gave to his disciples, and that is to love thy neighbor as you would yourself, and praise God for His wisdom.
Buzzct
You definitely have MY vote!!!