GOD Bless John Paul II

He will be missed.

No, he won't. Don't like popes.

Well, I suppose the Catholics will miss him anyway. As I see it, he was a much better-than-average pope, but I had my problems with him. However, this is the time that his people are mourning his death, so I will mute my criticism and perhaps come back later to offer it.One thing I will comment on is some of the ritual involved in selecting a new pope. I well remember the deaths of the last two popes - within a few weeks of each other if I remember correctly - and the agonizing process by which a new pope was selected. Agonizing for everyone, as it happened. At that time there were only three major networks - NBC, CBS and ABC. Every one of them provided day after day of uninterrupted live coverage of a chimney at the vatican. We all watched that chimney instead of our favorite TV programs. Nothing else in the world happened that was important enough to interrupt coverage of that chimney.As I recall, the reason for the wall-to-wall chimney coverage was Roman ritual. Within a few days of the death of a pope, the college of cardinals meets to elect a new pope. Once the election is complete and a new pope has been selected, smoke signals are sent from that chimney.I feel sorry for Catholics who truly loved this pope, but I absolutely dread the coming live coverage of that damn chimney.

---

Keep America Safe AND Free!

On Friday the death of the Pope was falsely reported on Fox News and CNN. According to Brian Stelter's tvnewser blog, CNN at least cited "unconfirmed reports", but Fox just ran with it.The only network that vetted the report was MSNBC, and now they're running a delightful new set of promos in which they refer to themselves as "the network that's Fair and Accurate", an obvious swipe at FNC. (In the promos, the word 'accurate' is underscored, but I don't know how to do that here so I used bold instead).

---

Keep America Safe AND Free!

I hadn't realized the Pope's influence, in today's day and age. I thought long ago the pope was silenced. But he was a strong world leader, although popes lack of power, they have a lot of influence on culture especially in Rome. And this is shown through the full day's worth of coverage here in the US.I am still really interested in the Vatican's stash of books and stuff, if anyone know anything email me, or just write a post.

---

The escape exists within ourselves, not within the bank account's numbers of papers.

Me too, actually. I'm sure they have a detail record of the number of people they killed and the number of cultures they destroyed and are destroying somewhere in their stash of books and stuff.

Nah, I think after the spanish inquisition they calmed down. But I'm talking ancient texts, and the necro-book, or whatever. I would be more worried about the United States destroying cultures. Check the Iraq issues.

---

The escape exists within ourselves, not within the bank account's numbers of papers.

Love him or hate him but one thing is undeniable, he was incomparable. A Pope for the ages.

---

My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind. ---Albert Einstein

Shouldn't catholics be very very afraid? Whoever the next pope will be, he'll be the last.

I am with Troy on this one. I was dreading the passing of the pope, as I knew it would be tying up an ungodly amount of newspaper space. And thank god I dont watch TV news.So far as I can tell, the best thing we can say about this Pope is that he wasn't corrupted by royal politics or gilded bribes, unlike so many before him. Reports of his grand role in destroying Communism are greatly overstated. But if Al Gore invented the internet, I guess the Pontiff can end world communism.If JP had just gotten the picture that it was time to take catholicism into the modern age, he would have been the greatest Pope ever. Instead, we get no condoms and no masturbation. (The latter is amusing, if inconsequential, while the former is no laughing matter).Don't get me wrong, I do lament the passage of an incredibly well educated man with a really cool hat, I just wish he could have done more.BTW, the Necronomicon isn't actually a real book.

---

'Most temperate in the pleasures of the body, his passion was for glory only, and in that he was insatiable.'

Alexander writes:

quote:

---

But if Al Gore invented the internet, I guess the Pontiff can end world communism.

---

Well, since Gore never said he invented the Internet (he said he helped to provide the funding that eventually led to the invention of the Internet, which is true, he did), I guess that means the Pope had nothing to do with the end of communism.Personally, Solidarity would have done it without him, but he certainly had a hand in their actions.That doesn't change the fact that he was an evil, evil man, but there is a difference between morality and reality.

---

Rrhain
WWJD? JWRTFM!

R,I was kidding about Al Gore. What I meant is that once the exaggeration game is done, the Pope will have been able to heal cancer victims and shoot laser beams from his eyes.Just out of curiousity, what makes you say he was evil? I think 'human' is a more appropriate epitaph.

---

'Most temperate in the pleasures of the body, his passion was for glory only, and in that he was insatiable.'

Couldn't really say, I'm not Catholic.But I assume you are referring to the prophesies of St. Malachy. Well, according to prophesy believers, it seems debatable whether the next pope will be the last or not.

---

My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind. ---Albert Einstein

Malachy was inconclusive. It has become an urban prophetic legend that there will be one more Pope after J2P2.In eulogy, I believe that John Paul II was a good man in a powerful position. I believe that we on earth are involved in a sort of a spiritual war, and I believe that people in positions of great power and influence are harrassed by the "evil" vibes more than the average person. Even Bill Clinton seemed a bit power happy while in office wheras now he seems up for Sainthood. (I liked him, anyway )
Dubya is downright close to evil. The Pope was a good man who upheld strict Catholic morality. We may or may not agree with the morality as it is suggested or imposed, but there are few men more fair and kindly old fashioned than was this Pope.Rest in Peace, Holy Father.

True, Al didn't say he invented it, he said he created it. I saw the Blitzer/Gore interview on CNN and bout fell out of my chair with laughter. Here is part of the transcript Full Transcript

---

My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind. ---Albert Einstein