I agree with above.....what a joke. We don't need a Pope or all those cardinals - do away with them all. Do not think for one minute this guy resigned because of health, they told him to resign or they would do away with him, like they do everyone who knows too much, this guy was a threat.

The whole catholic relgion is based on their rules, why do you let them tell you what you can and cant' do?? And then they cover up for all the perverts in the church that runied those boys lives! Great job Catholics! This religion is outdated and should be abolished!

backtobasics-1076842:

It is a good thing you are NOT a member of the Catholic Church. Hundreds of millions of people disagree with you, as do I.

Go in Peace.

blondie432:

We don't need a Pope or all those cardinals - do away with them all. Do not think for one minute this guy resigned because of health, they told him to resign or they would do away with him, like they do
everyone who knows too much, this guy was a threat.

The Pope is a life position; he cannot be removed and/or forced out.

The whole catholic relgion is based on their rules, why do you let them tell you what you can and cant' do?? And then they cover up for all the perverts in the church that runied those boys lives! Great job Catholics! This religion is outdated and should be abolished!

If you are not a member of this faith-based organization, then the rules and policies do not apply top you.

I bet you think the world revolves around you...

Homer: Most of the people on this board are gays or women's libbers who have axes to grind. They are simply anarchists who seek to destroy everything they can't understand. They respect neither tradition nor history, and they are so arrogant as to believe they are singularly smarter than 2,000 years of collective wisdom.

This whole charade of religous jargon is sickening honestly. Fancy robes, expensive felt slippers, jewelry, and the "white smoke" and theater like ceremonies. Come on! What does this have to do with anything but elitism? Give us a damn break. It's false. It's a farce. Anyone who eats any of this rotten sh!! pie deserves to be the fool they have become

blondie,

Any proof to your rantings? Or are you just mad?

@Homer Adams

Homer,

Hundreds of millions of people disagree with you, as do I.

Argumentum ad populem. Hundreds of millions are hindu, muslim, taoist, Jaine, etc. Do the numbers make them right too?

@Jatty,

"Most of the people on this board are gays or women's libbers who have axes to grind. They are simply anarchists who seek to destroy everything they can't understand."

As to your statement about these "anarchists" of which one was a founding father of the only secular and free nation on the planet.

Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them; and no man ever had a distinct idea of the trinity. It is the mere Abracadabra of the mountebanks calling themselves the priests of Jesus."

-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Francis Adrian Van der Kemp, 30 July, 1816

Apparently, you must have missed that history lesson.

Oh, and he knew the vatican well, even before it came into existence as it's own. What a prediction:

My opinion is that there would never have been an infidel, if there had never been a priest. The artificial structures they have built on the purest of all moral systems, for the purpose of deriving from it pence and power, revolts those who think for themselves, and who read in that system only what is really there.

-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Mrs. Samuel H. Smith, August, 6, 1816

You mean the Thomas Jefferson who squandered his entire fortune, and whose home had to be sold after his death to pay his creditors? You mean that Thomas Jefferson? You might also mean the athiest Thomas Jefferson, who chose to denigrate the things he could not comprehend. To deny the existence of God is illogical, unless you can explain creation. Jefferson could not; neither could Einstein without resorting to Theology.

losghost,

Washington was an Episcopalian.

Jefferson said, "I am a Christian." Who said he was talking about a Catholic priest?

losghost,

you're ruining their fantasy of a fairytail. Shame on you non-believer!

.

The Catholic Church will be around long after the folks in here have gone.

The Church endures.

As was stated earlier, if you don't agree with the rituals don't belong it is as simple as that. 1.2 million must believe in it or they wouldn't exist.

NC,

thats the problem. Nonsense and lunacy endures because of the ignorant

OK Mr. Smart Guy: Explain creation to me.

@Jatty,

Is it also illogical to deny the scrimad because you don't understand it? I do, in fact, understand it well. I understand that man makes religions. That is an undeniable fact. That yours is simply one more is not much of a stretch.

I would also say that TJ is the founding father of currently the only world superpower and people have died trying to get here. What more needs to be said of it?

@NC-492358

If you read anything from TJ you can certainly see the transition from Christian, to Deist, to most likely Atheist as Thomas Jefferson aged and was influenced by his associates in discussion.

The whole history of these books [the Gospels] is so defective and doubtful that it seems vain to attempt minute enquiry into it: and such tricks have been played with their text, and with the texts of other books relating to them, that we have a right, from that cause, to entertain much doubt what parts of them are genuine. In the New Testament there is internal evidence that parts of it have proceeded from an extraordinary man; and that other parts are of the fabric of very inferior minds. It is as easy to separate those parts, as to pick out diamonds from dunghills.

-Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Adams, January 24, 1814

Is the above the philosophy of someone who would identify as Christian? Sure doesn't sound like it to me.

It's because these people were either Atheists or Deists that we have this free nation. It's just a fact, deal with it.

I guess that means that we are free to exercise our religion. It seems as if your religion is worship of TJ. I suggest to you that John Adams would beg to differ with your hero.

Jatty,

ask yourself this question. Is it true morality when chosing between eternal life in heaven or eternal doom in "a lake of fire"?

That is basically what you base your "faith" on and condemn others with. It's not morality when you chose to follow or believe for your own benefit. Why can't you just be a good person without it? To be truly moral and honest with yourself and the Earth. They are real and tangible and cannot be misinterpreted and misconstrued to fit one's "message" or "faith".

Let me put it to you like this. My wife and I support an orphanage in Uganda which we founded. It feeds, clothes, educates, and provides medical care for 76 children whose parents died from AIDS. Do you wish to take over the funding of this operation? My point is that "morality" to the left is an abstract concept. The left seeks to do good in the abstract. However, when real sacrifices are called for, the left is never there. It is organized religion which is there. How do you know what I believe in terms of Hell. The Church condems no one. You just have an inferiority complex. It is you who does the condemning.

@Jatty,

This may confuse you, but I worship no one. I admire TJ, he was a profoundly progressive thinker at a time when that was a rarity.

And your comment about Adams. Jefferson and Adams were best of friends. Also, he would have said the same thing I did.

Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.

John Adams

The point is, Atheist isn't a presupposition. It's a default position. You say there is a god as described by bronze age warlords, ok, but before I believe you, I say prove it.

You want to say that these priests aren't power brokers? If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, guess what?

Also, to suggest that only Catholics should have an opinion, the hundreds of square miles of non taxable property taking up space where taxable homes and services could be begs to differ. This foolishness affects us all and you know it.

Let me put it to you like this. My wife and I support an orphanage in Uganda which we founded. It feeds, clothes, educates, and provides medical care for 76 children whose parents died from AIDS. Do you wish to take over the funding of this operation?

Your special pleading here does nothing. Religion is not required whatsover to do this sort of thing and there are plenty of secular organizations doing the same thing.

The irony is, how much do you supply condoms and sex eduction on their use do you give? Wonder why Africans are dying from AIDs whereas other countries do not have such a pandemic?

Supply condoms instead of religious instruction and I would certainly donate.

if you go to church to keep from going to hell then youve obviously missed the point. we go to church to be in the presence of God and to love and worship him ( which btw only in the catholic church is God truely physically present to us in the blessed sacrament) . church is not/ was not intended as "fire insurance"

Adams and Jefferson were only "friends" at the end of their lives. John Adams disapproved of almost everything TJ did and felt that TJ was a narcissist (which he was). If you don't believe me, read David McCollough. Athism is not a default position. Since you can't explain creation in physical terms, the conclusion is that there is no God? That is as illogical as it is foolish. Read Thomas Aquinas "Summa Theologica." It is extremely convincing and it is almost wholly based upon Aristotle's logic.

Hey Losghost, In referance to 1.16 last line. If that's the case why does it say in god we trust on our currency?

@Jatty,

Athism is not a default position.

Were you born knowing anything about religion? You were indoctrinated into your particular faith. Of course it's a default position. Do you know anything about Shintoism? Jainism?

Since you can't explain creation in physical terms, the conclusion is that there is no God?

Your propositional fallacy here is non-nonsensical. My position on creation is irrelevant to whether magic and mysticism exist in the world, or that they are man made constructs used to describe things not yet understood.

There was a time when the world was understood to be flat, that the moon was made of cheese, that you only needed to wash your hands *after* a surgery. et al.

There are theories by men much smarter than you and I that there was no creation, it's always just been. Before you say there *had* to be a beginning, be careful, because the next question is when did god begin and if he's always been, then why can the universe not? Get it?

That is as illogical as it is foolish. Read Thomas Aquinas "Summa Theologica." It is extremely convincing and it is almost wholly based upon Aristotle's logic.

Really?

Do you assume non-beivers don't read garbage like that? How do you suppose they become atheists?

Woman is defective and misbegotten, for the active force in the male seed tends to the production of a perfect likeness in the masculine sex; while the production of woman comes from defect in the active force or from some material indisposition, or even from some external influence, such as that of a south wind, which is moist.

Yes, very logical and clear. Also enlightening.

@monstahead

Hey Losghost, In referance to 1.16 last line. If that's the case why does it say in god we trust on our currency?

Because in 1956 you were either a god fearing McCarthyist or a commie bastard or anarchist. This was at the height of the anti-communist period in America and religious factions in the government did the most un-American thing they could and put religion on the money we have today.

That's right, prior to 1957 there was no "in god we trust" on our paper money.

Did that answer your question?

Disappointed and ashamed,

The only ignorant I see are you those like you. You do not know what you are ranting about and make fun of it.

As you grow older, get an education and mature, you will come to your senses and realize that there is more to the universe than drugs and alcohol. Maybe.....

NC,

come on, I'm a 39 yr old man. Don't sit there at your keyboard and assess my life. Actually, your comment alone speaks volumes my friend. Keep the "faith" in man written stories.

Tell me again what god wrote, oh yeah, not a single thing. Heck of a thing to base your whole life on. But, yeah, I'm the ignorant one who apparentlty has a drug and alcohol abuse problem. God tell you that too? I'm just curious where you get your magic from

@NC-492358,

The only ignorant I see are you those like you. You do not know what you are ranting about and make fun of it.

As you grow older, get an education and mature, you will come to your senses and realize that there is more to the universe than drugs and alcohol. Maybe.....

Why the need to cast aspersions? I'm not sure how you could ever claim the moral high ground.

FYI, there was a pew study done on religious knowledge. Guess which group came in first place on knowing the most about religion?

Yep, Atheists. Check out the pew forum site for more info.

Atheists came in first as knowing the most about religion. Guess who came in last? Yep, Catholics.

So you comment about atheists being ignorant or knowledgeable seems to be contradicted by the evidence, but somehow I'm willing to bet you may not give much credence to evidence.

It's always interesting to read the preaching's of the agnostics, atheists and other pagans.

Of course they always associate as some higher calling of their own creation. Liberal, Progressive or the Left seem to be the latest terms of endearment to satisfy their insecurity. Their idolatry is no less rabid, it is just irrational.

They condemn those of Faith yet put theirs fully behind a monolithic ever expanding government that can't provide its intended service because of massive waste, fraud, abuse and corruption. It's "laws" all spring from the state.

In the view of the Left, the state is everything. Caregiving, providing, compassion and most importantly, redistribution of wealth are their commandments. The dramatic difference is that in a religion you contribute your tithe voluntarily, in the government worship cabal you are forced. In religion you can have Faith and not be demanded to contribute. In government they tell you they will protect your God given rights, but at a cost. If you refuse you can have those same rights they espouse taken from you, in the name of the state.

Leftism hiding under the cloak of secularism is the most dynamic religion of the past century. It inherently opposes all religion and therefore is not regarded as one. As it portrays itself as solely the product of reason, intellect and science it is not seen as the dogma-based ideology that it is. Anyone opposing Leftism is labeled anti-intellectual, anti-progress, anti-science, anti-minority and anti-reason.

All this "intellect" yet Progressivism condones massive poverty, racism, coercive regulations and their most powerful tool, illiteracy. When there is resistance to this belief the Left declares it "extremist". Merely believing that marriage should remain defined as it has through recorded history renders you an extremist. Maintaining that government should be smaller as demanded in the Constitution makes you an extremist.

The Leftist influence has been formidable against our traditional Judeo-Christian heritage. Many priests, ministers, rabbis and Jewish and Christian seminaries are leftist in content and Jewish or Christian only in form. For most American Jews, leftism is their religion while Judaism is their ethnicity and culture.

Leftism has gained much success at undoing the central American values of Liberty, In God We Trust and E Pluribus Unum. Liberty has become egalitarianism, a God-based society has been consumed with secularism and E Pluribus Unum is now multiculturalism.

Most compelling is that there is no written word to guide Leftist beliefs. In its purest sense it is driven by emotions. Emotions that change and are open-ended without any true goal or end. Its tenet is most simply described as the convolution of social, economic and political justice for the collective. Guidance is provided by the end justifies the means. Unfortunately the means has never been defined.

Yes, as much as the Left despises religion they don't realize how much their ideology resembles one. This will ultimately be its demise as has been the fate of many failed attempts in the past. Leftists always believe they finally have the grand solution to the ideology, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs". Unfortunately, as much as they preach to learn from history, they never learn how horribly this belief always ends up.

Time to go around Rome looking for a guy named Peter to select as pope

The biggest lie ever perpetrated in Human history must continue.

I'm sick of all the coverage these swindlers get.

I am considered to be a Liberal, and sometimes even a Progressive, or more extremely, a "Leftist." Some people have used those titles to be the antithesis of Christianity.

I am a Christian, a very active one, at that.

Most people I have ever known have many parts to them, not just their political stances. Faith beliefs, whatever they are, are another part of people. And there are many other parts, too! I'm sorry you choose to slam me (and others) with those labels mentioned in the first paragraph without even knowing anything else about me. It seems a bit one-sided, insular even.

Yes there need to be changes in the Catholic Church.....for once maybe they could follow scripture.

the catholic church compiled the first bible and is the only church that IS following scripture

the catholic church compiled the first bible and is the only church that IS following scripture

If that is true then how come the RCC never recites the Lords Prayer correctly?

actually we do say "for the kindom and the glory are yours now and forever"

Dissociate,

Correctly? Have you ever seen how many versions of the Lord's Prayer have been translated over the years?

You did know that the Bible you use, regardless of the version, is taken primarily from the first complete Bible compiled by the Catholic Church at the Council of Nicea finished in 405AD? Right?

Your Bible is simply a slightly truncated volume that dropped a few books from the OT and changed a few words in the NT over 1000 years after the ORIGINAL Bible was put together.

The Catholic Church has NEVER followed the true scriptures and if you believe it does then you obviously have never read the Bible. According to scripture local churches were supposed to be autonomous not run by a centralized church or a pope. The Catholic Church created that position. NO where in the Bible was there any mention of a pope or cardinal or priest for that matter. The Bible teaches baptism by immersion of water not sprinkling of water. So on and so forth. I am amazed at all of the sheep that follow the pope but NEVER read and study the Bible. I am not judging the Catholic members for their ways. God says in his Word what his commandments are for salvation. Unless they are followed, there is no hope for salvation.

RVNDOC:

My thought would be a Cardinal from Latin America. Perhaps the relatively young Cardinal Scherer from Brazil. Perhaps he could call for a Vatican III to help bring the Church into the 21st century, and tackle

The Catholic Church is in the 21st Century and operates perfectly. Membership is 100% voluntarily.

the Church's old policies on things like birth control, celibacy, women leadership, gay marriage... while I am no longer a Catholic, there are changes needed to move the Church forward.

99% of Catholics disagree with you, as do I. Since you are not a Catholic, your views do not matter. The Church has worked well since its founding. Homosexual unions are a legal issue - marriage is a faith based issue.

Charles,

How would you know? You have never read complete, true Scriptures.

Local churches are not run by a centralized Pope. The bishop and pastor do that.

The word "pope" was not used but Jesus still chose Peter as the leader of His Church. There is no word Trinity in the Bible either, but we sure have the concept. Nor is there the word Protestant. The word "catholic" (katholikos in Greek) is in there and it means universal.

We know that Paul was not baptized via immersion and that whole families were baptized in houses.

Uh oh.....

qoute where the bible says baptism must be by emmersion

the 1611 kjb does not include the doxology either and if you do ANY research youll find there is very little agreement on what jesus actually said for the our father, if taken from aramiac then we are left with a totally dissimiliar prayer, so with all the possible translations and translated from aramiac to greek to latin to old english to modern english, i think quibbling over details is ridiculous

apostle of truth,

In case you didn't know the New Testament was written in Greek.

There are other Greek words for "sprinkle" (RANTIZO) or "pour" (CHEO). Had
God wanted to authorize these, the words were available; but instead He chose a
word the never means sprinkle or pour.

The Bible word for "baptism" means immersion, not sprinkling or pouring.

Scholars don't get confused over details because translations went from Greek to Latin to Old English to Modern English. They study Greek to Modern English.

NC, the Bible was compiled way before the Catholics did it in 450 AD.

If people want to join a cult like Mormanism or Catholicism that is their choice and their eternal life they are playing with. I choose to study the Bible and the true meaning of it and not listen some organized religion tells me what to believe.

NC, by the way:

Acts 9:17, 18 - And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul [later Paul], the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

And again, the word baptizism in Greek means immersion.

matt 24:5 "many will come in my nae and lead even the elect astray" clearly refers to the protestant reformation.

jesus spoke aramaic not greek o even the greek is a translation

archaeological evidence of Christian baptism from the 3rd century onward indicates that a normal form was to have the candidate stand in water while water was poured over the upper body.^{[18][19][20][21]} Other common forms of baptism now in use include pouring water three times on the forehead.

Two passages in the Gospels indicate that the verb baptizein did not always indicate submersion. The first is Luke 11:38, which tells how a Pharisee, at whose house Jesus ate, "was astonished to see that he did not first wash (ἐβαπτίσθη, aorist passive of βαπτίζω—literally, "be baptized") before dinner." This is the passage that Liddell and Scott cites as an instance of the use of βαπτίζω to mean perform ablutions. Jesus' omission of this action is similar to that of his disciples: "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash (νίπτω) not their hands when they eat bread" (Mt 15:1–2). The other Gospel passage pointed to is: "The Pharisees…do not eat unless they wash (νίπτω, the ordinary word for washing) their hands thoroughly, observing the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they wash themselves (literally, "baptize themselves"—βαπτίσωνται, passive or middle voice of βαπτίζω)" (Mk 7:3–4).

Homer Adams: If 99% disagree with changes being needed. Why do 97% of American Catholics use Birth Control (not the rhythm method, by the way.)? Changes in policy happen all the time. That is why the altar was turned around facing the people and the Mass was said in the language of the people instead of Latin, following Vatican II. Change is inevitable if an organization is to survive and not die of old age. Just my thoughts.

I will say though that those who challenge the Catholic Church's influence of Christianity, that without the beginnings and spread of the word of God through the Catholic church, Christianity would not have survived. There would be no Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans.

apostle of truth, I am not Catholic nor Protestant. I am a Christian who follows the teachings of Christ from the first century church. Unlike you, who follow a man who calls himself the pope. And the majority of the New Testament was written in Greek, as it was the universal language at the time and very little was written in Hebrew. Baptism is just one of many areas where Catholicism is wrong. Priest, Bishops, Cardinals cannot be married. Interesting but scripture says that elders or bishops are required to be married.

RVNDOC, I agree that the Catholic Church's influence has had some positive effects in history but Christianity would have survived just fine without it. You obviously underestimate God's power.

Charles. I am no longer Catholic. I am however against all of the anti-catholic rhetoric of those who have forgotten the roots of their faith. Also, I do not underestimate the power of God. I agree that through His power and grace, Christianity would have survived. I am just saying that He used the Catholic Church to bring Christanity to the whole world. If He had not taken that path, He would have surely taken another. Also, regarding the underestimation of the power of God; that is why I sincerely believe that using the resources and global outreach of the Catholic church should include not only the acceptance of birth control, but its promotion, especially in the very poor, over-populated countries of the world. Preventing pregnancy though modern means will not only reduce abortion, but will help reduce poverty in many nations. My God is an awesome God who gives mankind free choice, but can over-ride that choice in the blinking of an eye. Actually, you and I agree on many points. Peace be with you.

show me where in scripture it says you must be baptized by immersion or its not a valid baptism? john was baptizing in the jordan river so naturally he might have immersed, but people who were baptized at a house didnt have a body of water for immersion, baptism is the "washing" away of original sin not the drowning of self to new life. there is a difference in being born again and baptism. john was baptizing before the sacrificial death on the cross. and Jesus conferred authority on peter and sucessors to make changes in the church. as far as marriage paul states that it is better to be unmarried and celebant to serve God unless you cannot restrain your self from sexual immorality

RVNDOC - Yes I also agree with you on the topic of birth control. The Catholic Church does do a lot of good work even though I don't agree with all of their teachings.

apostle of truth - I guess we can both just agree to disagree but you must agree with me on one thing. Those Swiss uniforms do look llike clown suits. I think it is time to change them.

lol yea ill agree on that, but they might catch more flak if they had a more military looking uniform, some style points could be earned with modest changes

Those Swiss uniforms do look llike clown suits. I think it is time to change them.

Don't change a thing, I hereby decree that the Swiss guard uniforms shall be the new Pope uniform, and something similar, only scaled back a little for the Cardinals.

on the topic of birth control i would like to see some changes in this policy but we must be careful because the whole issue is dont have sex unless your married and want to have kids, the church has to be careful not to promote promiscuity, tough issue with 3rd world countries where they are too illiterate or primative to control sexual urges thus causing overpopulation that thier food supplies cannot support. changes are needed i just dont know what the church could support without undermining the morality of no sex before marriage, givien the evil of abortion i think maybe giving in on some form of birth control might be a pill the church needs to swallow.

apostle of truth - Since you prove not to even know the history of the Bible.....and what it teaches how can you say that a bunch of men who demand to be called father are following scripture? Study scripture of what is to be the structure of the church and tell me again how the catholic church follows it.....then there is the fact that none of the cardinals, priest, popes meet even the first command of scripture of what their qualifications must be in order to be a minster......

for many will come in my name and lead many astray.... the protestant reformation.... paul refers to himself as father, jesus used it and so did peter, obviously you dont know scripture or dont know how to read it. you cant take one sentence of a passage and take it out of context to make it mean what serves you best, you must read the whole passage and learn what the author meant to convey. clearly the father reference was meant to keep people from putting anyone in place of God for our heavenly father, the source of all existance, im sure im not going to hell if i call my dad "father", neither do i mean heavenly father when i call a priest "father". father in reference to the church means pastor of a flock

http://www.catholic.com/tracts/call-no-man-father

enjoy

And what are the qualifications to be a minister/priest/bishop? And then you have the fact that one church is not to lord over another....

I don't know if you are Catholic, but it is not going to happen. Every Cardinal in Rome was appointed by JP II or Benedict. All are conservatives. Moreover, abortion, especially partial birth abortion, is murder any way you slice it.

you call 4.8 billion given to charities in 2010 crumbs???

Tom, I guess you have never looked at what is offered through Catholic charities, from good pantries, counseling, education... one charity that most have heard of is St Vincent De Pauls.

Charity is the only good thing the Catholic church has going for it, the rest of it is a powerful brainwashing machine that dupes the simple minds that the Bible is a factual book, or tell their nuns to stop helping the poor and start crusading against contraceptives, oh and don't get me started on the rampant abusing and covering up. A criminal organization whose time is long past due.

Wise up people, there is only one life, the present, don't waste your time and money supporting something that amounts to a scam.

Sure, apostle. And married women also shouldn't be having sex I guess? A lot of married men would disagree with you.

Great story (attributed to St. Malachy) but no trophy for you.

Many have been selected as Pope that were not bishops or cardinals in the history of the Church. The requirements are that the person be any single, adult, Catholic male. Not likely to be this way but it is possible.

Many have been selected as Pope that were not bishops or cardinals in the history of the Church. The requirements are that the person be any single, adult, Catholic male.

Yippie! So Peter does have a chance.

All single adult Catholic men do.

actually the writings were not by malachy but by a monk named arnold wyon in the late 16th century not the 12th century by malachy, its reported to have never been heard of until the 16th century

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecy_of_the_Popes

Malachy was not a prophet.

All the Popes are Peter the Roman. Duh.

I can only pray it is Cardinal Peter Turkson. Do you really believe what is posted in wikipedia?

george seems like you got the knife sharp already

Casting the first stone there George?

All though I do not agree with what has happened in the church, we are all sinners and all have fell from the glory of god.

There is at least one cardinal who will be electing the next Pope, despite being currently involved in a legal investigation into his role in protecting priests who had abused many children.

10,000 people signed a petition to request that Cardinal Mahony not participate in the conclave. http://www.scpr.org/news/2013/02/24/36096/cardinal-mahony-leaves-to-vote-for-pope-despite-pl/ But Cardinal Mahoney continues to do as he pleases rather than respect the will of the Catholic community that he serves.

Seems like a pretty cushy job being a Cardinal, I wonder if their promotions are based on covering up for the benefit of the church.

Joe,

You seem to have some experience in this area. Maybe you can advise them.

They won't let me. My methods are too "extreme".

You molest kids extremely?

Joe,

Looks like NC is real interested in you--if you're a child molester.

Good luck with that.

doret,

Jealous?

Oh? How many have been convicted of crimes? Or are you just being nasty?

Then where are the prosecutors? If criminal laws were broken to the extent you suggest, then, it seems to me, the prosecutors are either lazy or incompetent.

Greg,

Proof that Benedict was a pedophile? Or any of them?

How about your own Protestant pastor since it seems that pedophilia runs a bit higher in Protestant denominations.

Hmm.

Joyce,

How would that be saintly? Jesus had women disciples but no women Apostles. Oh well.....

According to the church in order to become a "saint" there must be proof of miracles. The church has never even acknowledged women let alone give them a meaningful voice. Giving them a voice would be a miracle. I don't expect to see it in my lifetime...or my grandchildren's.

doret,

It is ok. You can join also. All are welcome and all are sinners.

I wonder if you have the guts to say the same about Islam? If you are not Catholic why do you care? No one makes you believe and no one makes you accept our faith. I suspect you are just a lazy punk who believes in nothing. I wonder if, on your deathbed, you will squeal like a pig for God's forgiveness?

lets all report doret to newsvine all the posts are filled with foul language, hate and venom, argumentative and should be banned

Jatty, is that what your god requires to get into heaven? Squealing like a pig. Hard to believe your silly 'faith' is brushed aside so easily.

Apostle, your fear is showing, not your faith.

Oh wait, they're one in the same, thats right.

What does the pope need with the Swiss guard, anyway?

Isnt god's protection enough?

Yep. The pope will be like my nose - hand picked.