Time will tell. He will bring a change to the image of his position. Certain changes will happen within the church yet, the changes will not effect the basic core doctrine of the church. I feel it will take a few more Pope's like this one to see major changes in the basic church doctrine and positions..

May God keep blessing Pope Franxis I and guiding him so that he can guide us. This is the type of pope we need in this society. We, as catholics, will grow stronger, with God's help and power.

Night, the core doctrine of the Church has never changed in 1,980 years and won't start now. Some teachings may be given more insight but those also will remain the basiclly the same. The last pope that tried to change doctrine died in his sleep the night before the change was to be announced.

I think I am gonna like this guy. At least he does not act like royalty. But the catholic church has a lot of issues to explain and it certainly needs to get into the 21st century.

He does seem like a dandy.

Judy,

What issues does he need to explain and to who?

How does the Church need to get into the 21st Century. Right is right regardless of the year.

Hello folks, the corruption and pedophilia is a staple in the church and has been going on for centuries. While I wish this institution would do a 180 history is not on this Pope's side. Like our government's president the pope is merely a puppet of the elite.

The sheeple that are being fleeced by sending their money in to pay the over 3 billion spent and climbing on pedophilia settlements appear to easily overlook this criminal activity. This doesn't even include the drug money laundering amongst the other criminal activity that has been exposed.

Church pedophilia settlements:

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/settlements/

Pedophile priests have molested innocent children in the Roman Catholic Church probably since the beginning of the church. These pedophiles have been protected and their horrendous crimes against children have gone unpunished. It is amazing to me that there are over a billion Catholics. I guess acceptance of pedophilia in the church is the cost of salvation!

Is hiding in the illusion that is the Catholic church worth the pedophilia justification and cost of your reality and souls?

Trust,

LOL. He has already started and you are behind. At least read a paper.

See you at Mass.

The club rules will remain the same: no women allowed.

NC, the head apologist for the pedophiles of the RCC.

Again, I will contend that many more hundreds of thousand of children were sexually abused by family members than by priests. That is not an excuse, it is a fact. In some families it went on for three generations. The family covered it up to keep from being embarrassed. That is even worse because it is your own family, Mom and/or Dad covering it up. This needs to end no matter who the perpetrators are: parent, relative, family friend, priest, minister, rabbi or teacher. We don't consider all families evil, why do we consider the whole Church evil?

NC:

Issues such as, pedophilia and protecting those who should be convicted of such crimes.

Issues such as, allowing women to become priests.

Issues such as, allowing priests to marry.

Issues such as, accepting gays and lesbians into the church, with all the rights of every other Catholic.

Or are you alright with those issues, remaining in the past? Unresolved?

Judy, not that you asked me, but I, and most others, am fine with each of your issues staying the same, as they should, except for any protection given to pedophiles. In the scheme of things the pedophilia issue is not predominant in the Catholic Church. It is however a tragedy and a crime wherever it takes place, such as in public schools, which people by and large seem to give a pass. As for women priests, priests marrying, or the practice of homosexuality being given equal legitimacy with heterosexual practice, those are under the purview of the church and do not have to change with the times and prevailing attitudes of our culture, which is so often leading us down the tubes.

Jwright-1317095: May this man succeed as Pope and may God guide him.

Which god? Yours, or one of the other 3000 gods which nobody can prove exists?

NC: What issues does he need to explain and to who?

SEriously? Tens of thousands of children butt-raped, molested and abused, and the church hierarchy behind it all in a widespread conspiracy, and you can ask that question? And this is but ONE of MANY issues that needs explaining? Maybe another one is HOARDING MASSIVE WEALTH (against the NT teachings) while millions of poor people around the Vatican and around the world starve (also against the NT teachings). Do you need more? There are plenty.

How does the Church need to get into the 21st Century. Right is right regardless of the year.

Again, Miss Head-in-the-sand. You are obviously being obstuse on purpose, or you clearly have no values, integrity, conscience and frankly, no eyes or ears.

And, using the phrase "right is right" to describe the Pedophile Catholic Cult is about as laughable as applying it to the KKK... Get real.

That wide-spread bag of crap, led from the Mound of Hoarded Wealth called the Vatican, is nothing more than the largest, most well-organized and well-funded Crime Family in the World.

Right is right regardless of the year.

"Right" is a matter of perspective. Societal perspectives change through time.

Women and Blacks were once seen as property. That was considered proper and right at the time, and that "truth" was enforced by priests and religious leaders. It was written in the bible after all.

In short, all religions are controlled and practiced by humans. Humans make mistakes. We have errors of judgement. That is human nature. For the church to claim "we are above making human mistakes" is disappointing.

If a coworker came up to you and said "It is not possible for me to ever be wrong" you would think of them as arrogant, and egotistical and hesitate to work with them. Yet, when the church does it you continue to follow them blindly.

Linda, How do you know those things you claim about Pope John Paul I and why have you not sold your evidence to the scandal sheets for big $$$ bucks ???

May Pope Francis spread the true gospel of Christ, charity and forgiveness.

Why should the church change because people want it to change, there are thousands of religious affiliations out there for one to pick and choose from. It amazes me how many post the church needs to change. I do believe with this pope the pedophilia issue will be handled.

It amazes me how many post the church needs to change.

Blockbuster, Circuit City and countless other organizations didn't want to change either. We see how that ended up.

"Those that refuse to change are ignorant. Those that cannot change are stupid."

Other than the pedifile issue- the other"issues are merely "earthly" desires. Women don't HAVE to join a mens club nor do men have to join a women's club to fit in. We are all parts of the One body- we have our own gifts.. I don't want yours adn don't expect you to have mine. There are many Godly women out there who are great influences w/out having to become a priest or spend a life in Semenary school for God to have touched you. we ALL have a place in his house. Maybe the 21st century needs to catch up w God instead of the other way around. Instead of just reading the bible or other self help translations of it- try understanding and living the scripture and live like God expects us to live. No matter how many time you fall, just keep getting up- He'll help you every time. Get over your selves before God does it for you.

People who says the church "needs to get into the 21st century" obviously do not know much about the Catholic church. If these comments refer to homo (abnormal) marriages, acceptance of abortions, and other abominations, don't hold your breath because it will NEVER happen.

Just an interesting fact: the celibacy requirement for priests did not always exist. It was imposed during the middle ages when the Church didn't want to keep paying pensions for priests' families if they died. Personally, I believe it should be lifted. Celibacy is a high and holy calling and there are few who are truly called to that lifestyle. In the past, those who felt they were called would just join convents. They still do, as nuns and monks.

They can do nought except crouch under the captives, and fall under the slain. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.

i think if they changed thier stance on married priests it would definately increase the number of candidates to the priesthood, which would enable them to be more selective in candidates and do more research into them and maybe stop some pedophiles from getting in t begin with

Apples I am not sure it would. The Episcopal church allows priest to marry and they will ordain women, openly gay clergy and they still struggle with a priest shortage.

What change?

Maybe he's the Deceiver.

POPE FICTION !

Carl/Mark,

What?

he's a'da Popo! anda noncha fogidit!

Barry - I wouldn't count on any major structural changes. One doesn't ascend to the top of a power structure and then tear down that which built them.

Time will tell if this Pope will stay with the teachings of the bible or give in to what this world wants or stay with the teaching of what God wants.The word of God tells us all what is the right road to take and which is the wrong road to take.It's either black or white with no gray area.

Gemini a.k.a. Connors,

Give it a rest you pathetic excuse for a troll.

CherokeeBlonde, don't feed into Gemini a.k.a Connors' negativity, just do as our new pope says and forgive and pray for him and others with the same negative thinking/accusation for he no not what he sayor do.

Frankie prove to me you are a survivor of anything. Show me the case judgement where anybody ever touched you. You come off sounding like a victim so you should be able to prove it. otherwise you are just another liar in a long line of liars and we are starting to get the real facts out . I don't say no one was guilty of anything but I say prove every accusation you make. No free rides anymore Frankie prove everyone of them. And in this country all cases have been turned over to civil law so if you don't like the verdict than vote the civil judge out of office because he handed it down. If the verdict was innocent then it is because you couldn't prove it by civil law American law. As the people of Missouri say Show me.

In this the pope is right. Forgiveness is much better than bitterness. Bitterness gives you a life of victimhood, where you dwell and reinforce the horrendous action that was perpetrated on you. Forgiveness allows you to let it go, and start again, not new, but looking towards a more positive life. Yes, it's hard but it is the path out of your nightmare.

Not a Catholic, but I'm a Christian and lonereb...excellent response. You see the people like Frankie love the liberal judges only until that very judge doesn't take to arms in the fashion that people like Frankie want. I will say this for Frankie.... one day you will bury your hatred. I agree, as well, with the "fact" that Frankie provides no proof as many of the acid tongued on this post will do and only act the part to incite further hatred towards not only Catholics but anyone who Believes. I doubt very much that Frankie was a victim and shouldn't lessen the crime against the true victims by his false claims.

And poor Gemini, I don't have enough fingers to count the times your comments have been collapsed. That usually happened when your mouth is running ten miles ahead of your as$.

royalstar05 - "He seems to be a more hands on, common man that the average person can related with. I hope things go well for him."

Royalstar hit the target.

I guess that's why they call it blind faith there lonereb, and you seem to have it in spades. It just amazes me what people will tolerate, deny, and justify for the sake of their religion when it suits them, and yet they will turn around and chastise other people for what they see as sins. You can downplay the child molestation cases in the Catholic church all you want, but they have been happening for years and have been swept under the rug. That has been proven time and time again. Nobody here needs to prove it to you. Do your own research. It's also funny that you say "no free rides" for the victims and they must prove themselves, but you don't require the same of the molesters. Why don't you ask them to prove their innocence? Oh, that's right, since they are Catholic priests, they DO get a free pass in your eyes, right? You assume they are innocent until proven guilty but don't grant victims the same right because they must prove themselves to you. Your post just wreaks of double standards, and it's sickening.

Frank,

Yes, you are a troll. Your hate is palpable.

Really Jaime, I'm the first to want justice for wrongdoing....my daughter was raped when she was in College in 2000 and the As$hole got away with it, yet your comment, the guilty should have to prove their innocence is a dangerous slope. I don't demand we change the constitution so I can get my daughters rapist in jail. You have a right to a fair trial which means a list of things and one is your innocent until proved guilty. You see, anyone can make an accusation and we hear about them everyday, yet the false accuser never pays any price. Four boys in the Sandusky case reversed their stories late in the game even though Sandusky was guilty of 52 crimes against the real victims. Lonerebs no free rides pertains to Frank making claims in other posts about being a victim but did make the comment, " I don't say no one was guilty of anything". If he had just stated that everyone must prove the accusation without the first comment then you would probably be right.

There is a reason, in a democratic society, that your innocent until proven guilty and, like it was said, if you don't like the verdict then stop electing liberal judges. And no Jaime I'm not a Republican...hate to take your first dagger away from you in your response. What several of the catholic Priests did was horrible and ruined many lives, but because one black man rapes another mans daughter, you don't become racist and hate black people, at least I didn't, so why hate all Catholics because of the few.?

If you google pastors accused of child rape you can see the many occurrences in the last six years. How about coming back here and attacking all those religions. Or google day care workers accused of child molestation. Then come back here and lets shut down all day care centers. The list goes on and on. You see those child predators are no different than the priest. I take my child to a day care center because I want to know my child will be taken care of and stay safe while I'm at work...or I have my child in Sunday school to make sure thy learn about the love of Christ and not to experience the bad things that "MAN" does. Guess I should stop making a point that Jamie will never get.

This post is not meant to take anything away from the true victims and the real criminals in the cases of catholic molestation, just to zero your comment about those guilty needing to prove their innocent. here a link for you Jamie...give it a watch. It's not meant to change your view on the guilt of these Priests, just why your innocent until proved guilty.

google "why your innocent until proven guilty then scroll down to

Andrew Napolitano - innocent until proven guilty.

THEY ARE TOO MUCH ALL "HANDS ON" then they will cover it up at all means after exposure ,they don't practice what they preech

MARK,

All? Are you just being "hopeful" that they are?

Oh, and the word is "preach".

Ahhhh NC The Chief, and lonereb. I got a deal for you, I already offered it to NC and his other troll who loves to slam anyone who dares speak out against your Unholy Church.

Pay for a polygraph for me. I pass it, you pay for three full page ads in newspapers of my choice apologizing to me. Seeing that the church investigator, the church lawyer and everyone else, from the police I talked to, to my therapist, they all know I am telling the truth. But, just in case you are right, I will go to the Vatican itself and kiss the Popes ass and apologize.

See I am used to being called a liar from NC and his gang of freaks. It does not bother me in one bit. But it sure seems to bother you trolls that you will not accept my challenge.

So why not put your money where your outhouse pieholes are. Pay for my poly and prove to everyone I am the liar you say I am.

None of you got the balls to do so, this is why every time I see NC and the rest of you, I laugh at you.

forgiveness is one thing, accoutabiity and doing what's right? it's another. that's the difference between the catholic church and society. everything is up to the individual to turn himself in for his crimes. no different for a priest. under the church's wing, it's never encouraged to pay for your sins by society's standards, andTHAT, is the church's problem. the vatican lives in a cloak of hypocricy to protect it's ever growing element of gays in the in the church. never mind the pedophiles who stand above the law, because the vatican stands above the law, being it's own country, yes, mussinli granted countryship to the vatcan years ago, they answer to no one.!!!! coupled with a chauvanistic attitude being that jesus was a man, there'll never be female priests, only men can chain the energy of christ, how do you ever expect change in vatican. granted, the ONLY thing that holds me to the church? they have the best run charities in the world, with NONE of your proceeds going anywhere, but the charity. as an older female, who has hoped for change the past 40 years? i give up, i am done. i respect the religion, and most of the men who are there, but have had it with their hypocrisy and ack of accountability social accountability. why do you see so many europeans not go to church? they're not supporting because they see it more than we do. in the states, gay priests are kept in the city confines, and orders. not assigned out in suburban, rural areas. it's a wonderful lifestyle for them. and if you think this is unfounded, think again. firstly, my mom and aunt back in the 70's, were in europe and while in rome sat in cafe's around the vatican, where they witnessed priests in these cafe's drinking, and openingly flirting with each other, not once, but every time they went to one. this was everyday normal behavior. in the eighties, the pastor of our church who liked to entertain boston archdiocese members, was delighted to hire a close friend who was an accomplished chef, who observed a few of these men to be extremely affeminate, but couldn't say gay, because he wasn't sure. the church is paying for this in europe, where hardly anyone attends church refusing to support such hypocrisy. anyone who missed the HBO documentary, which came out two days after the pope announced his resignation. this pope. who when he was cardinal, was given the job by the previous one to investigate and compile a master file of every incident of pedophilia cases in the church, world wide, has the only master of these cases. and then, they made him pope. until this documentary was released talking about this and a sad case of pedophilia with priest from a catholic school for the deaf in the US, and the fallout these boys as men had to deal with personally. these boys were repeatedly raped, the priest would chose mutes who couldn't talk and turn him in. if this were your child, would you be inclined to still go to church and give them your hard earned money?

the Chief, I do not believe your daughter was raped. I do not believe the judge did your daughter wrong, they just realized your daughter was a liar. I guess your daughter dressed like a slut, went out on the town, got drunk, hooked up with a guy then cried rape afterwards so daddy wouldn't think she was a slut.

How does the shoe fit now?

I would also guess a priest rapes 17 kids and gets a six month house arrest and probation because we do not want him to suffer because he is an old geezer is alright in your book to eh?

Or one that raped at least 26 kids is now hiding in Mexico and avoided prosecution thanks to Cardinal Mahony?

or another one, who raped dozens of his seminary students, married to two wives and then raped his own children, but is free as a bird thanks to Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI is cool too?

I am going to be man enough to apologize to you Chief, I am sorry if your daughter did get raped. Rape is no joking matter. Yet, when you accuse me of being a liar, and you do not even know me, the only way I know to shake you up is to throw exactly what you threw at me.

I will bet if you read the post, you got sick to your stomach first and shouted how dare he say this about my daughter? I am also willing to bet after reading it you got so pissed you wanted to kick my ass right?

Well imagine how it is for me. I finally have the courage to come out of the dark closet and speak out about what happened to me at the hands of a priest. Why would I lie about it? Why would I put this out and subject myself to this kind of riducule? I mean I could just trash your Church without claiming I am a priest abuse survivor without having to hear all this crap from people like you and NC.

I shut my mouth for so long for two reasons. One the priest who raped me told me over and over again if I told anyone about his special healing I would burn in hell. The second reason is because at the time, I was a juvenile delinquent. I had run away from home, I had run away from the foster home they put me in. I smoked, played hookie from school, I was a trouble maker. Who the hell was going to believe someone like me over a priest if I did tell? All the priest would say is, this boy is lying.

If you are a Roman Catholic who grew up in the Church in the 50's and 60's you just might remember, you as a child are taught, the words of the Pope and Priests are as if God himself is speaking to you. You NEVER disobeyed a penguin or a collar. Hell was also very real to us and this was also drilled into our young minds. So why is it so hard to believe that a person, shamed, guilted into maintaining silence, would in fact shut their mouths in utter and complete fear?

If you talk to survivors, most of them will tell you this or even worse was said to them to keep their mouths shut. Some were even threatened that if you speak, I will kill you and your family.

You also got to realize, I damn well know there are good priests, Cardinals, Bishops, Nuns, etc. What saddens me is, they are the ones who actually pay for the evils of the ones who did us harm.

Oh and the priest who did rape me? He is currently in Concord State Prison, serving time for other boys he raped. He too was one of those priests they knew all about was molesting boys, but they just moved him from parish to parish and I had the misfortune to be placed for one night in his care at St Thomas More parish.

Frankie, Frankie, I must of hit the nerve....no the truth hit the nerve. A fake at heart and a fake with the pen...and really...lie detector test. the lower these posts go the lower you get. I'll pray that you learn mans hardest challenge...the act of forgiveness. Now back you little thinker.

Again then Chief, put your damnable money where your mouth is. I am attempting to be civil, but you and the idiots make it oh so hard.

Also, where the hell did I ever post this as you claim I have

Lonerebs no free rides pertains to Frank making claims in other posts about being a victim but did make the comment, " I don't say no one was guilty of anything". If he had just stated that everyone must prove the accusation without the first comment then you would probably be right.

You are a typical troll and apologist for the RCC.

You can call me a liar all you wish if it makes you feel more manly in dealing with me. But again, I challenged your ass along with NC and the rest of his troll buddies and not one of you have the balls to take that challenge. So it shows you are the little thinker and the little men who have the balls to call someone a liar but have no balls to take a challenge from them when you do so. That is what makes you an RCC apologist and a troll.

I am also doing my best to forgive, to stop the anger, the hate I have towards your leaders, but you all also make it oh so hard. To be forgiven, they must earn it from me by proving to me they are truly repentant for their evils committed, resign and submit their butts for prosecution. For if you are truly repentant, that is exactly what you will do.

Then again, it seems you, NC, lonerebs and others are the ones who cannot seem to handle the truth of all of this, that is why you troll these boards and the moment anyone speaks out against your RCC, you flame them, you trash them, you call them fakes and liars.

Well I guess you have totally opened your mouth really wide and stuck your proverbial foot all the way down your throat.

I also do not hide behind fake names like you guys do either. If you got the guts to spew what you do, why hide behind a fake name? Scared?????

Hello again...Frankie...no one questions the hurt. No reasons to apologize for anyone. We all have to sleep in the bed we made. Mines pretty soft...how's your?

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, if we judge with an evil heart or dark intent, His judgment of us will reflect it; if we judge nobly with honesty and justice, His judgment of us will reflect that, too, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. if we use extremes or exaggerations or other ignoble means, His judgment of us will reflect it and judging with fairness and compassion will garner likewise in His judgment of us. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye point out his sins, and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye (our own sins, even and especially those we will not admit, magnified by our selective blindness)

Also Frankie, the true little people of the world are just as human as you, trolls...really?

gemini618: That's the problem with the Catholic Church... they're a little TOO "hands on".

Oh, so true.

Even people like this low-life named "the-chief" don't actually believe tens of thousands of children have been raped and molested by catholic leaders, and that the church is 100% complicit -- no matter how many of the Church's own revealed files and and paperwork prove otherwise. He doesn't think that anyone was hurt by his snuggly little band of preistly vermin.

He probably denies the Holocaust, too.

the-chief: For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged...

you sit here in judgment, calling someone a fake and a liar, and you don't even know this person. You have NO WAY of factually knowing what the truth is about Frank and his life. NEvertheless, you label him and judge him, against your cult book's teachings. Against the cult words that you quote and throw in the face of other people, demanding that THEY follow that advice!

You simply lie, yourself, in making these assertions, in your own false defense of this filthy Pedophile Catholic Cult.

You ever hear that phrase about REMOVING THE LOG FROM YOUR OWN EYE, before pointing out the speck in someone else's? Or are you the usual BuyBull Hypocrite, busily applying your cult's teachings to everyone around you, but never yourself.

Try applying your quoted BuyBull phrases to yourself. Hypocrite!

What DMorgan said! Chief calls Frank a liar following lonereb's demand that Frank prove he was violated by a priest, yet I could demand the very same thing of him regarding his daughter's vilation. Pretty sad morals when one is going to deem another a liar (and it's easy to see that it isn't about who is lying or not, it is about being an apologist for the criminal activities of their god sect), just because it doesn't suit their beliefs. Then what is the point of even demanding some kind of proof, when they've already decided that they are lies? (rhetorical question)

I find it interesting in chief's holier-than-thou remarks posting biblical moralistic quotes, like "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged", or "specks in the eye" and all the other assorted biblical lunacy these guys ascribe to, while they then violate the lunacy they follow.

Frank dont be silly, anyone can pass a poly test. Remember Seinfeld? It's not a lie, if you believe it. :3

Hoosgow, so to back your assertion up that I am a liar, you use a tv episode from Sienfeld to prove people can lie and pass a poly test? How stupid are you? That is like saying to prove wrestling is real, all one has to do is watch the WWE. What a moron you are for using a tv program to back up your stupidity.

Oh and poly tests are not what they used to be. I once actually had to take a poly cause I stole some money from a til. I said I did not. I was proven a liar from it. So I can say I can lie, but a poly would pick it up in a heartbeat. So again, your stupid assertions using a Sienfeld episode on tv, proves you are nothing but a mouth who does not know what he spews from it.

Mercy leads to forgiveness, and to grace, the unmerritted favor of God. Extending mercy to someone implies that someone has offended you and committed a crime against you, where with mercy you forgive without seeking payment against the one which offended you. In other words it is a full pardon.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us [Romans 5:8]

Jesus Himself paid the debt we owe to God, and through Him the mercy of God which extends the unmeritted favor of God is open to all men. God this day is offering everyone that free pardon.

Reading these post, I see a lot of bitter remarks made. I think some enjoy being provocative to illicit responses, but deep down your not content with your life. Something is missing in it.

Jesus had said, Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load light. [Matthew 11:28-30]

I would say to those who have found this rest in God, show compassion towards those whom don't understand your faith. There will always be those who will mock you for what you believe, but know this, there were those whom mocked Jesus right to His face, and yet He still willingly died for them and all of us.

theChief, you are so full of crap, every time you open your mouth, your breath smells like a well used outhouse.

You can call me a liar all you wish if it makes you feel like the big man you are. Let me clue you in though, the investigators, both of them from the RCC and the priest I reported this to, believed every damn word I said. The best lawyer in the state of NH, who has 23 years experience in helping abuse survivors, who would know a liar if he heard one and has refused to help people who in fact lied, knows I am telling the truth. My therapist, highly trained in PTSD and sex abuse, believes me. My psychiatrist, an expert in PTSD, sex abuse and other fields, believes me. Those closest to me, who have known me for decades, always knew I was keeping some kind of horrible secret. They too also would hear me, at night, screaming from my nightmares of rape and hell, knew something was wrong.

So honestly, sir Outhouse Breath, you can call me a liar all you wish. You can say you prove me a liar by my jumping on your case and others for calling me a liar. All that makes you is an person whose breath smells like an outhouse.

Oh one more point for you. If heaven and hell is real....I would much rather go spend an eternity in hell than an eternity in heaven with scum, outhouse breath, losers like YOU, who defends the Pedophiles of his church because he is too freaking ignorant and stupid to understand he is supporting these scum by the way they talk. So you go right ahead and spew your crap, and I will give it back to you one hundred fold.

Big Curt-3947469

Mercy leads to forgiveness, and to grace, the unmerritted favor of God. Extending mercy to someone implies that someone has offended you and committed a crime against you, where with mercy you forgive without seeking payment against the one which offended you. In other words it is a full pardon.

Are you for real? So according to YOU I am supposed to be God and Jesus Christ and forgive these scum without seeking any kind of justice or payment for the evil done and forgive them and give them a full pardon?????

So sorry I want the rapist priest, all of the Pedophile Pimps and Priests in prison, but hey, I am just silly that way....and apparently to YOU, they should all just be forgiven and allowed on their way. (Actually my rapist priest in in prison in Concord. He admitted his guilt for his evils, but because he got slammed with a real prison sentence, instead of six months house arrest and 10 years of probation like he wanted, he now recants and wants a new trial. Good luck with that because I will be at every one of his court hearings and speak about his evil against me)

Big Curt here is a question for you.

Your wife and daughter are viciously and violently raped. Matter of fact, both your wife and daughter becomes pregnant because of the rapist.

So tell me Curt, are you going to seek justice for what was done to your wife and daughter? Or are you going to walk up to the rapist, give them a big, wet sloppy kiss, a hug and tell them, look I am God and Jesus Christ, I forgive you and we will not be pressing charges against you. Oh and as an added bonus, you can hang around during my wifes and daughters pregnancy, wait until the babies are born and then be a father to them too.

@Frank-First, you've taken everything I stated way out of context. God established civil authorities on earth to meet out justice against criminals. Technically civil authorities are suppose to be there to protect people from those who would harm them. Do they always carry out that function. You and I know that they don't.

Secondly, Did Jesus Christ deserve to be executed on a cross anymore then you were violated. No! It's an evil world Frank. Some of us know it more intimatly then others do. I gained a real view of evil when I was in Vietnam, and when I came home I was bitter. Others have their own stories to tell. You wouldn't understand my story, anymore then I would understand yours, but God does understand your pain.

Frank, I'm not an apologist for the Catholic Church or any church. God is willing to forgive sins, but that is not to say that we are free from having to pay from the sins we commit in this life. As the Bible says, there are some sins that go before us and others that follow after.

I'm not going to advise you to just get over it, whatever it was you went through and although some of us can come to that place to forgive, it is impossible to forget. You're bitterness will eat you up. Extending forgiveness to the one who offended you isn't about giving them the free pass, it's about releasing yourself from the pain; And it'll be up to you how long you wish to hold onto and own that pain, Frank. Because even if the one who victimized you is sent to prison that won't take the pain away.

@Frank (from post 3.32). Young man, I'm not going to answer a hypothetical question like that. Again, you've taken my statment way out of context. All I will say is that God Himself has already found a means to pardon ALL sins. Sin is sin. No matter how horrendous or how small in our view. That pardon for sin came through Christ, who died for us and was blamless of any crime or sin Himself. That is where the mercy of God comes into play, Frank.

You want justice, Frank. Guess what, everyone of us wants justice when we've been harmed by someone else; and no I'm not Jesus. We can all aspire to be like Christ, but none of us will ever reach that bar of perfection that He is. All we can do is try...And even if we are not faithful, God is.

Now, if you want to blame God for your problems, there are six-billion other people in this world that you could stand behind at the complaint counter. God is on your side Frank, He isn't against you. I hope you'll be able to see that one day. The most I can do, even though I don't personally know you, is pray that God will help you with your pain.

frank you should listen to the song by matthew west "forgiveness". the real crime in all this is the hate ppl hold in thier hearts that eats them up year after year, " forgiveness, there is no end to whats its power can do, the prisoner that it really frees is YOU." Christ didnt preach forgiveness to help the person guilty of the crime he preached it to set the captive free, the one holding on to the injury done unto them.

Fronk,

If it werent business time I would have laughed so hard. Seinfeld is awesome man! C'mon, just because it's on a TV show doesnt take away from the truth of it. You'd need to be able to control all of the factors a poly tests for (blood, sweat etc etc). Which is also doable. There's a whole other equation that goes into it, that I didnt feel like wasting time explaining on a forum, that's kind of stupid...and it's also pretty obvious.

I think you may have forgotten what a joke is though, would be the greater point I am trying to spew.

God didn't ask of men to be successful, but He expects of us all to be Holy as this pope is...so far we're making some progress, but a ways to go. Sorry libs, an established doctrine is an established doctrine, only God can revoke it. The pope may be powerful here on earth, but in heaven there is only One who has power over all creation. Too bad for the liberals, they would have to wait for an Anti-pope to emerge in another 500 years! better luck next time.

kathryn, J

No major changes from John XXIII? He is the one who brought about Vatican II!!!!

I would say John XXIII brought BIG changes thru the the 2nd Vatican Concil. Read the letters from it - very informative, actually affirming the core beliefs of the church and it's teachings.

Benedict XVI's pontificate have accomplished the goals of Vatican II. Now the reforms start.

FYI The pope said the 10:00am mass at St Annes inside the walls the local parish church of Vatican residents and those who live near it. After mass he did what every Catholic priest around the world will do today. Processed out of church turned around and said goodbye to the parishioners as they left. Then he surprised his protection detail and stepped outside the gate of Vatican city which is right there where people were crowding aroud trying to see him and greeted them. St Annes has about 7 masses a day and is the only place inside the city walls you don't need to have a reason to go to.

jeklv

THANK YOU!!

Frankie, all I ask is the name of the Catholic priest who molested you. Since you have already stated he has been charged, tried, found guilty and imprisoned there should be no problems with you complying with that request. Yet, despite your reams of rhetoric, you remain silent. Could that possibly because you lied ??? ??? ???

But we're in the 21st Century.

I think they need to start by getting up to the 16th century first then the 17TH etc etc etc

Rick 884766 - I don't believe it was Ratzinger's 'mess'. Most of it came out during John Paul II's term. The RC church has NO monopoly on child molestation. This stuff has been going on for millenia upon millenia. It has been going on LONG before the Catholic Church was established. I remember in my Latin class in high school struggling over texts that had references to the brothels that specialized in young boys.....written before Jesus was born. There are abuses all over the world, in many different countries, many different callings, many different religions, many from people in positions of trust. I think Francis has a different emphasis than predecessors, and has the energy to clean up a lot.

People just like to be anti-establishment without reason. It's very funky these days!

Rick to understand the Catholic mass is real easy. 1st read Leviticus as the handbook of the Jewish priesthood. In there you will find the vestments,the censor,the chalice the things of Catholic worship because this is going to be the sacrificial offering of the Lamb of God. It will be the Passover meal. In it you will find the four cups of the Passover meal Three times we will chant Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and once this is the Lamb of God. Thus was completed the institution of the New Covenant which we keep in every mass Luke 22:14-20. you will notice if you know the Passover ritual only three cups were druk at the upper room the fourth was the wine lifted up to Jesus on the hysop branch the same branch that was used to mark the doorposts of the Israelites in Egypt when Jesus says "It is finished" John 19:30. The communion service is the requirement fulfilling John 6: 48-58. Many of the other prayers can be found in Revelation such as Rev 4:8 Holy, Holy Holy

Rick,

Why do you always have to be so nasty about something you do not understand?

You are, in the terms of Church, "invincibly ignorant" - purposefully and personally incapable of learning. It is normally induced by unreasoning hate.

Get help.

Hmmm,

With NC we have yet another example of the simpletonian belief that a person who disagrees with you hates you. I don't care how friggin' stupid you pretend to be, I don't hate you.

Lonereb makes the assumption that I don't understand the Catholic mass, then proceeds to confirm the mumble-jumble nonsense of it.

Sundiata makes the mistake of believing the Catholic church to be "the establishment" when it is merely one of many cults.

Debbie tries deflection by referring to ancient history while ignoring the fact that "the mess" is the result of contemporary denial, and that under John Paul II, Ratzinger took it upon himself to approve the shuffling and hiding of various priests.

NC that sounds like the pot calling the kettle black.

Carl ,

How did I show hate? Truth is neihter good nor bad, it is merely the truth.

Rick Why do I say you hate us? The post you made plus others before. Yes, you hate us. Are you denying it? Can't face it?

Get to confession.

"The Pope smokes dope" -----Frank Zappa

"Frank Zappa smokes crappa" -----The Pope

NC, don't have a problem with Catholics and as a protestant, I love them just as much as any brother in Christ, but, the only person you have to confess to is Jesus Christ. I still have problems finding any where in the new testament of the great book does it say we confess to priests. Jesus died for those very sins and the sinner.

Because of Jesus' sacrifice, we can now approach God's throne with boldness (Hebrews 4:16). The temple veil tearing in two at Jesus' death was symbolic of the dividing wall between God and humanity being destroyed. We can approach God directly, ourselves, without the use of a human mediator. Why? Because Jesus Christ is our great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-15; 10:21) and the only mediator between us and God (1 Timothy 2:5).

Confessing to a priest is only a Catholic tradition. Again, not a slam or rebuttal of a Catholic, but a priest is no different from any other man and pays for his sins in the same way.

Totally agree you ask the Son for forgiveness not anyone else, as only God has the power of forgiveness.You can only get to God threw his Son.

I won't be one of them.

VARUKA SALT I hope not, people like you have your own religion and your god goes by the name of Sa***

If you don't like the Catholic Church and its' teachings. Don't go there. If you don't like any religion you do not have to go to any church. If you do not believe in having moral standards, don't. Just don't citicize those who do. People who have low moral standards are the ones ruining America today.

Varuka,

That is sad? Were you ever truly a member?

Culture Catholic?

CoCo, then your church is run by whole groups of highly immoral people. And you all bow down and kiss their asses.

Then you have weak assed minded garyj-2081718. Just love how you claim people are worshippers of Satan. Then again, we also believe your God is the real satan.

CoCo -- morality and religion are NOT synonyms!

I know many "Christians" who are skunks ... and many "atheists" who live clean, upright lives. And the other way around!

Well, maybe he'll excommunicate Paul Ryan for Ryan's view of the poor! THAT might convince me the Pope is serious about how the poor should be treated.

Once "enlightened" you never revert back to ignorance.

well said my friend. That's why I am a Catholic.

Nothing quite as scary as the "ignorant" that believe they are enlightened, and proselytize their message. May a merciful God extend his blessings to this man, called Francis

Not unless they come up with some, nay any, scientific evidence that the mumbo jumbo they preach is real. I'm not holding my breath.

Wrong gemini I did. I was out there with you until the point where I though there was no reason to ever get off the couch just sit there and die. Now I am back in the Church because I prayed Lord I am drowning here and He gave me His hand and brought me back. Varuka Salt right name for you. The first thing about Catholicism is it isn't all about you. It is all about Jesus. It is service to Jesus. It is worship of Jesus. It is adoration of Jesus. It is not god the vending machine.

Vauruka.

Good idea; don't hold your breath. You will never get the "proof" that you want. Faith is believing without knowing for sure.

Unless you change, you will only learn when it is too late.

Varuka,

They preach forgiveness, charity, kindness to one another, reflection, and striving to live one's life with the values of Christ.

Whether you believe Jesus is God or was man, you have to admit he was probably the greatest teacher on earth. Live his lessons. That's all.

Nice Candice that you can say they preach forgiveness, charity, kindness to one another, etc.

Let us just take the kindness to one another. Was it kind for Pope Benedict XVI to take a trip to Uganda and bless Rebeca Kadga, the Speaker of the Parliment, after she had promised to the Ugandan Catholic Christians that she would make sure for a Christmas present to them, she would pass the Kill the Gays bill?

Now I always thought you were supposed to hate the sin but not the sinner, for you all are sinners right? So how come you all love to scream how evil Gays and Lesbians are? How they are doomed for hell? How you all love to insult and denigrate gays and lesbians as the destroyers of the human race, marriage, etc?

Are they not your neighbors, are they not your own brothers, sisters etc?

What were Jesus Christs two greatest commands? The two that overrule all others? That even does away with the OT teachings and commandments, for Jesus himself said this. Are you all showing these commands when you all spew such bigotry and hate towards your neighbor?

Now when I was a Christian and even went to Seminary, the biggest thing I learned about striving to life one;s life with the values of Christ...was this example.

And the rich man came to Jesus and asked what he must do to inherit the kingdom of God.

Jesus looked at him for he knew what was truly in his heart and soul. He told the man, sell everything you have and give it to the poor, then follow me.

The man walked away rejected for he was very rich. Thus Jesus said, It will be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

So with the millions upon millions the Roman Catholic Church does in fact have, and they damn well know that by selling just one half of their properties, or some of their art collection, they could in fact end world poverty in hunger in just one day. Why do they not do it? Why do Cardinals and Bishops walk by the starving each and every day outside the Vatican?

What do you think Jesus would rather have? Million dollar cathedrals of worship of him? Or taking those millions and giving that to the poor?

Oh frank, you understand the teachings, you agree with the teachings, it is in your whole message. One more for you, do not put your faith in man, man will fail you everytime, put your faith in God, God will never fail you. Thank you for understanding the teachings of Jesus Christ, we should all try are best to live by those teachings. Remember when you fail, even Peter, who was appointed buy Jesus to lead the Catholic Church, failed many times.

You don't need myths or someone to TELL you how to be a decent person. That should come from having COMMON SENSE and a CONSCIENCE.

You mean, treat women as second class citizens, hate gays and fight against their rights at every turn. Molest children, cover it up and send the sickos onto the next parish instead of doing the right thing and turning them over to the police? I don't think this man has any right, nor the moral high ground to be telling anyone how to live their lives.

When GOD solves our problems, we have faith in HIS abilities:

When GOD doesn't solve our problems HE has faith in our abilities.

Some people cannot open their eyes, ears, or their hearts to see, hear, or love GOD. They only want to spit forth lies or hatred to anything that represents HIM.

gemini,

Oh? What do you need?

Tell me what you base your morality upon. Opinion? Law? Whim? Others' opinions? What you like? What sounds good? Tell us......

.

Varuka,

Hw does the Church treat women as 2nd class citizens? We are equal in the eyes of God but we are not the same and we are notidentical. We each have different roles.

The Church does not hate gays. It abhors homosexual acts; not the people. We all sin. Just as we cannot condone those who want to steal or those who want to murder, neither can we condone perversion.

The Church has now had in place for many years programs to protect kids against predators. They seem to be working well, although nothing is perfect and there will still be incidences as in ANY organization that deals with children.

This man has the right given to him by God Himself to tel others what the Scriptures say and to lead the Church started by Jesus himself.

You seem very angry and may have good reason to be. Pray for understanding and for forgiveness.

Really? Why are they in support of the Kill the Gays bill?

They hate the Gays.....they hate the Muslims, the Jews, Mormmons, Ammish. Hindus, sinners, Elvis...so on and so on.

If you think this is the worst point in history, you obviously have no idea about any kind of World History beyond last 10 years. What a nonsensical statement without any grounding in reality.

Not sure we're in the worst point in Church or World history. But to attempt to answer your question, general disillusionment with the status quo might encourage even the not so-good people to become transformational agents or raise the people (electorate's) desire for a leader who simply appears different. As to whether this person can bring the much-desired transformation is entirely another matter.

When things are at their worst, humans tend to be at their best.

Starman

He'll trade his Pope Mobile anyday if not for his security concern!

I wonder if the Pope takes the big bus or the little bus because he'll have to wear a helmet if he takes the little bus.

Leroy brown,

That would be the other side doing the torturing. Read a book it might enlighten you.

Yes Cherokee, but he supposedly invented the whole universe, so he is to blame for eternal suffering in hell, or is the devil the one in charge? So hard to keep these fairy tales straight.

God makes the decision of who goes to hell, doesn't he CB?

@Leroy

So you believe in Heaven and Hell?

I found it interesting, being raised in the RCC that I was taught such bunch of lies. I was taught that God and Jesus loved us children and protected us. I was taught that God knows all, sees all and is everywhere. I was taught that if you are a child and you cry out to God for help, he will send his angels to help you.

I found all of this a lie the night a priest at St Thomas More parish in Durham NH decided to spend the night raping me for my "crimes". "To heal me of my evil and my sins"

I had ran away from an abusive foster home and the ONLY place they could put me for the night was this parish, until my social services worker could pick me up the next morning and bring me to Teen Haven group home in Rochester NH.

According to this priest, I had broken the commandment of honoring my mother and father and was bound for an eternity in hell if I did not do exactly what he said. He had me strip naked. He then "sucked the demon out of me" by performing oral sex on me. Next I had to take his "sacred sacrament" by performing oral sex on him. Even though I puked my guts out, oh no he was not done with me yet. He then raped me anally, making me say pennance of Our Fathers and Hail Marys. All the while he told me if I told anyone about his special healing, I would burn in hell for all eternity.

I remember crying out to God and Jesus Christ. I remember begging them to rescue me, to send their angels to help me. Nope, no angels and no answer to my cries and prayers. I came to a realization later in life, that God and Jesus were not real. For if they were, then they were themselves pedophile perverts. See a lot of priest rape survivors will tell you they too begged God and Jesus for help. Nope, no answer. So either God and Jesus Christ are complete and utter BS, or if they are real.....well they deserve to go spend their own eternity in the hell they so love to condemn others to.

To this day I still suffer. I get insulted big time by parishioners. I am called a liar. Even worse some of them say, oh you loved it, you enjoyed it, that is why you kept your mouth shut and the only reason you are doing this now is because you want money. Really?

One reason I would not say anything is because of this priest threats of hell if I did tell. Secondly, who the hell was going to believe me a priest raped me? I was a troubled kid, I had run away from home and a foster home. I got into minor scrapes with the law. Again, who the hell was going to believe me over some priest?

My absolute favorite though is when jackwagons say we survivors seduced these priests. Just what we all wanted as a kid, to seduce some typical fat, old, hairy, ugly scum eh? Oh no, I mean, you have one Bishop overseas who insisted 60 children who were raped by priests seduced them, so to stop these kids from seducing the priests, the Bishop had them castrated!!!!

So to me, there is no Christian God, no Jesus Christ, and I will bluntly tell you I call the RCC the Unholy Roman Catholic Church of Pedophile Pimps, Priests and the Parishioners who cheer, love, support and defend them. Cause we all know, we absolutely cannot go around prosecuting Popes, Cardinals and Bishops who covered up for the rapists of the church, why that would be absolutely criminal to want to prosecute these Pedophile Pimps right?

Then again, I watched the boards during the Sandusky rape situation and I saw way too many Parishioners of the RCC screaming how Sandusky should get life along with anyone who covered it up, but they could not realize their hypocrisy when we demand that the Pope and Cardinals suffer the same thing for their cover ups.

Hypocrisy, thy name is the RCC and it's people.

No Katsuo, I don't. I don't think we have to worry about being tortured after we die. I'm just trying to understand why "believers" don't have internal problems with what they purport to believe.

GOD does not torture for all eternity, the devil does, because you followed his way. No one knows GOD's final plan.

Frank: I am so sorry you were violated in such a horrific manner. I wish you peace and healing.

Frank,

In my heart I hope you are the vilest of liars. In my head, I fear you may be truthful. In either event, a man is capable of the things you described. While I understand your reactions, I don't believe hate and bitterness wil change anything for you.

I was born a RC and have never really practiced my religion after I left a seminary. I was studying for the priesthood, and no....nothing happened to me. No rape, no imposition. I studied under the Selesians of Saint John Bosco and was taught nothing but love, respect and humility. I have nothing bad to say about them or the RCC. It just wasn't for me.

I thought there was too much mumbo jumbo, too much I didn't understand. Today, some 40 years later, I realize that the move away from the church was mine and mine alone.....and my belief in God is still intact.

Those of you who hate and denigrate the church, may have a beef against the imperfect people within it. Even priests are imperfect....you think celibacy is easy...try it sometime. I think if there was more of it, there would be less hatred in the world today. PEOPLE do what they think is the right thing at the time to protect the things they hod dear. The church is no exception.....it is an imperfect man exiting within an imperfect world.

My heart breaks for kids who suffer at the hand of anyone, not just priests. The news is full of it every day.

I hope Francis is able to show the way, rather than just watch it happen. But if he does or not, that doesn't change my belief in God, or me disdain for the crap that is usually printed here.

I'm glad you feel that way Audrey, but most of your fellow god believers seem to wish that Frank would just shut up. They collapsed his post.

Just Me, I can promise you and assure you I am not lying. In about two months the news about my case will break here in NH. It sort of already has. I can tell you now, do you honestly believe I would put myself in this kind of grief, to have people call me a liar, insult and denigrate me? Do you think I even enjoy some of these psychos threatening to kill me? You do not know me too well if you think that.

I hid in the closet of priest abuse out of fear. I no longer fear them or anyone. I have in fact been through hell and back.

I speak out for not only myself, but those who are still afraid in the dark closet. I have helped others who have come out and I hope to help more.

All I want, for myself and all the others, is true justice. For those guilty of these crimes to be punished like they deserve to be punished.

Frank buddy, alright listen.

An entire body cannot be hypocritical if any of it's members are not. Theres lots of hypocrits in the church, lots of hypocrites everywhere actually, but you have to understand one part does not make a whole. I know people who are members of the RC faith (hah, RC....racecar...*ahem*) and they actually do practice what they preach. They are kind, patient, loving even in adversity, and practice forgiveness even when I dont think they should. People like that exist within the church, actively. You cant call them all hypocrites, but I know that is just your anger talking, and wanting it to be true because you believe that to be true.

Also buddy, you have to get past this whole 'rape' thing. It's holding you back, and I dont know how you were before it happened, you might not even remember now, but it's keeping you from oh...what's the word...I guess evolving. Instead of automatically taking your hatred and anger out on the RCC, and sadly upon thousands of people who dont deserve your anger, you could have done something progressive about it. A 13 year old girl started a charity to get bullet proof vests for polic dogs because she saw one get shot and killed in the news. A 13 year old girl did that. Why didnt you start doing something to help others in your situation? Why did you not start reaching out to others in a POSITIVE way and help in teaching them to heal and get past their troubles. I know this may sound insensitive, but coming from someone who has also been violated...it's just a body man. I dunno, I just cant put huge value on something that turns to dirt and goop once I die. It's only flesh, it's only physical, and that will pass along with whatever issues you've had in life once you die. So why would you let it consume you for all the life you have left?

The only reason I can come up with is that part of you likes it. Part of you enjoys using it to bash religion and the people you felt have hurt you, and part of you probably gets a huge kick out of, or a feeling of self satisfaction every time you rip into someone of faith. And it probably also gives you great comfort whenever there is a crime within the catholic church that you can point at and say 'see! see! their horrid evil biggots!' But what about the good thigns? I can understand being mad at the bad things, but can you appreciate the good? Near where I live we were hit HARD by Hurricane Sandy, and you know who stayed and helped out after Red Cross left, after the Med teams took off, after the shelters were vandalized and things stolen? The church. Actually one of the churches sister to mine. They stayed, and they helped those in need with shelter, food, and gave them hope. I bet you cant see that, but only because your letting what happened to you bog you down, and cloud your judgment so that you cant see rationally.

Absolutes do not exist. They cant. The entirety of the church cannot be hypocritical because of the varients within said body. I know it's easier for you to say that, because you might feel that by aknowledging the fact that people of the church CAN BE GOOD, and that it can do good things, you devalue what happened to you. But you dont. In fact, it says more for you if you can admit the church has good merit, and that the teachings, WITHOUT human interference, are good. I mean honestly, what is there to hate about a faith that preaches love, forgiveness, humility, and charity? Your standing in your own way. Even if you dont end up being a catholic or entertaining any faith, at least break free from your self imposed prison and progress! In any way postivie, just go forward man, and leave the @!$%# that hurt you behind. You didnt decide to come out because you werent afraid anymore. It's because you got so mad you couldnt contain it. Rage is not bravery.

Also because I'm usually really busy I only ever drop posts like this and poof....it's not very likely that if you make a reasponse I'll ever find it again or read it so...good luck.

Oh also, about the whole making sure people get justice thing....stuff like that keeps me up every night...or at least it used to. But you will never get justice. I'll never get it either...and that kills me sometimes but you know what? I"ve got more important things to do than worry about it forever, and I've got a whole life to live. Fortunately for me, I am pretty good with my faith, even if I dont follow the Churches teachigns specifically I have my own relationship with God, and I beleive that He will punish those who have wronged me when it's their time. Vengeance has only poisoned me, and only hurt me, not those I want punished. So I'm not bothering with it anymore. I'm tired of being punished for things others do.

Anyone of these men in any church that rapes a child is not of God from above, they are of the so called god of this world called the devil.They are men in sheeps clothing but are wolves.

Yeah? How many times did I say the same thing to my own children, my neices and nephews, cousins, even strangers' by way of a tease? Have I condemned them to a life of self-doubt? I don't think so. It was very much a 'common touch' sort of thing. A little tease, like an uncle or grandfather would do. Jim, relax, there was no great trauma there.

Debbie, I do the same as you, but I am not the Pope.

You mean we don't all win??!! You are an idiot Jim

Lawrence - do you have more than one log-on? Do you post something ridiculous on one log in, then protest it's collapse on another? It would explain a lot. There are limits on free speech, especially when the medium crosses international borders.

Free speach comes with freedom from having to listen.

Debbie - if there were limits it wouldn't be free then would it?

Only one log-on. That is my real name.

Down with collapsing or deleting posts. Up with Free Speach.

You are another who seems to be a bit confused about "Free Speach (sic)". Free speech does NOT mean speech without consequence.

First of all, a little lesson on the First Amendment might be in order for you. It says that

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech..." (Emphasis mine)

That means that Congress (and you can extend that to the government in general) can't make a law that forbids people from saying what they want (with certain very limited exceptions).

That does NOT mean that a private company, such as Newsvine, cannot delete comments it doesn't like NOR does that mean that people cannot vote to collapse comments they don't like -- neither is a First Amendment issue.

Now comes to the consequences. It's quite simple, use your "freedom" to post something someone does't like and the "consequence" is it gets collapsed. See? Freedom of speech does not mean speech without consequences.

Now on to further MY occasional soapbox up here ... I wish Newsvine would implement a "down arrow" to indicate disagreement with a comment. If it did, I suspect many fewer comments would be collapsed. I was dismayed to see that not only did Newsvine NOT do this in its "improvements" ... it also seemed to take away the ability to report comments.

I didn't say it should be a law, I just thought that someone who wrote an article would be intelligent enough to want to hear both sides of the arguement. You prove that I was wrong.

Thank you for your comment.

I agree that if Pope Francis should set an example now. However, I wonder if positive affirmation might not have been more inspirational.

Your example of young Jesus in the temple concerned, I believe, a twelve-year old (please correct me if I am wrong).

The sense of the story reported seems to indicate a younger child. To many in the Catholic faith, the Pope is next to God. To some very young children, he may be barely indistinguishable.

Jesus was reported to have said "Suffer the little children unto me, for there is (or theirs) is the kingdom...". That statement seems to be unconditional.

In any case I hope Pope Francis can help bring peace to this troubled world.

God was Jesus's Father so I don't think he dishonored him!

The problem is that the Bible is not a history book. it is a theology book. It is mostly allegory and story telling. If you look at it like a history book, you will never understand it.

Massive Meat (you bragging or wishing)

GOD is kind and gentle, you do not want to anger HIM for HE will show his anger and destroy all in HIS path.

Well Garyj, if your God is all knowing and all seeing, then he knew tens of thousands of children were going to be raped by his priests and ministers and he did absolutely nothing to put a stop to it. So who should punish him for allowing his priests to rape children?

Big Meat, God didnt create Hell....the devil created it...and a lot of the stuff your talking about is Old Testament aka Judaism. Which isnt Catholic/Christian. So it seems like you have a problem with Jews...not Cath/Christians. Also, old testament was sort of phased out with the new testament, if your intending to insult the proper religion. Try reading the New Testament first...which doesnt exactly give good light on violence with the while 'turn the other cheek' thing so...know what your hating. You anti-semite you hahaha!

Amen!

If there is a devine then it tends to be somewhat contradictory, down on children and women, blood thirsty, racist, and premeditated.

The bible tells me that god has a lot to answer for...

GOD does not cause the problems we have, humans cause the problems. GOD gave us free choice and when people want to do evil acts against others it is not GOD doing them, but if HE stopped all evil acts then we would not have free choice. You can either LOVE GOD or not, that is one of your free choices.

garyj, first, I'm an atheist. Didn't used to be as a child and young adult, but am now. Yes, indeed, humans cause the problems. And to follow your theory, god gave these people who did evil things free choice and they chose the evil path. What about the poor people who were the victims of these evil doers? They didn't choose to be beaten, raped, shot or killed. So, god just went along with that happening because of the evil doers' free choice?

Sounds like sadism to me. If we live a moral life ( and yes the man Jesus was a wonderful example and gave wonderful advice on how to live a moral life), then that is our reward in itself - to have lived a moral life.

I most assuredly don't hate or dislike someone who has faith and believes. I assume it has to comfort them. My comfort is I have lived a rather moral life, not because I was afraid of some "hell," but because it's a good way to live.

Anyway, for those who are catholic, I hope this new Pope works out well for you and gives you whatever you believe you need.

BabyBoomer48- That is the best atheistic response I have seen all week. You didn't put anyone down or spew hate. Thank you. I respect your views. My view is that if God wiped away all evil, we wouldn't really chose between anything. Or perhaps he should just tip his hand and prove to everyone beyond a shadow of a doubt that he exists, then would you really be free to chose? I believe he does work wonders on a case by case basis as well, I just don't know his plan. Sometimes when something bad happens and I can't understand what possible reason God could have for allowing it, something later explains it to me, I just have to be patient and wait and watch and listen. The Catholic Church teachings say that even the non-believer can go to heaven. Gods grace. We all need to stop living in fear, and address the problems.

amen to that 49r, best athiest post ive seen, no one on earth can say anyone is going to hell for sure. ultimately its God's house and he can chose to let anyone in he wants, this was told in the parable of the workers in the field. one person came at the last minute of daylight and still recieved a full days wage. there is a belief by some early christians that all would go to heaven regardless but this idea wasnt to be spread so ppl would not just do what they wanted. not sure how accurate that is, but i love God and do my best to keep his commandments because he died on the cross for my sins and wants me to be with him regardless of my human weaknesses

Hey Ben, do you consider Frank's posts where he describes being raped by catholic priests to be a "vile tongue"? Should he stop posting such "vile" things about the catholic church? Is this a "sin" that he needs to be forgiven for? The catholic church and everyone who supports the catholic church are vile scum, period.

May GOD bless you too!!!

I often wonder Ben what happened to my free will not to be raped by a priest. To have him destroy my faith, my soul, my heart and mind. To have condemned me by his words and actions to a life of living hell.

Should I bend down and immediately kiss the butt of all of these people? Should I kiss the butt of your last two Popes whom I know there is irrefutable proof that they participated in the cover ups of priests who raped children? Should I kiss the butt of Cardinal Timothy Dolan who paid priests who raped children 20 grand to disappear? Should I kiss the butt of Cardinal Roger Mahony, responsible for Augilira, one of the biggest rapist of children in the RCC, who because of Mahony's actions he can never be prosecuted for his crimes against all the children who were raped by him? How about all the other Cardinals? The list is so long for the Cardinals in the US and in other countries along with Bishops who covered up these crimes?

How do you justify forgiveness, when they have not truly repented of their evil and their sins? They still fight to avoid prosecution. They still fight victims when we want justice. You may think they do not, but if you really looked into this, you would in fact see it is business as usual with them.

They fight every chance any legislature when it seeks to end the one year statue of limitations against child rape. Dolan insults us survivors with his bs that when NY wanted to end the one year statue of limitations he actually cried that would cause the church suffering and unjust burdens! What about the suffering of the survivors and their unjust burdens, should they not be addressed, even if it does cost the church suffering?

What is the recompense for a ruined life? What is the proper amount of time in prison for these people?

Is 6 months house arrest and probation correct for a priest who raped 17 children and admitted it? What because he is an old man he should not be thrown into prison because he might suffer?

These are the questions all of us survivors of priest abuse want answered.

I do not let other decide how my life will be. Instead of a bible quote, because I can feel the hate, how about Budda, "Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without." or "You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger." I hope you find peace.

even if you had the priest executed for this, even if you got a million dollars in compensation, you will never know peace until you let it go and forgive, and peace can be had without any of the above. " forgiveness , the prisoner that it really frees is YOU."

Does "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." (Gandhi) apply here too?