From BBC



Ratzinger is elected as new pope
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has been elected as the pope - the head of the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics.
His arrival was greeted by loud cheers from the many thousands of pilgrims who had packed St Peter's Square as news of his election spread across Rome.
He was chosen on the third round of votes by the 115 cardinals meeting to select Pope John Paul II's successor.
Giving a short address to the crowds below the new pope paid homage to his predecessor, and great friend, Pope John Paul II saying:
"Dear brothers and sisters after the great Pope, John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me, a simple and humble worker in the Lord's vineyard."
"The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers" he added.
Clad in white papal vestments and a short red cape, he then delivered the traditional "Urbi et Orbi" blessing to the city of Rome and the world.
The new Pope was widely tipped to be one of the front runners in the election, which began on Monday when the 115 voting cardinals were sequestered in the Sistine Chapel for their secret conclave.
Cardinal Ratzinger was born in Bavaria, Germany.
The BBC's Ray Furlong in Berlin said Cardinal Ratzinger's election as pope would generate amazement and enthusiasm in Germany as well as concern among those who had hoped for a more liberal pontiff.

Thoughts?

Do you think Pope Benedict's traditionalist take on issues will further alienate the West and Europe from Catholicism's influence?

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Thanks for telling me I'm not a Christian, ***hole. As if you have any right to say what is right and what is wrong. You're not God. Just because I don't think all non-Christians are going to hell doesn't mean I'm not a Christian. It means I'm a logical thinker. Don't tell me I don't believe in God just because I believe something about Christianity different than you do.

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."-John 14:6.

"...that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."-John 3:16

I do not want to turn this into a theological discussion, but the basic tenet of the Christian religion is that Jesus is our Lord and Savior who was sacrificed for our sins, and all you have to do is beleive that and he will "prepare a place for you" in heaven. That is it, that is Chrisitanity.

hmmm... Anti-clericalism.

Ratzinger was a bad choice because he's too conservative and reactionary and may end up alienating some people, but seriously, most of the commentary on this thread is hideously uninformed.

When he was younger, Ratzinger was a liberal, and was very important in Vatican II, when it was determined taht Jews have their own covenant with God, and as such can be saved without being Ctholic. To insinuate taht Ratzinger is anti-semitic in anyway is incorrect.

Ratzinger became more and more conservative as the years went on, as can be seen in his writings over the years, and ended up as the head of what is the sucessor to the inquisiton.

He's hyper-conservative, but some of this pope-bashing is uncalled for.

He looks like Satan.

But they know it's illegal, that's why they moved the priests. Sometimes the catholic church is unreasonable. I have come to that conclusion.

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Originally posted by yogore:

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I've actually heard that they are literally citizens of the Vatican.

Even if that's true, which i've never heard, they have to have some US citizen ship to be living here. And living here subjects you to US law.

Oh, well, I thought you were talking about the Cardinals. You would think that, but they see it in a different light. He's not being a brat, that's just how the Catholic Church sees it. They see their priests as being subjects of the highest law, God, only. Not subject to the laws of men. They believe that their priests should be punished by God's laws only, not the laws of men.

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I've actually heard that they are literally citizens of the Vatican.

Even if that's true, which i've never heard, they have to have some US citizen ship to be living here. And living here subjects you to US law.

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Originally posted by northstar316:

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"Matters of the church should stay inside the church and priests should not be tried by the government" in referance the the priest molestation charges.

::thinks Thomas a Becket::

Exactly. That's what I was looking for. For some reason, I couldn't remember his name. I was thinking Thomas More, and I knew it wasn't him and would look totally stupid if I put that.

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"Matters of the church should stay inside the church and priests should not be tried by the government" in referance the the priest molestation charges.

::thinks Thomas a Becket::

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"Matters of the church should stay inside the church and priests should not be tried by the government" in referance the the priest molestation charges.

God, how I would love to stick a broomstick up his rear hole right now....

The good part is that he is old. He will likely drop dead soon as well.

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Originally posted by yogore:
God is not, people are. Priests are people and they are citizens of their own country and have to abide by the country's laws.

I don't know if this is true, but I've actually heard that they are literally citizens of the Vatican. *shrug* I don't know if that's true or not.

God is not, people are. Priests are people and they are citizens of their own country and have to abide by the country's laws.

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Originally posted by yogore:
But is that not scary that he would want to cover up a scandal like that? The church didn't fix that matter, they just moved the priests. I would be for the church taking care of it if they actually did. Everyone, regardless of religious status, is subject to the law.

It does bother me that the Catholic church just sort of smoothed it over. But, it isn't true. God isn't subject to law. It has always been in the Catholic Church that priests are subject to church law, not government law. Sometimes that discipline is to turn them over to governmnet law, but it has always been that way.

But is that not scary that he would want to cover up a scandal like that? The church didn't fix that matter, they just moved the priests. I would be for the church taking care of it if they actually did. Everyone, regardless of religious status, is subject to the law.

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Originally posted by nikky2rock:
And what is the punishment going to be - confession with prayers for the rest of their lives ???

I seriously doubt it.

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Originally posted by yogore:
I was told today, there's a statement from the new pope from when he was a cardinal that says something to the extent of:

"Matters of the church should stay inside the church and priests should not be tried by the government" in referance the the priest molestation charges.

That's the way it has been for hundreds of years, yogore. They have theological beliefs you know.

That wasn't his fault. I believe North said all kids in Germany were in it. You rteally can't blame him for that. Of all reasons to dislike him that should be the last. Germany was a messed up place at that time, Hilter was feeding all sorts of propaganda so they wouldn't necesasarily know it was bad.

Wow, well I think that the new pope is way too conservative and this is all about political status and narcissm. Of course, that is my own personal oppinon and I'm sure more will disagree than agree with this. Oh, and did you know that when he was a kid in Germany, he was in the Hitler youth group? Well, after he figured out what Hitler's beliefs really meant, he stopped being in the group but I still think it is kind screwed up that the frickin' pope was in Hitler youth group. What's wrong with this picture?

www.xanga.com/oftheseamarina

And what is the punishment going to be - confession with prayers for the rest of their lives ???

I was told today, there's a statement from the new pope from when he was a cardinal that says something to the extent of:

"Matters of the church should stay inside the church and priests should not be tried by the government" in referance the the priest molestation charges.