you know, he was 84 years old

[oustemnow]

and it's not like there isn't going to be another Pope. The guy before him lasted, what, 34 days? So JP II had a good, long run.

Why are people acting like this is a tragedy? He wasn't assassinated or anything. He was an old man, who did his job, which will be filled as soon as the white smoke comes from the chimney.

[BeatleBoot]

1. Probably because they will miss him.

[alcuno]

6. That's it. We loved him. He's not a shoe or a table to just replace.

We will have a new Holy Father who we will hopefully learn to love

[oustemnow]

8. come on now

"That we will hopefully learn to love"? DO you honestly believe that you'll somehow loathe the next Pope?

[alcuno]

11. There's a lot of ground between loving and loathing.

John Paul II is the only pope I've ever known so I can't say how I'll feel.

[karlrschneider]

9. Help me out here: What makes a pope "holy"? He's elected by a bunch

of Cardinals who are presumably human beings. How exactly does their endorsement convey holiness on one of their peers? I'd really like to know just how that works...

[alcuno]

15. Well, I'm no expert, I'm just a Catholic. However....

I believe that the cardinals pray and ask for God to fill their hearts and to guide them. Individuals in contention don't make their own case so it's not like a strictly political election and I'm not naive in thinking that there is no politics involved. However, Catholics believe that the choice has God's intervention in it and that's what makes him the "Holy Father." And then there are the special powers.....

It goes back to the verse from the Bible. Matthew 16:18

"And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it."

[oustemnow]

7. honestly, I don't know that they miss the specific person

How could they? How many of them actually knew the guy. It's more like, "Oh, he was the Pope, and he died." But it's just a figurehead position. Soon enough, it will be filled by some other guy in a beanie. Why are people acting like this is the end of the world?

[BeatleBoot]

12. Its not the end of the world.

Millions of people, while not knowing him personally, connected with him.

I do not know anyone who is acting like its the end of the world.

I'm watching TV and I do not see that.

People are just going to miss someone who they let into their hearts.

Nothing more.

[alcuno]

18. I agree. People will miss him.

For Catholics he is all different types of fathers wrapped into one; a combination of our earthly father and our Heavenly one. He's not just some figurehead wearing a beanie.

[BeatleBoot]

22. Exactly, I just said to Mrs BeatleBoot last night....

I told her, you know I'm not a good Catholic, and I have alot of disagreements, but he was like a father figure.

Nice to hear from you alcuno - you were the first poster to greet me on DU a few years ago!!!!

[alcuno]

25. Wow! That's nice.

I believe that a Catholic is a Catholic and it binds us all together.

[Tweed]

17. People aren't acting like it's the end of the world

They are mourning the loss of a great human being. The Pope has done much to help humanity. You could actually do some research on the works he has done. Then you might begin to understand.

[Clark2008]

35. Let me see if I can explain

For all the blathering here and on other blogs about the Pope's upholding of Catholic dogma on reproductive rights and women in supervisory roles in the Church and homosexuality (which isn't going to change - therefore, I pick my battles, thusly), this Pope was actually a decent human with a light in his heart.
There have been Popes throughout history who were more akin to Shrub than to anything Godly.
This Pope DID care about suffering, even though his honest belief and opinion about birth control and abortion may have caused more. The difference, of course, was that he honestly believed in what he was saying - it wasn't for political gain or money or power or what-the-hell-ever.
I never met the Pope - I got to wave at him once in Washington DC - and I didn't realize, as a lapsed Catholic, how hard I would take his death.
Yes, damnit, I'm going to miss him. His quirky sense of humor, his cute hats, his mischevious smile, his intelligence (which is SORELY lacking in many aspects of public life now-a-days), his faithfulness... But, I tell you what I'm going to miss most of all: his ability, via position and personality, to tell people like George W. Bush what stupid, immoral hypocrites they are and be certain in the knowledge that he is correct.

[Rick Myers]

You are correct...

The Pope is like Batman or James Bond...

Seriously... Pope-Mobile, Pope Cup (not Pimp Cup), Pope Dolly, Pope Stick... He's got more gadgets than Q!!!!!!!!!

Saw him watching a 50" Samsung Plasma screen TV in a 500 year old building last week... The Pope Cave???

(In all respect, this is a joke!)

[Clark2008]

37. .

:)

[Mr_Spock]

2. People always act like this when it comes to the Pope

It's just one of those things. Relax, get a cup of coffee and watch the show :D

[bobthedrummer]

3. Cruisin' for a bruisin'?

:+

[stpalm]

5. hey I played that song this morning.

at Jazz Solo/Ensemble. Except it was called "Cruisin' for a Bluesin'" and it sucked really hard.

[candy]

4. He was the leader of about a billion people,that's why.

[oustemnow]

10. Yeah, but it's not like they chose him to be their leader

Hell, it's not like they had any choice in even deciding that there should be a Pope in the first place. This particular leadership position is completely interchangable, as far as the vast, vast majority of "followers" goes.

[Milspec]

13. I wonder what happened to..

really thoughtful posts from people with a true liberal arts education?

[Tweed]

14. LOL, yeah that's my reaction to many posts about the Pope

People are starting to use Freeper logic.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

16. My dad turned 84 this year and took up surfing shortly before

his birthday. He also skis, skates, rides a bike (not for exercise but to get to where he is going) and goes dancing five to six nights a week. Last year he flew to Europe and when he returned he rested up for four days and then drove to Colorado. On his return from there he drove to NY State from Michigan to a boy scout camp and slept in a tent for two weeks. He has been a boy scout leader all of his life. Oh, and after my mom passed away five years ago, he married a lady about my age. So being 84 doesn't automatically make you ready to die.

[alcuno]

27. Your dad sounds amazing.

You're very blessed.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

30. I think so...

:)

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[oustemnow]

24. I'm delusional? I was accused of bigotry

and if you can point out bigotry in my post, then perhaps I'll concede that I'm delusional. Until then, "delusional" is a quality that I will assign to the person accusing me of being hateful and bigoted.

[alcuno]

23. There wasn't anything.

I get how many non-Catholics and some Catholics may have questions. It's okay.

[Renew Deal]

33. I thought your post was OK.

It doesn't seem mean spirited. Those are good questions for people that aren't catholic or religious.

[Redstone]

26. Didn't your mama teach you any fucking manners?

If people grieve, it's really lousy manners to question the motivation or reason for their grief, whether you share that grief or not.

If and when you mother or father dies, how the fuck would you like it if someone made this kind of snotty comment?

I'm not Catholic, but I would never make such a rude comment to Catholics in their time of grief.

Of course, I don't get any pleasure out of kicking people when they're down, as some people apparently do.

Redstone

[oustemnow]

28. Well, yeah

If people grieve, it's really lousy manners to question the motivation or reason for their grief, whether you share that grief or not.

And we didn't see much of that in any of the Shiavo threads, did we?


If and when you mother or father dies, how the fuck would you like it if someone made this kind of snotty comment?

As far as I know, the Pope didn't father any children, so this is not such a good analogy. And there's really no need for foul language--it only further weakens you argument.

I'm not Catholic, but I would never make such a rude comment to Catholics in their time of grief.

What was rude about my comment?

Of course, I don't get any pleasure out of kicking people when they're down, as some people apparently do.

I wasn't kicking anybody, I was providing perspective on the situation. If anything, I was pointing out that this is not as tragic as some people perceive it to be, and thus offering comfort.

[diamond14]

39. agree...many here are KICKING Catholics tonight, just for entertainment

IMO, they remind of a Clockwork Orange mentality....no conscience at all...and entertaining themselves by extreme disrespect for other's religion in a time of great grief.....

imagine what would happen to these Catholic-bashing posts if the word 'Jews' was substituted for the word 'Catholics'.....

[BiggJawn]

29. "Aye, 'e 'ad a good long innin's..."

I should live as long or accomplish half as much.

[ultraist]

31. You can't be serious

Of course people feel sad when a public figure that they admire dies. For many, the pope was their spiritual advisor they held in very high esteem.

Would you not feel sad and grieve if someone you admired died?

[oustemnow]

32. Well if they were 84 years old and had been in poor health

I'd probably be relieved for them that their suffering was over.

[BeatleBoot]

34. So what makes you think that people aren't feeling that way, too?

I don't get it.

[Milspec]

36. Really...

I'd probably be relieved for them that their suffering was over

And that would be your single overriding emotion?

[bobthedrummer]

38. I may be wrong but I sure pick up a whiff of ageism from your posts.

My perceptions are only mine, of course, I could be wrong.
:+