Pope Ratzinger is retiring?

[trotsky]

I did Nazi that coming.

(Stolen from Facebook.)

[cleanhippie]

1. SPPPPEEEEWWWWWWW!!!

You owe me a keyboard!

[bravenak]

2. Thank you.

I have a cold and snot bubbles just erupted from my nose!

[onager]

7. Welcome to DU!

I'm honored that your first post was here in our evil little group.

You'll have to BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby) to the pot-luck, but somebody will help you roast it.

[bravenak]

9. Thank you!

Babies are delicious!

[rationalcalgarian]

3. Outstanding!

[progressoid]

4. Bwaaaaahahaha

[meeshrox]

5. Nice!

[Warpy]

6. Well, I was right on both counts

I predicted his reign would be both short and acrimonious.

[Exultant Democracy]

8. I'm looking forward to a potential civil war in the church

Ratzinger was a power play by the arch conservative faction. With the stink of the sex abuse clinging to this last pontiff the Reformers are going to demand some real gesture towards them or we will see the pace of their exodus from the church accelerate exponentially.

Then we also look at the demographic and geopolitical challenges the church faces. If they are in for the long game they need to set a fire wall in Africa right now to stop Islamic encroachment. However if they are going to choose the first pope of color the larger church in Latin American would definitively feel slighted. The church doesn't face a threat in SA like it does in Africa from Islam, but there is also no shortage of rebellious figure and ideals in the SA church.

I just don't see how they can make a right choice, I'll have my marshmallows ready.

[backscatter712]

10. All I need is...

[uriel1972]

11. I can bear the troubles of my enemy with great fortitude. nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. The odds for Richard Dawkins: 666-1

http://www.paddypower.com/bet/current-affairs/the-next-pope

Paddy Power is having fun with this.

[0zone]

13. Who will be the next child abuse enabler?

As if I care.

[pokerfan]

14. 2005—2013

[tnvoter]

15. if god chose him, is this proof that god got it wrong?