I would like to see a female Pope

[Berserker]

or is this not allowed? What are the rules? Im not Catholic so I do not know what it takes to be a Pope. Or if a female is not allowed How about a Mexican or an African? OR?

[hippiepunk]

1. Ain't gonna happen

Im pretty sure it has to be male catholic

[tuvor]

2. There was a female pope.

Or WAS there?

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_139.html

[imenja]

10. as to illegitimate children by priests

History is full of examples of priests who lad lovers, some had what amounted to common law wifes. In Colonial Latin America this was no common it barely warranted mention. Thus many children, fathered by priests, were born. As for Popes, I don't know. Celibacy laws date from the middle ages, so it is quite possible earlier popes were married men with children.

[Piperay]

32. Thanks

that was really interesting. :hi:

[incapsulated]

3. No Vaginas Allowed

No female Priests = No female Popes.

[Berserker]

5. I just thought it would be a good Idea

because the female democrats kick ass I thought a female pope would be great.

[incapsulated]

7. I'd prefer...

A female Democrat as President, myself. :)

[imenja]

4. Helloooo people.....

The Catholic Church doesn't ordain women. Obviously there has never been and will not be any time soon a female pope.

[Berserker]

6. WHY?

[imenja]

11. they have some biblical excuse for it

but basically its a very old tradition. Plenty of women in the Catholic church aren't happy about it.

[Lex]

9. Institutionalized discrimination and

having a penis has got nothing to do with being able to do that job

[tedzbear]

8. It will only make it worse if she continues to follow...

...the patriarchal dogma of the church. It would be like Hillary Clinton for President, same old corporate bullshit.

[Berserker]

13. That's my point

what if she didn't follow? What if she gave the womans point of view?

[incapsulated]

17. You don't get to be Pope...

Being a rebellious troublemaker. The Vatican is a very, very political place. Rebels make good Saints, though, once they are dead.

;)

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

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

[imenja]

14. what kind of comment is that?

Are you accusing the OP of being a bigot?

[mmonk]

23. My bad

My initial interpretation was wrong.

[imenja]

24. I appreciate that you acknowledge a mistake

so few people on DU do. It drives me crazy.

[Berserker]

16. I resent that remark

Im not predjudice. Why do you say that? Because I bring a different point of view? I think that remark is way off. Does it bother you that I say these things? Maybe YOU are the one thats PREJUDICE

[mmonk]

22. Accept my apology

At first glance of the post, one might take it that it means the Catholic church is not a church of many colors.

[Berserker]

26. Accepted mmonk

That is not what I was trying to say. I was just wondering why females are not included. As I said I do not understand the catholic religion meaning I am not Catholic. I know that nuns have also dedicated their lives and I do not understand why they are not considered? Is it like the United Sates you have to be a white male (like me) to be President?

[Catholic Sensation]

30. an African has been Pope

roughly 1500 years ago before it became pretty much only Italians, but there has been one.

[Skarbrowe]

15. Someone smack me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the Catholic church started

by Paul? Well, wasn't he the great PR guy of c Christianity? Then that led to the Catholic church being the first organized Christian church? Oh my. I really need to read up on this,(actually, I have, just can't remember at the moment) but if he was the one who started christianity that led to the Catholic church, well, he absolutely despised women. Many of the earlier christian leaders did. They would have liked most of their followers to be male and to have never had sex with women. It was filthy to them.

I'll easily stand corrected on this because I admit to not being on all four burners tonight.

All I know is that if I ever did find a religion to follow and have faith in, it better have women in leadership positions. We are over half the world population. Geez.

[imenja]

21. Peter and Paul

When in doubt, Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Church#Criticisms

[sonicx]

18. i want a gay pope!

:D

[tedzbear]

19. Oh honey! Can you imagine wearing the Pope's fabUlous wardrobe!

oolala!

[imenja]

20. no problem there

chances are better than even you'll get one. Of course he will not be sexually active.

[Raksha]

25. The only one you're ever likely to see is on a Tarot card...

...called "La Papesse" (the female Pope) on the older decks, and "The High Priestess" on those dating from the late 19th century onwards.

[adwon]

27. I'll wager

that women will be ordained within 20 years. I've always found there to a logical inconsistency in my church with the fact that Mary is venerated (nearly to the point of worship) yet no women can be ordained. That inconsistency isn't so far from being resolved.

Why?

It may not seem like much, but quite a few Catholic churches allow girls to be altar servers. Additionally, women serve as Eucharistic ministers, on parish councils, and the like. Not only that, but the idea of God as solely male is also losing ground. I'm used to hearing the idea of God the Mother, God the Child, God the Lover, and God the Friend. These ideas gather steam slowly, but surely. It's past time that women were ordained and given the opportunity to serve in the hierarchy.

[MiniMe]

28. There would have to be a female priest first

And she would have to work her way up through the ranks. Not going to happen in our lifetime.

[delete_bush]

29. unless the rule's been changed, you also need to

have a thumb and index finger. I'm assuming they need to be on the same hand. Was watching a show on the pope, there was a guy born without arms who sang a song (while playing guitar with his feet!) for JP. Said he wanted to be priest but could not because of his lack of thumb/index finger. Might have something to do with giving communion?

[UdoKier]

31. Doesn't "Pope" mean "Father"?

Or some such thing?

Would a female Pope be called a "Mope"?

[SheilaT]

33. Jerry Falwell

has a better chance of becoming pope than any woman. The Catholic Church (and I was raised Catholic) is profoundly misogynist. I'm being made crazy by the sudden beatification of JPII (being turned into a saint) by all those, including way too many on this board, who are totally overlooking the dead pope's complete antipathy to women.

No birth control. No ordaining of priests. A total lack of support of the social revolution in South America. Add to that a complete overlooking of the sex-abuse scandals. Is more or less an open secret that a large number of priests are gay.

No, John Paul II, while he stood up for certain good things, let much of the world down in far too many others for me to grieve his passing, other than in the normal way of being sorry at anyone's death. The truly sad thing is that he had twenty-five years to stack the Cardinal of Colleges, so you can be absolutely certain that the next Pope will be another conservative who will do his best to keep Catholicism firmly in the 14th Century.

Of course, I feel this strongly about all organized religion, so I have no special antipathy toward the Catholic church.