[Cody Dawg]

So, there is white smoke at just about 12:00 noon EST coming from the Sistine Chapel...is there a new Pope?

Who do you think is the next Pope?

I think it's going to be the Italian cardinal and if not him, the German cardinal.

[Agasthya]

Nevermind, I think Cody was right.

[Cody Dawg]

Dionigi Tettamanzi followed by Joseph Ratzinger are my choices.

I hope it is Father Tetta. He is a wonderful, jovial, loving man. Everyone loves him.

[Cody Dawg]

The smoke definitely looks white.

It has emerged three times and looks white.

THE BELLS ARE RINGING...A NEW POPE! All seven bells are ringing.

[REB3L]

I hope this guy won't be killed off as quickly as John Paul I.

[Cody Dawg]

Cardinal Ratzinger would be a great pope also. It would be certainly amazing to have a German pope. So many Italian popes and then a Polish pope and maybe now a German pope. Cardinal Ratzinger is very conservative, like Pope John Paul II, so I could see them electing him.

[Cody Dawg]

I can't wait to see and hear the crowd in Saint Peter's Square when he appears in the doorway - just saw the curtain ruffle where the new Pope comes out...there must be half a million people crowded in there!

[Krusty]

Maybe the white smoke just means they're taking a break from the grueling job of Pope choosing

[E's Lil Theorem]

This reminds of me of EuroTrip

Anyway, the online news sites have nothing on it yet, so I'm in the dark.

[von Wrangell]

God's Rottweiler(Ratzinger) is the favorite but nothing has been revealed yet.

[pman68]

CNN is posting breaking news on it now!

[- - e r i k - -]

Oooh. I can't wait!

[Cody Dawg]

e r i k:

AWESOME PHOTO!

I don't think it will be Cardinal Ratzinger because he is 78 years old unless they only want an interim pope.

But, we'll soon see who it is. The size of the crowd is amazing!

[effgee]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

Cardinal Ratzinger would be a great pope also. It would be certainly amazing to have a German pope. So many Italian popes and then a Polish pope and maybe now a German pope. Cardinal Ratzinger is very conservative, like Pope John Paul II, so I could see them electing him.

If he'd be elected pope and had anything to say in your neck of the woods, you'd be done working in no time - as in: forever. "Stove and kids", that's the only thing "degenerate ribs of a man" (aka "women") are good for. At least according to Ratzinger.

Not sure why you think that'd be a good thing.

[Cody Dawg]

Ratzinger! #265!

[- - e r i k - -]

Not since world war II has a cranky german had so much power. Congrats Ultraconservativeman�!

[Cody Dawg]

I like the fact that they are choosing Popes from other places around the world effgee.

That's why I think it's good.

[Cody Dawg]

Not since world war II has a cranky german had so much power. Congrats Ultraconservativeman�!

[Cody Dawg]

Ratzinger is also an intellectual and a scholar. Born in Bavaria and his older brother is also a priest. One of the youngest professors in the university system. Taught at numerous universities. Helped to reform the Vatican and church.

[von Wrangell]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

I like the fact that they are choosing Popes from other places around the world effgee.

That's why I think it's good.

He'll be the eighth German Pope. Nothing "new" about it.

A pity they didn't have the courage to step into the new millennia and elect a black Pope.

[Cody Dawg]

He is Pope Benedict XVI.

[residentEvil]

Pope Benny for short.

[Cody Dawg]

"Pope Benny!"

I LIKE that!

[residentEvil]

Benny and the Jets

[Deimos]

They chose a hard-liner, although, it'd require some kind of miracle to get a more liberal one in.

[E's Lil Theorem]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

He is Pope Benedict XVI.

How do they choose those (saint?) names?

[residentEvil]

Or, call him Cliff, aka Cliff Clavin from Cheers...

aka John Ratzinberger (sp?). eh, it is close to Joseph Ratzinger

[Deimos]

Pope Benedict. Now available in bite-size.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

Ratzinger is also an intellectual and a scholar. Born in Bavaria and his older brother is also a priest. One of the youngest professors in the university system. Taught at numerous universities. Helped to reform the Vatican and church.

CARDINAL RATZINGER: PROFILE
BBC TWO Thursday 18 December 2003 midnight-12.30am




To some, he is the Catholic Church's intellectual salvation during a time of confusion and compromise. To others, he is an intimidating "Enforcer", punishing liberal thinkers, and keeping the Church in the Middle Ages. Certainly, in the world's largest Christian community the Pope's prefect of doctrine, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, cannot be overlooked.

Against dissent

While many theologians strive for a Catholic Church that is more open and in touch with the world around it, Ratzinger's mission is to stamp out dissent, and curb the "wild excesses" of this more tolerant era.

He wields the tools of his office with steely efficiency. By influencing diocese budgets, bishops' transfers and even excommunications, what an opponent calls "symbolic violence", Ratzinger has clamped down on the more radical contingent of the Church.

He has even claimed the prime position of the Church of Rome over other Christian Churches. Although he has apologised for this, he has never been so contrite about excluding liberation theologians, more progressive priests or those in favour of the ordination of women.

Charming

Personally charming, quick-witted and fluent in four languages, the Cardinal is a convincing orator. Jesuit Father Thomas Reese calls him "a delightful dialogue partner", but adds that most of the Cardinal's fellow clergy would be too worried about the prospect of excommunication to enjoy talking to him.

When Ratzinger served the Second Vatican Council for three years from 1962, he supported reform. His own background, however, perhaps sheds light on his need for a Church that stands firm against the currents of change and political shifts.

Schooled in the Nazis' power of rhetoric during his childhood in Bavaria, Ratzinger later deserted the German Army during World War II, only to be sent to a POW camp when the Allies reached his hometown.

Later, as an eminent theologian lecturing at Germany's premier faculties, he was horrified by the Marxist ideologies that punctuated campus small talk in the late 1960s.

"Papal fundamentalism"

Since then, Ratzinger has pursued doctrine that can endure, independent of cultural or social trends. He argues that only with a completely separate values system can the Church offer individual freedom. His critics call this "papal fundamentalism", but Ratzinger is unflappable in his personal theology.

The Cardinal claims that "everything falls apart without truth". Whether his noble aims justify his tactics is just one of the issues challenging the Catholic Church today.

Caroline Frost

BBC4

[REB3L]

Oh Joy we've a new pope!

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

Cardinal Ratzinger would be a great pope also.

Ratzinger is ultra-conservative. I will expect the catholic church to further distance itself from its members if they can't manage the turn after his pontificate.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by TETENAL

Ratzinger is ultra-conservative. I will expect the catholic church to further distance itself from its members if they can't manage the turn after his pontificate.

I think it will be interesting to see Benny's new "hard line" enforced upon the catholic world. Will we see a mass exodus of members or a solidification of middle aged values in Catholicism. Or both?

[Millennium]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

Ratzinger is also an intellectual and a scholar. Born in Bavaria and his older brother is also a priest. One of the youngest professors in the university system. Taught at numerous universities. Helped to reform the Vatican and church.

My biggest concern is not so much for the Church -there's little love lost between me and them- as for their archives. Reginald Foster, the Vatican's librarian, has been pushing for years to open the Vatican's archives, thought to be a trove of classical knowledge second only to the Oxyrynchus Papyri (which have themselves only recently become readable, due to technological advances). John Paul II was opposed to this, and the two never much liked each other, but there was respect between the two.

Ratzinger, it seems, has an intellectual bent, so it's possible that the archives may be opened, at least under controlled circumstances. This would be a Good Thing. Then again, it's possible that he may simply sack the man, and that would be bad. While the Oxyrynchus Papyri might overshadow this discovery in terms of sheer amount of material, I suspect that the Vatican's archives probably contain more intact works.

[Cody Dawg]

Wow. Interesting!

What's the problem with opening the archives, Millenium? I never knew that.

One of the jobs that Cardinal Ratzinger had was the person in charge of investigation and appropriate actions against the priests who were abusing and sexually molesting people. He was very strict. That was one of the reasons he earned the name "Cardinal Rottweiler."

The sexual issues with the Catholic church, to be quite frank, freak me out.

[mitchell_pgh]

I'm just waiting for the "OMG OMG OMG Hitler Youth!!111!!" anti-religious NNers to come out of the woodwork.

[vexborg]

Originally Posted by TETENAL

Ratzinger is ultra-conservative. I will expect the catholic church to further distance itself from its members if they can't manage the turn after his pontificate.

That he is, in comparison to him, the late Pope was almost liberal in his views (not that he was, but Ratzinger is scarily right-wing in his views!

Right now, I'm just glad to be an atheist...

[swrate]

Congratulations Cardinal Josephus
Beno�t XVl, all European name,
Saint,
oh dear, bye Rock and bye Turkey in Europe

[waxcrash]

Originally Posted by mitchell_pgh

I'm just waiting for the "OMG OMG OMG Hitler Youth!!111!!" anti-religious NNers to come out of the woodwork.

Nah, the anti-religious don't care about that. Anyways, the new Pope will be dead soon - he's 78.

[Mithras]

Originally Posted by mitchell_pgh

I'm just waiting for the "OMG OMG OMG Hitler Youth!!111!!" anti-religious NNers to come out of the woodwork.

OMG OMG Hitler Youth. Grand Inquisitor.
Bad news is this is a guy who would rather let the Church wither away than bend from his right-wing views of its doctrines.
Good news is, he's 78.

Best of luck to the world's Catholics.

[turtle777]

A German pope. Whodathunk !

-t

[RonnieoftheRose]

WHAIT SMOAK

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by swrate

and bye Turkey in Europe

Pff, as if the church in Europe had a say in this.

US: Politics + Church = Government
BUT NOT IN EUROPE !

-t

[swrate]

Originally Posted by RonnieoftheRose

WHAIT SMOAK

Filed
no dope for Benedicts

[waxcrash]

For those who aren't familiar with the new Pope:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...2667_1,00.html

He upset many Jews with a statement in 1987 that Jewish history and scripture reach fulfilment only in Christ � a position denounced by critics as �theological anti-semitism�. He made more enemies among other religions in 2000, when he signed a document, Dominus Jesus, in which he argued: �Only in the Catholic church is there eternal salvation�.

[swrate]

Originally Posted by turtle777

Pff, as if the church in Europe had a say in this.

US: Politics + Church = Government
BUT NOT IN EUROPE !

-t

no,
nope for Turkey in Europe that's the pope
i HOPE politicians won't follow

[Millennium]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

Wow. Interesting!

What's the problem with opening the archives, Millenium? I never knew that.

I'd love to see them opened, myself. My guess is that the problem is that nobody knows exactly what's in there, except that most of it dates back to antiquity. Most of the stuff in those archives hasn't been seen, much less touched, in hundreds of years, and without Papal approval they can't even start building a proper catalog for it all, much less actually open it. Nobody wants to start that project. Also, I'm forced to admit that no sane Pope would open the archives without at least having a general idea of what was in them first. No one wants to stumble upon some great classical work that the Church would then be blamed for suppressing. There's even a small but nonzero chance that some ultimate proof or disproof of Church teachings would be found there, and so it's not surprising that they woldn't want to look in there.

I realize it's all wishful thinking on my part. I doubt the archives will be opened as long as the Vatican still stands. However, it would be great to see them opened. My wife -a Latin teacher and classical scholar- has been bouncing off the walls for a week over the Oxyrynchus Papyri, and this is one of the other things she's always wanted to see happen. Her enthusiasm has rubbed off on me, I guess.

One of the jobs that Cardinal Ratzinger had was the person in charge of investigation and appropriate actions against the priests who were abusing and sexually molesting people. He was very strict. That was one of the reasons he earned the name "Cardinal Rottweiler."

He was? If I'm reading you right, then this would seem to indicate that the Church may finally have someone in charge who will do something about the pedophile-priests once and for all, and that would be a Good Thing.

[Cody Dawg]

Well, one thing is for sure...this Pope will upset a lot of people and he is controversial. Also, I just heard that he's the oldest Pope ever elected.

[ironknee]

ahhh, the forth reich

[Cody Dawg]

"The FOURTH REICH!"



Yes, I heard the thing about him governing over the pedophilia priests on the news. To be honest, if we attended a Catholic church I'd be afraid to leave my son in a room alone with a priest. I'm 100% serious. It's sad, but true.

[Randman]

Oldest pope elected ... this century reports CNN. Duh> He's the only pope elected this century. But if you include the 20th century, he's the oldest. Not of all time.

So, where does this dude sit in with all the soothsayers of doom? Isn't he supposed to be the penultimate pontiff?