Pope Benedict is clearly just a transitionary figure

[WI_DEM]

Let's face it he is 78 years old, only 6 years younger than Pope John Paul II when he died. However, he seems in good health and people do live longer these days, but it's hard to imagine him being the vigorous head of the Catholic Church that may be needed. In the short term, unless he surprises us, he will be strongly conservative. But its hard to see his papalcy lasting more than a decade.

[Pig_Latin_Lover]

1. Next Pope brings apocalypse

I wouldn't be hoping his reign doesn't last. Before you know it, giant eight-headed dragons are going to be popping out of the boiling seas...

[Zynx]

2. Cool, maybe I can cap one of those dragons

[customerserviceguy]

3. Sure, the first seven heads

Then the eighth one eats you!

[WI_DEM]

4. yeah I heard the "prophesy" this AM on "Today"

They got a good laugh out of it.

[Avalux]

5. Peter the Roman

He will be the antichrist, according to St. Malachy. The Vatican will be destroyed (probably by the giant eight-headed dragons). :hide:

[Jack_DeLeon]

8. ROFLMAO....

exactly...

[R. A. Fuqua]

6. I don't know--

obviously he will not live forever--but the problem is he will bring in even more hard-line Cardinals who agree with him. Thus--he will make it even more likely that another hardliner (perhaps younger) will come after him.

The legacy of a pope lives for quite a while--through all the cardinals and bishops that he promotes. So it is kind of a big deal.

I am not a Catholic--I just see him as more of the same (very similar ideology to JPII). I disagreed with JPII on many things--but I appreciated him speaking out on other issues. But--I don't feel qualified to criticize the new Pope very much--since as a non-Catholic his policies will not directly impact my life.

[allemand]

7. The problem is that he will appoint all those OPUS DEI cardinals

who will make sure that the next pope is also a conservative. And so on. We are moving further and further away from "Vatican II".

[Tux]

9. Vatican 2?

What happened to the first one and will there be a trilogy?

[allemand]

11. The Second Vatican Council

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_II

You can call it a "New Deal" for the church. Pope John XXIII famously said: "I want to throw open the windows of the Church so that we can see out and the people can see in."

Conservatives never liked that and they always sought to undermine the achievements of Vatican II. The roll-back began under John Paul II and is very likely to continue under the new pope.

[Selteri]

10. Of course, he'll support the freaks who bring in the numbers.

I wouldn't be surprised one bit should he begins appointing Opus Dei and other Hard Right people. Vatican Money already supports Opus Dei and Opus Dei Money supports the Far Right Wing in their own ways.

Yes we so need to go back to a church were members read each other's mail and you need permission from an elder Christian before you can buy a book.

Makes me glad I'm a 'godless pagan'.