The new pope is...

[Bdub01 201]

Jorge Mario Bergoglio!

[macvirt 361]

Compromise Pope it is in that case. At least better than a compromised Pope. 

 

Not unexpected though, considering the conflict between the Italian mob Curia and the rest of the world. Still, there's no such thing as an actually good candidate, the sad reality is that it remains firmly in the corner of politics and vatican policy, as opposed to the teachings of the message. 

[Blakeway 211]

Where is my post? Censorship!

[Mr Saturn64 742]

I didn't know you had a Simtropolis account, Jesus.

[Erle 3]

well, in the pope election 2005 the decision was made between ratzinger and bergoglio, that was made public in 2011

http://derstandard.at/1311802900216/Ein-Diktatoren-Freund-als-Konkurrent-Ratzingers

 (in german, i hope the google translator can help you  : /  )

now ratzinger made place for him (voluntarily? i personally don't think so)

 

forget about the vatican as a moral instance, at least since the founding of vatican city they go hand in hand with banking institutions. they're a kind of special economy, selling faith   : D

nothing is more "scheinheilig" (hypocritical? says googletranslator) than the vatican

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Francis I.  Well we'll see.  What if this really is a blast of fresh Christianity among all that cynicism?

[Meg 368]

It's about time the pope came from somewhere other than Europe.

 

I just saw a news broadcast where some guy was saying that he had been telling his daughter this is a once in a lifetime event.   From my point of view, it happens a lot.  This is the 7th pope in my lifetime.  It seems to me that they don't last very long.

[Easy Bakes 253]

John Paul II was there for 26 years. think someone said the 3rd longest in history.

[Duke87 1,070]

I just saw a news broadcast where some guy was saying that he had been telling his daughter this is a once in a lifetime event.   From my point of view, it happens a lot.  This is the 7th pope in my lifetime.  It seems to me that they don't last very long.

 

They tend to already be pretty old when elected, so...

266 popes in 2013 years is an average reign of about 7½ years.

 

 

Also, people need to stop calling him "Francis I". It's just "Francis". You can't call a leader "the first" unless and until there is a "the second".

[macvirt 361]

Actually, you can. It's not only the correct tradition, but part of curia protocol and clerical law. I can't remember exactly why the rules were introduced though, I vaguely remember something about advocating perpetual continuity - something along those lines, and something about seperating the naming from any person taken as reference or inspiration. I'll see if I can dig it up at some point.

[Joe 90 358]

Actually, you can. It's not only the correct tradition, but part of curia protocol and clerical law. I can't remember exactly why the rules were introduced though, I vaguely remember something about advocating perpetual continuity - something along those lines, and something about seperating the naming from any person taken as reference or inspiration. I'll see if I can dig it up at some point.

No, its not. The only pope to ever do so was John Paul I, and he designated himself "the first". Mind you, a month later it became a moot point.

I think the Vatican have even come out and said not to use a regnal number until such time as there is another Francis.

All hail King Frank!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Well, I think this first Jesuit pope is nobody's fool.  The Jesuit training will stand him in good stead.  He has initially emulated St. Francis of Assisi.  If this continues, I'd like to be a fly on the wall at the first Curia meeting.  It is likely to be short and sweet.

 

Someone in the, I think, BBC said that curia members are usually retained initially and replaced as necessary by the Pontiff.  We'll see whether this will be the case when all those stiff hypocrites run into a real, practising Christian who is now their boss.  I think there will be nowhere to hide for those who have misused their power and position in any way. 

 

The whole administration of the Vatican should be running scared if one can believe some of the more recent reports about corruption and money laundering.

 

The Cardinal Archbishop of Toronto was quoted as saying that Francis is the best man for the job.  It is going to be a terrible job, and I hope he gets it done.  The clergy should be servants of their people, not rulers.

[Easy Bakes 253]

no one has chosen Francis out of 226? interesting

[Bdub01 201]

no one has chosen Francis out of 226? interesting

I want one to go for Pope Jesus I !!!

[Erle 3]

Francis I.  Well we'll see.  What if this really is a blast of fresh Christianity among all that cynicism?

that would be great, yes. hope dies last

but until there are just words i don't trust the higher hierarchies of the church, they're notoriously known for playing with the hopes of people.

 

and the rumors about corruption and money laundering and generally mafia-stuff, i guess they're as old as the vatican itself.

there are also some rumors about johannes paul I. wanting to get rid of these practices, for 33 days.

 

they won't get my trust in advance, never. expect the worst and hope for the best, my father taught me  ; )

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Cynicism in the face of apparent good is not always the best path.  It remains to be seen whether this will be a blast of the fresh air of Christianity that will clear the Curia out of its comfortable inertia.  Early signs of a renewal of the Christian faith seem favourable.

 

Let us wait and see.

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

Are there many Catholic Simtropolis members?  As this is a thread about the Pope, it makes me curious, especially of those who have posted above.  As for myself, raised Lutheran, but really now kinda non-denominational Christian.  As such, I wish him well, but his flock doesn't include me.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I was raised Catholic but am not practising.  The hypocrisy in the hierarchy turned me off.  Vatican II kind of sealed the whole thing.

[macvirt 361]

Are there many Catholic Simtropolis members?  As this is a thread about the Pope, it makes me curious, especially of those who have posted above.  As for myself, raised Lutheran, but really now kinda non-denominational Christian.  As such, I wish him well, but his flock doesn't include me.

 

I was raised a Catholic. After a lot of travel throughout the world though, and after having to jump between priests and children repeatedly in various circumstances in various places I must admit that for myself I have seperated belief from religion. 

 

I have and live by a belief system. It is personal, it is private, and for it to exist I have to accept that due to humans being individuals everyone has a right to the same. I draw the line at causing harm, not being tolerant, seeking power. I do not believe that god gave us brains in order to only follow some other people's brains. The secret of life is to choose, and to choose again. To find a way by means of choices that reflect as much on ourselves as they do on others. If god has wanted us to just follow a select few he would not have provided the instigation for choice, nor for everyone having brains in the first place. I believe that in our quests for exploring belief and science we will one day surprise ourselves in approaching the very same from just different angles. Increasingly our modern science is already heading in that direction, in spite of its traumas of having had to deal with the excesses of religion as organisation of power.

 

I abhor any form of instrumentation that imposes organisation, directly or implied, of belief systems. That is where religions surface. Any form of human organisation is inherently and structurally vulnerable to the excesses of human behaviour without instruments that buffer against this. And as all too often religion actively resists such buffer mechanisms it betrayes a desire or inclination to use organisation for the purposes of power. 

[Bdub01 201]

Seeing that I'm the one that came up with the thread one would think I'm Catholic... And one would be wrong!!! I just happened to be watching the news that day and got up in the hype . I was raised Southern Baptist, a very conservative denomination. They have a literal belief in the bible. I was caught up on it for the first few decades of my life. I know the bible pretty well I believe.

However about 6-7 years ago I had doubts and as former president Bush would say, there seemed to be some fuzzy math going on with Christianity in general to me. So now I'm an agnostic. I do believe a higher power is out there but as it would be so far above us one can not prove not disprove the notion of a god.

I know this is slightly off topic but hey! My thread my rules!!!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Just remember the agnostic prayer: "Oh God, if there is one, save my soul, if I have one."

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

Just remember the agnostic prayer: "Oh God, if there is one, save my soul, if I have one."

...whilst us atheists are bowing down in reverence of Richard Dawkins and Charles Darwin.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Like the coat of Shaunard^*, this back bends before no icon.

 

---

* Refer to Act IV of La Bohème (Puccini).

[Erle 3]

me, i'm still catholic. mainly cause of my grandfather. i'm living in tirol, exactly between italy and germany, and nearly everybody is catholic here.

 

and i know that cynicism isn't very productive, but i can't help myself most of the time, guess i'm a product of my environment, and i can't be sad all the time.

i can imagine jesus coming here, shouting at the people who think if they go to church they'll get their place in heaven, and don't think more about it.

but it's also a very difficult time we live in, our slaves aren't our neighbours, they are on the other side of the earth, "invisible".

 

i totally agree with macvirt, that we should use our brains. but i also don't like it when science plays with life like nowadays.

hei! put some electrodes in the brain of the mouse, give it a stimulus to go right, left, or straight ahead and then activate the rewards-area of the brain, so that the mouse is happy. such things make me sick

 

argh, sorry for going off-topic again : /

[lhrob 213]

I was actually kinda hoping maybe the staff could create a separate Religion subforum here at Simtropolis....??  

 

(That was a hint.)

[hym 358]

There is a thread in the General Off Topic forum called the House of Worship. It is a good place for religious discussions if you are looking to have that discussion.

I'd hot link you, but I'm replying from my phone.

[lhrob 213]

There is a thread in the General Off Topic forum called the House of Worship. It is a good place for religious discussions if you are looking to have that discussion.

I'd hot link you, but I'm replying from my phone.

 

Oh - sorry about that.  I didn't realize there was already a thread set up for religious discussions.  I've searched, but I can't locate it.  I'm sure I'm probably overlooking it, but if you could post the link when you're able to, that would be great.  No rush, though.  Thanks!

[hym 358]

House of Worship - Take 2

 

I would suggest that you take some time to get familiar with the thread before posting anything.  And as always, be sure to respect everyone else's beliefs and treat them the way you would want to be treated.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

The newness of the Pope is wearing off.  What an extraordinary man he is so far ....