I am an fan of the 80s, an otaku, and an atheist. I would love to hear the opinions of people like myself, as well as those of others nothing like me, via blogs, but I am just too damn lazy. (No, wait, it’s that there are too many good links to short through.)
Anyone care to share what reactions they have seen to the new pope, either through blogs, or real life reactions? You know, co-workers, family members, etc.
Scott, I’m a Catholic, and I’m cringing. I would have preferred a more liberal and ecumencial Pope, myself. Haven’t seen any blogs yet.
I see. Optimism wise, not the nicest thing to hear, but via people actually responding, nice. Thank you.
Now, personally, I overheard some talk radio a few minutes ago. The host was criticizing the fact that people were criticizing Ratzinger. He claimed they were “manipulating people”, by manipulating public opinion. Or as I call it, publicly stating opinions, and historical fact. He gave no example of charges lodged of Joseph, but instead stated that multiple newspaper called him “Rottweiler”. Please note that these where British newspaper, a.k.a. tabloids. One of them called him “Darth Rottweiler.” That fact that others seem to have better examples of real criticism that has been lodged against this guy was not mentioned. :rolleyes:
I’m a real person, and I really couldn’t care less. He leads a large organization of anachronistic, mostly good intentioned folks that have been making a mess of peoples lives for millenia now. Who the pope is only affects me tangentially at best, and then only through their policies of obstructing and influencing governments and government programs.
Oh, and they have some nice buildings.
I’m an atheist who grew up Catholic, and my reaction is, What exactly did you expect?
First, the College of Cardinals is the ultimate old-boy’s network. Between them they don’t have a radical bone in their bodies.
Second, JP2 was the most popular Pope in ages, if not ever. Benedict XVI is the sacrificial pope, an old fellow chosen so that the next “real” pope (young enough to reign for a while) won’t have to start out in the shadow of that legacy. He had close ties to his predecessor and he holds the same positions on most important matters. A logical choice to the point of dullness.
Now, I agree your opinion, flodnak. However, it sounds like you are criticizing the last post.
Ahem. Should this thread turn into people criticizing other peoples in this same threads reaction, I have no control over that. However, (Just a request) I ask that people do not do so, and simply post their reactions, those of family members, or reaction they have heard/read from other walks of life, such as newspapers, blogs, over-heard conversations. As I said in my first post in this thread, “I would love to hear the opinions of people like myself, as well as those of others nothing like me” Please, if you feel so inclined as to contribute, please post your reactions, etc, not your reactions to others reaction.
Here’s a cross-section of reactions.
Thanks, ArchiveGuy!
::Scott goes and plays pattle ball, not bothering to look at the link:: Bleh! Egh! BLEEEGGEHHEGH!, politicans! getitoff, getitoff, getitoff!
::Actually looks at the page ArchiveGuy sent::
Ewwww, it requires a code, and bugmenot.com doesn’t work with it. EWwwww. Oh wait, I just have to whtch an add to see it.
Watch an ad? Noooooooooooo!
::Theatrics over and done with::
That’s not so bad. I had to click to acknowledge I was watching the ad, but it was short, and was for Powell’s Books, a great bookstore chain on the otherside of the country from me.
Now, for those who are wondering who these “real people are”, and what their opinos are, it’s as follows (extremly simplified):
Father Andrew Greeley, sociologist and author of “Priests: A Calling in Crisis”
He probabley chose the name since he wants to bring unity to the church. He ain’t gonna have an easy time of it.
Frances Kissling, president of Catholics for a Free Choice
At least people will not be able to say, he did (insert good thing here.) " I can no longer delude myself about these princes’ almost total lack of interest in healing the divide in the Church, in showing compassion for or even in listening to the voices of the suffering. The time for nuance is over. Let the unholy war begin."
James Martin, Jesuit priest, associate editor of America magazine and author of “In Good Company”
I’m disappointed, but I have hope.
Amy Sullivan, Salon contributor and editor for Washington Monthly
Oh crap.
Rabbi Michael Lerner of Beyt Tikkun Synagogue in San Francisco, editor of Tikkun
Oh crap.
Lawrence Cunningham, professor of theology at Notre Dame
Smart analisis, plus: Oh crap.
Andrew Sullivan, columnist and blogger
Crap on a hat! This guy, while able to write well, is scary.
John T. McGreevy, professor of history at the University of Notre Dame
"The sex-abuse issue is a small blip on the larger Vatican screen … "
<snip>
Dr. Matthew Fox, founder of Wisdom University and author of “Original Blessing”
Cardinal Ratzinger is living proof of the dictum coined by Catholic historian Lord Acton after the First Vatican Council’s declaration of papal infallibility: “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
and a few more. Ehhh, what am I doing this for? It’s really tiring. Just go read the article.
I guess I qualify as a real person, despite rumors that I’m nothing more than a typing program.
I know too many Catholics to wish a hard-line conservative Pope on them. The office wields a lot of power, and since I’m all for modern, practical thinking, I worry about what this guy will do when issues like using condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS come up.
Thus far, I’ve been seeing quite a number of fellow atheists reacting to his labeling “ideologies such as Marxism, liberalism, atheism and agnosticism, collectivism, radical individualism and vague religious mysticism” as “threats to the church.” I really need to sit down and find those statements in context, but they don’t sound encouraging.
I don’t know whether to be saddened or flattered that I’m apparently an official “Threat to the Catholic Church.” It’s not like I take any action toward persecuting Catholics or trying to tear down the church. I don’t consider Catholicism a threat to my belief system and do my best to live and let live. Is it too much to hope for some reciprocity?
When I first told my mother who it was, her reaction, was, “Oh, HIM?” followed by a look of dismay and disappointment.
Later on, my dad referred to the guy as “this asshole.” Note-both of my parents are very devout (albeit very liberal) Catholics.
Does that mean we get a cool looking souvenir, like a badge we can wear on your jackets, like Ace did on the show Doctor Who?
P.S. Only after reading this do I realize how much it can sound like a reference to the holocaust. I would say t-shirt, or baseball hat, but it turns out the same either way. Nevertheless, I feel A.I. program Selkie deserves a response, and I have already used up all my day’s supply of bitterness on the pitting called Pope Ratzi