AWKWARD ZOMBIE

Technically, it makes sense for him to pick a successor. He's the closest person to God, and that's why when he suddenly passes away, they have to look for signs to choose a successor.

Speaking as a Protestant I never understood why the Pope was such a big deal. He's a human being like everyone else, meaning he's no closer to God than anyone else. His word is not law, his decrees are worthless, and people need to stop giving him attention.

But the pope is God's chosen person to speak through to divine His will.

Like Moses, or Noah.

Only, you know, the pope is chosen by a council of old people who kinda sorta think he'd be the one able to talk to God. And very few popes actually state that God has directly spoken to them. Rather, them being chosen for the position means God trusts their choices and so they can do as they please in the name of The Lord.

I.E. The Romans came up with it in order to have the Emperors keep the Catholics in check, and it's been there ever since because why the hell not, even though Catholics supposedly ascribe themselves to the bible more than any other sect and the bible says nothing about there being a Pope (and also warns against false idols).

As a Catholic I am unable to function until a new meeting of the college of cardinals to elect a preferiti is decided. This lack of function is included but not limited to: decision making, thought process, all five senses, most emotions apart from fear and apprehension, the ability to move, and the ability to breathe.

In truth, ever since Jesus appointed the first pope in 33AD/CE, this dependence on a religious leader has been passed down through parent to child. It used to be, in Jesus' time, that you could not object against the Pope without suffering these obstructions to body functions. Now, human development has been fazing out the often unused Pope-gland in the prefrontal cortex of our brains.



BUT SERIOUSLY





Who is Pope John Paul II? I get the feeling that people in this thread have very little experience or understanding of Catholicism. I'm sure you've often heard a lot of arguments often acquiring one person or another shouting "YOU NEED TO BE LESS IGNORANT, READ A FUCKING BOOK" and if you have, you've probably shared my general distaste for such comments. I don't necessarily expect people to research an organisation although its denominations encompasses over 2 billion people on the earth; nor do I expect them to try and gain understanding towards one of the most influential sources for people in history, particularly medieval and colonial (OK yeah, pretty much only in Europe for the longest time). However, my point is that it slightly shocks me to learn that a large majority of people in this thread appear to grasp no concept of understanding of -and while I recognise the ambiguity- the papacy. Again, I understand that little people find this subject interesting enough to warrant research before the current event, but I'm simply surprised to see this from this forum, to be quite honest.

I think that many people will find that the Catholic system is not as regressive as people would like to believe, as I myself have. I also feel that post the Second Vatican reforms, these same people would find the Church to be very globally oriented and going through a technological resonance previously unseen. Take examples from "World Youth Day", or Pope Benedict's fucking twitter feed.

John Paul being slightly less bad than his predecessors doesnt mean that he was good, CS. Also, if the various leaked documents over the last few years are to be belived, the Vatican is FAR from a positive influence.

The Vatican was struck by lightning.
Apparently there is a lightning rod on top of the building, and the announcement of resignation was made during a thunderstorm?

No, that was just a photographer getting lucky and waiting for a lightning to strike there

It was just lucky timing all around.

Thor's will.

yea man, all the awesome progress we made in the Dark Ages, forgot about that.

Zeus requires an oracle.

You know, for religion.

Heavy plough, hourglass, blast furnaces, liquor, eyeglasses, mechanical clock, shall I go on?

The "Dark Ages" never existed and that term misleads people into thinking nothing got done.

The Dark Ages werent actually all that dark, but yeah, saying that the Church is at the forefront of social development is kinda arrogant, since it thrives on archaic and outdated behavior