New Pope Elected

[Kevin McDonald]

There is white smoke coming from the Sistine chapel and we all know what that means, a new pope. I personally as a catholic would love to see a younger pope who can be more adaptable to these turbulent times for the pope. What are you guys thoughts ?

 

[Jebus]

No disrespect to your faith but imo pope as a institution and on a personal level is one of the biggest crime against humanity.
Needles to say that I would love to see all religions to disappear. Peoples personal faith doesn't consern me, everyone is free to believe what ever they want.

 

[Kevin McDonald]

I respect your view but you say that you feel everyone is free to believe what they want but say the pope - as an institution - is the biggest crime against community. Why is this ?

Whether or not god exists is not relevant, personally I believe he is but regardless god gives hope to millions of disadvantaged people around the world that would have none otherwise. I would rather believe and have hope rather than not believe and constantly criticise religions on totally biased views and statistics.

 

[Jebus]

So I don't have hope? And I hardly constantly criticise religions, heck 99,99% (or even less) of the time I don't even think about religions. But I do have very little good things to say about religions.

Btw, my views on religions isn't any more biased than yours.

What comes to pope being criminal, guy preaches against condom use and thus is responsible for thousands of deaths and general misery and poverty.

Yes everyone is free to have their own believes, but noone have right to expect people to live by their rules/believes. Rules(read religions) that's based on words from imagenary person.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Why is this ?

He´s in charge of the biggest pedophile organisation in the history of mankind.

And that´s just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Kevin McDonald]

So if a prime minister made it law that everyone would have to stay in their homes and never leave that would be good policy, because that would save thousands of lives ?

 

[Kevin McDonald]

He´s in charge of the biggest pedophile organisation in the history of mankind.

And that´s just the tip of the iceberg.

Just because some priests have been caught as paedophile that dosen't really give the right to tar all 1.2 billions catholics with that crime. Could you also please elaborate on what you meant by "the tip of the iceberg".

 

[Kevin McDonald]

And Jebus, I must add that for one I am against the churches opposition to use of contraception but I don't agree they have caused deaths through this.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Just because some priests have been caught as paedophile that dosen't really give the right to tar all 1.2 billions catholics with that crime. Could you also please elaborate on what you meant by "the tip of the iceberg".

That´s not the issue though. The problem is the covering up. Something that is well known not just in catholism but other "branches" of religion as well where they do everything they can to help the pedophile by moving him around and essentially letting him continue doing what he does.

I´d rather not elaborate on that as you would open pandoras box when it comes to me and religion.
Got nothing against spirituality or even if you were to believe in a higher power like "god" or "a god"
That´s a completely different thing then being what in my opinion is mass-brainwashing that has gone on for millenia.

 

[Andrew Ford]

There is white smoke coming from the Sistine chapel and we all know what that means, a new pope. I personally as a catholic would love to see a younger pope who can be more adaptable to these turbulent times for the pope. What are you guys thoughts ?

I'm catholic and not the best - rarely go to church but like to think i'm a good person.
Wherever there are children or vulnerable young people, paedophiles will linger, it's just that haters make more of a song and dance over the catholic church. we regularly here of police working on the anti-paedophile cases being exposed as paedophiles themselves but no one seems to mention this as much.

because the church is against certain things e.g. homosexuality, they will always have haters - especially when some get "outed". it doesn't help does it?

this pope seems a bit more genuine, a bit stronger, a bit more upbeat and humble. time will tell. i would like to see him allow priests to get married. it's the only way to make people seem them more as "normal" not so suspicious and...save the church because there aren't enough priests. less priests = less churches = less followers. i find it hard to believe a Pope is infallable. However, if he does some good, it can't be a bad thing can it?

just my opinion

 

[Tom]

And Jebus, I must add that for one I am against the churches opposition to use of contraception but I don't agree they have caused deaths through this.

The sole fact that Catholic hospitals deny rape victims emergency contraception is questionable. (Happened in Germany, source: http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-90638290.html)

Then again, what if a woman couldn't survive without an abortion? I bet this has happened already and didn't have a happy end.

The Catholic church is nothing more than a bunch of backward people. I'm not saying all who believe in God (altho I, for one and personally, doubt this entitity exists) are but the organisation is in my humble opinion.

 

[Kevin McDonald]

I agree with you Andrew, I heard something interesting the other day, I was speaking to a catholic that I have known for a long while and they said that it has actually got to the the point where they were afraid to say they were catholic as they feel they have been mocked for being so. Now that is sectarianism; which in my opinion is as bad as racism. What allows somebody to mock another because of their faith.

 

[Jebus]

And Jebus, I must add that for one I am against the churches opposition to use of contraception but I don't agree they have caused deaths through this.

So people dying to AIDS in Africa isn't (partially) because of Catholic church's strict policy against condom? Not to mention how many babies has died to hunger because of over population and poverty. They can directly see what this policy causes, yet they keep preaching it. And that is a crime against humanity imo.

But must add that big part of poverty in Africa is because of colonialism. But then again, spreading religion is one type of colonialism.

 

[Kevin McDonald]

So people dying to AIDS in Africa isn't (partially) because of Catholic church's strict policy against condom?.

I believe not, the main reason is that the governments there are not providing condoms plus most aids contractions are from birth and not caught through sex.

 

[Bradley Vanian]

WOOOO. RELIGIOUS ARGUEMENT!

*Gets popcorn*

 

[Jebus]

I believe not, the main reason is that the governments there are not providing condoms plus most aids contractions are from birth and not caught through sex.

Not even partially? Wow!

I can't see how that AIDS from birth comment is valid. Some where along the line was unprotected sex, and that's the problem. And I most certainly see Catholic church mainly responsible for that.

But you have right to believe the way you do. We just have to agree to disagree.

 

[Kevin McDonald]

Not even partially? Wow!

I can't see how that AIDS from birth comment is valid. Some where along the line was unprotected sex, and that's the problem. And I most certainly see Catholic church mainly responsible for that.

But you have right to believe the way you do. We just have to agree to disagree.

Sorry for the lack of clarity in my comment, I believe the church has played a small part in it but most of the problems come from the lack of hygiene, the lack of mosquito nets and support from governments.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

I agree with you Andrew, I heard something interesting the other day, I was speaking to a catholic that I have known for a long while and they said that it has actually got to the the point where they were afraid to say they were catholic as they feel they have been mocked for being so. Now that is sectarianism; which in my opinion is as bad as racism. What allows somebody to mock another because of their faith.

that´s simply not true.
If someone told me they truly believe in Leprechauns i would respond in the same way i do to you.
Leprechauns - Religion = same thing, different story.

Just some things for you to think about.

Assume there have existed 100 religions in the world. Yours is one of them.
Now obviously you think your religion is the right one so you must assume the other 99 is only in it for the point of making money and/or brainwashing people from knowing the "real" story.
Keep in mind people from all the other religions think the same way as you, that your religion is only in it for the money and or brainwashing people.

Not only that but i hope you realize there´s a 1% chance of your religion being the right one?
(assuming one of them actually is)

and to use even more logic think about this.

Every single human being that has been born on this earth is born as an atheist.
You or someone close to you makes a choice to believe in something,
You can only make a choice to be an atheist if you have already made a choice earlier to be religious, you can not make a choice to be atheist from the start.

And another logical piece,

If you were born in India the chances are that you would be a Hindu and think Catholics got it all wrong.
If you were born in Alabama USA you would most likely be Christian.
If you were born in Iran you probably would be Muslim.
If you were born in Sweden where religion is virtually non-existent you would most likely have not make a choice and remain as you were from birth. That is an atheist.

 

[William Levesque]

You're all making this so complicated for nothing...

Organised religions is crap, it is merely a way of brainwashing people. Now, you can actually, BY YOURSELF, read that damn Bible and take out your own understanding of it, because let's face it, it is so not black and white what's written there.

Just don't go to these dumb communions where Illuminatis tell you what to do.

 

[Kevin McDonald]

If you were born in India the chances are that you would be a Hindu and think Catholics got it all wrong.
If you were born in Alabama USA you would most likely be Christian.
If you were born in Iran you probably would be Muslim.
If you were born in Sweden where religion is virtually non-existent you would most likely have not make a choice and remain as you were from birth. That is an atheist.

Most religions originate from the same essential belief, the beliefs have been adapted from the same original being - god. I have a relative who is Hindu, and multiple friends who are muslim and as they tell me about their religion, they ultimately share distinct similarities to catholicism. Judaism is also extremely close to Christianity as Jesus himself was a Jew.