If I Were Pope
My father advised me to never discuss religion or politics with friends. Today, I am not heeding his advice.
I must admit that the Pope selection process fascinates me, even though I am not Catholic. Maybe it was the three-Pope year of 1978 (Paul VI to John Paul I to John Paul II) that had something to do with it. I recall the rising smoke signaling that the voting was over and the choices made. The whole thing was mysterious and it seemed that I was watching history. Add to that the fascination I have with what secrets the Vatican has. I really wonder what is archived there, just what, exactly, is in Vatican library.
On my cycle in this morning, just as I was cruising through Queen's Park, I thought, what would I do if I were Pope? In truth, there are probably 5 or 6 billion people on this planet with a stronger right to claim the title than I, but I feel I could move the church into the 21st century. No one with even the faintest odds at being Pope, I suggest, has the guts to make some much needed changes.
I would end the Papal oppression against personal freedom, by endorsing birth control and the right to choose, sanctifying same-sex marriage, and permitting the clergy to marry. That's just for starters. Many churches are experiencing a mass exodus. It's a slow secular revolution, except in a Latin America and even Cuba, and, as we know, the United States - where the bible belt stretches far and wide - and the middle east - where Fundamentalist Islam is still on the rise. Doesn't it make sense that it we eliminate organized religion, we eliminate one of history's most violent battlegrounds?
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5 comments:
hmm...if you want to eliminate organized religion, wouldn't that mean there would be no need for a Pope, thus ending any possibility for you to become Pope?
The Vatican Library website sucks.
The Vatican Museum is one of the more interesting ones I've been too (AND they're really good about letting one take pictures).
See they're going to add ringing the bell of St. Peter's to the smoke thing? Seems sometimes they turned out grey smoke and confused everyeone, so now there's going to be smoke and a bell when they have the new pope.
Well, I could be elected Pope and then make it my agenda to destroy that part of organized religion. I agree, the Vatican Library site sucks, probably because they want to disuade people from using it.
I heard about the bells. I think they should stick to tradition and keep the smoke.
They're keeping the smoke. They're just adding the bell, just in case they turn out grey smoke instead of white and everyone is confused as to whether there's a pope or not.
So, if the bell and there's smoke, we have a new Pope. Why can't they just send out an email or issue a press release?
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