huge disaPOPEment: he's ready to die -- isn't that his job?

i mean -- isn't that the job of all religions -- to prepare the flock to meet to meet God? is the soul not immortal?

was he UNTIL NOW insuffciently ready to confront the Truth? has he UNTIL NOW been anxious about the fate of his spirit? is there some reason he would be antsy about meeting God?

disclaimer: i'm catholic by culture and go to Home Depot on Sunday. i would love it if the church were more relevant. it just isn't.

i've been embarrassed thru the whole pope deathwatch. as soon as he got sick he needed to issue a statement about the frailty of life and the eternity of the soul. he could have shown compassion for human suffering. he could have used his political capital to encourage better healthcare for the sick. he did none of this. he's been ineffective in his job.

more inspiration has come out of hollywood than the vatican in modern times. if the church is so concerned about a culture of life, they should be offering an alternative. the pope has been in a vegetative state for YEARS; drooling while his churches become havens for child molesters. he's been a scared little man hanging on to life's last rattle as if that's all there is. finally, he is ready to die? it's about damn time!

there has been precious little wisdom, compassion, inspiration, or spirit to come from his leadership. i'm glad he's ready now. i wish he would have set a better example.

:nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

As a Catholic, I'm inclined to agree with you on some of your points, most specifically the pedophile scandal, which hurt the Boston Archdioscese the most.

and that means he's flawed, like the rest of us.

Yes, he could have set a better example, and yes, he should have kept his mouth shut about things like reproductive medicine that he knows nothing about. However, as a long time DU crank, I am able to forgive him for that.

I hope his passing is easy. He's had a hard life, and it's time to go.

I shudder to think what his replacement will do. I sense a sharp turn towards orthodoxy in Rome. Five years from now, we may look upon John Paul II as one of the more liberal Popes.

This is flamebait.