Oh, this this hillarious ... they are actually betting on who will be the next Pope. I mean seriously, the cardinals are all lined up at the bookmaker's. I can't believe it! :bum:

The betting was on before the Pope died forre. It's been around for some time...

All right! We've got a new Pope - Benedict XVI (former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany).

Once the archbishop of Munich, Germany, and for many years prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, Ratzinger, 78, was one of the most powerful men in the Vatican and is widely acknowledged as a leading theologian.

Ratzinger served for 20 years as John Paul II's chief theological adviser.

As a young priest he was on the progressive side of theological debates but shifted to the right after the student revolutions of 1968.

In the Vatican, he has been the driving force behind crackdowns on liberation theology, religious pluralism, challenges to traditional moral teachings on issues such as homosexuality, and dissent on such issues as women's ordination.

The dean of the College of Cardinals since November 2002, he was elevated to cardinal by Pope Paul VI in June 1977.

He's what?! 78 ?? Dear Lord! I surely thought they'd pick a younger one. What, they're trying to make all the cardinals take turns at becoming popes before they die or something? :bum: Dont want to be mean, but it is a bit odd that they named a guy this old the new pope.

Actually, it's quite an ordinary thing for Vatican. On the contrary, when John Paul II was elected at the age of 60+, it was considered to be a sort of extraordinary thing. He was a sort of too young. 78 is an okay age for Pope. Normally, at 78 you have enough life experience and become calm and humble. That's good for a Pope.

Cool :rolleyes: Ratzinger is an ultra conservative right wing extremist, even more homophobic and misogynistic than John Paul II, he is opposed to an eucumenical approach with other Christians (not to mention Jews or Muslims), and he considers atheists as pure evil. The Catholic Church is going to take a very conservative route, nothing surprising though.

Absolutely cool! The earlier Catholic church recognises its inconsistency approaching social issues, the better. The Pope is old. We give him 5 years as most.

P.S. All cardinals are ultra conservative, otherwise they wouldn't have become cardinals. Nothing else can be expected there.

I saw the white smoke on TV and I was all like "WTF? Already I new one?" My unknowing mind thought it would take longer... oh well.

He's too old. For all we know he might die in a couple of years, I think it would be better with a younger pope who would be able to experience more (hopefully) and grow as his 'followers' grow, you know? Grow together and experience together with people.

I am so going to name my kid Benedict. How cool is that name? SO cool.

I think this guy is a pass-time to soften the transition from John Pauls rulling to where the church is inevitably heading - more leniency towards difficulult issues such as homosexuality, abortion and divorce, and less conservatism. The cardinals just thought the time for that hasn't come yet, so they voted for the middle-man - a safe choice, who'll prolongue the wait for a more liberal church for a few years. An ultra conservative who'll just continue with John Paul's doctrine for a few years until his near end. There's no way this guy's gonna last for more then 5-10 years from now, and everyone (including himself) knows that.

German though? Oi! I heard he was even in Hitler's "jugend" (Hitler's youth), in his glory-days. And his convictions regarding homosexuals is even more radical then the last Pope's was. Nor does he thing the celibate rules should change. We definitely have another guy who's stuck in a different century then the rest of us are, but hey... it's only temporary. :p

Oh... and he was in charge of the congregation for the teachings of the faith, which is the official descendant of Inquisition. Ick.

It looks like being the case here. The analysts say the same.

I don't like the new pope it's very conservative
I don't think that Mexico will love that pope as John Paul II

whats wrong with being german? all boys that age there had to be in hitler jugend, besides he could leave it quickly cause he was going to be a priest

oh shit... :blabla: