My Pope Commentary

[weaktwos]

I don't think I'll add anything significantly new to the whole Pope and Circumstance going on today. So far, I haven't heard anything good said about him; it's either been good or ambivalent. Really, what did we expect? The Catholic Church itself is still conservative.

If you want a faith to match your own value-set, you are going to have to start your own.

I think it would be cool to form my own religion. So, first, I must start my own faith...hmmm...Martin Luther got the Lutheran faith started. Of course, Lutheran flowed nicely. Freitaran won't work. I don't like Freitasist, either. I want to start a faith of rational, yet kind-hearted science-loving folk. I want Annealists. I suppose the Unitarians might come close to this, but there's no "Anne" in "Unitarian". Maybe Unitarianne. But let's stick with the First Anneist Church. Hmmm. But I would have perform some great deed to inspire my flock. Oh, snap!

Given the fact that various parts of the media have a preference for sensational, non-substantive journalism over the truth, I can get Fox News to spin my inspirational story of sacrifice. Maybe I could crusade for dead people's rights. I'm certain that there are a bunch of dead people who would really prefer to be alive again. At least I'm sure I could convince a bunch of people that they do. I could stage emotional protests near recently interred folks.

Gosh, maybe I'm too much of a smart ass to run a religious organization. A cult maybe.

Anyway, onto this Pope business. Because I expected business as usual from the ol' Can of Vati, I'm most interested in Pope Benedict XVI's choice in his name. I mean, haven't we had enough Benedicts? Since when is the Vatican French?

Back in the early days, we had Linus and Cletus. How cool would it be to have a Pope Cletus II? Of course the first three Popes were saints, the first, according to Wikipedia, being Saint Peter, followed by Linus, then Cletus. Perhaps no one took their names because they had some big shoes to fill. Wouldn't Pope Fabian II sound suave? I think so. Then, whenever the Pope would address the public, I could think of the pop artist Fabian's song, "Turn me loose".

Alright, alright, my reasons for naming a Pope "Fabian" are rather shallow. But I guarantee this, my friends, all my reasons for naming a Pope anything other than Benedict will be just as good. That's right.

I guess he wanted to catch up to the number of Pope Johns. We've had 22. Pope Benedicts are now tied with the Pope Gregorys.

Ah well.

Comments

[yansa.livejournal.com]

Pope Linus! Pope Linus!

Although I guess, in a way, we've already got one ;b

--yansa!

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

He's the Open Source Pope. He can be a Popux.

[pacalissanctum.livejournal.com]

Benedict probably equals his confirmation name and he couldn't think of anything snazzier. He's probably a transition pontiff and knows he is, so didn't bother to come up with anything creative. I'm really hoping for another Innocent or Pius.

I was really hoping the Nigerian would get it, but he's a fairly young duck (late 50s/early 60s I think), so it's unlikely he'll get it soon, as I think the Cardinals are all wanting to shy away from another potential 25+ year Pope.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

We could have a few more Julius popes.

[pacalissanctum.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't that be neato if they picked an Italian Pope and he had the balls to call himself Julius Augustus?

Ok, maybe only I find that idea entertaining. :)

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

Well, the point is to be in a group of people of like belief systems. Some folks long for that sense of community.

Pope Honarope. I have to go look up the list o' popes again, but there was one with a name ever-so-close to that.

And yes, I recall the anti-popes of Avignon. :-)

[reannon.livejournal.com]

If you want a faith to match your own value-set, you are going to have to start your own.

Not necessarily!

*whimpers, sucks thumb*

We're not all evil... I swear on a stack of you-know-whats... Some of us even let you make up your own mind about stuff.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

This conversation makes you wimper and suck your thumb?
I tend to think individuals do let you make up your own mind about stuff. But Churches, I'm not so sure.

[reannon.livejournal.com]

Yep. Some churches actually have, you know, discussions and stuff. People disagree, but still worship together. Some churches even say you can still be a member even if you don't agree with absolutely everything they teach. Because diversity of thought, opinion, culture and belief makes us stronger. Because evolution isn't just physical; it's the growth of humankind out of bigotry into tolerance, out of straitjacketed dogma into an organic, personal faith, and all sorts of stuff I could go longer on but I'm not quite sure it's the right place for it. :D I crawl back under my rock now.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

No need to feel you need to crawl under a rock for such things. Organic, personal faith rules.

[dangermouse74.livejournal.com]

Gosh, maybe I'm too much of a smart ass to run a religious organization. A cult maybe.
really, what's the difference? :-P

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

Power. ;-)