Pope - Icon or cult leader?
Discussion
Before anyone gets over P.C. in reference to this topic it is intended to be a balanced debate, I would appreciate comments from all walks.
I for one cannot understand why the immense fuss has been created in reference to Pope John Paul the Second, I can appreciate that he may have touched the lives of many people from time to time but do we really need to be bombarded with it 24/7 for the last two weeks?
From my humble understanding the majority of it has been based on notes made in an area of the world that still tells it's children to kill Westeners and themselves in an attempt to reach immortality and become a martyr?? This was before modernisation!!!
I was brought up in a C of E environment, my family were not happy clappers but I went to a C of E school, was christened/confirmed etc but now choose to be and athiest, what are your views on religion/belief etc?
This thread isn't meant to offend anyone, if it has I think you might be being over-sensitive?
I for one cannot understand why the immense fuss has been created in reference to Pope John Paul the Second, I can appreciate that he may have touched the lives of many people from time to time but do we really need to be bombarded with it 24/7 for the last two weeks?
From my humble understanding the majority of it has been based on notes made in an area of the world that still tells it's children to kill Westeners and themselves in an attempt to reach immortality and become a martyr?? This was before modernisation!!!
I was brought up in a C of E environment, my family were not happy clappers but I went to a C of E school, was christened/confirmed etc but now choose to be and athiest, what are your views on religion/belief etc?
This thread isn't meant to offend anyone, if it has I think you might be being over-sensitive?
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=167683
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=167695
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=168045
Have you seen these threads? Discussions on the Pope, his life legacy and the entire point of a papal leader (among some tangents besides) have already been made at length.
Edited to add: The basic crux of the matter is that the man has held the office of the highest order for 25 years. He was the leader of an immensely rich and powerful organisation, in fact out of all the leaders of the world he commanded the most. He was not only the boss of all Catholic Christianity (as in THE boss - whatever he said stuck), he was an influential and revered head of state. His actions made a strong mark on this world, probably more so than any typical leader with a sub-15 year tenure (which in the Western world is most of them).
Regardless of how you stand faith-wise and how you feel about his decisons and actions, politically the death of Pope John Paul II is an event, which is why there is a media flurry. Diana got more press upon her death, and undeservedly so I reckon.
His papalship may have been tainted with fatal decisions regarded as conservative, old-school and plain wrong, but at the end of the day I see more integrity in his actions than any other head of state, and to me that counts for a lot.
>> Edited by -DeaDLocK- on Friday 8th April 07:48
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=167695
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=168045
Have you seen these threads? Discussions on the Pope, his life legacy and the entire point of a papal leader (among some tangents besides) have already been made at length.
Edited to add: The basic crux of the matter is that the man has held the office of the highest order for 25 years. He was the leader of an immensely rich and powerful organisation, in fact out of all the leaders of the world he commanded the most. He was not only the boss of all Catholic Christianity (as in THE boss - whatever he said stuck), he was an influential and revered head of state. His actions made a strong mark on this world, probably more so than any typical leader with a sub-15 year tenure (which in the Western world is most of them).
Regardless of how you stand faith-wise and how you feel about his decisons and actions, politically the death of Pope John Paul II is an event, which is why there is a media flurry. Diana got more press upon her death, and undeservedly so I reckon.
His papalship may have been tainted with fatal decisions regarded as conservative, old-school and plain wrong, but at the end of the day I see more integrity in his actions than any other head of state, and to me that counts for a lot.
>> Edited by -DeaDLocK- on Friday 8th April 07:48
-DeaDLocK- said:
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=167683
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=167695
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=168045
Have you seen these threads? Discussions on the Pope, his life legacy and the entire point of a papal leader (among some tangents besides) have already been made at length.
Sorry not really been on PH last few days?
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