White smoke = new pope?

[Fierce Critter]

Well, just when today's episode of Starting Over was getting good, the news popped on and a bunch of reporters were trying to figure out if that was white smoke or not.

It appears to be, but the bells weren't rung, so nobody knows for sure.

To add to the confusion, this is happening about 5 minutes to the hour, and the bells toll on the hour anyway. So yes, the bells tolled - on the hour.

So, whatever.

I'm kinda excited. You can take the girl outta Catholicism, but you can't take the Catholicism 100% outta the girl - at least not this one.

Updates if they finally annouce someone.

[Black Sunday]

this is very exciting to see on TV

pope benedict the 16th

[Daevion]

hmmm..well a new pope, wow.

[Fierce Critter]

Yes. They chose Josef Ratzinger, the front-runner from Germany.

He's 78 years old.

Apparently, he's a traditionalist, and intends to steer things from a very dogmatic direction.

Not sure what that means, but I'm sure it doesn't include an increased role for women in the church.

[Daevion]

they should elect me pope, I'll steer em in the right direction :devil

[Head Wreck]

he was also a member of the hitler youth dont forget....

[Daniel]

I was hoping for a black pope. Oh well, maybe next time!

[Fierce Critter]

he was also a member of the hitler youth dont forget....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Really? Gads.

[JaneDead]

he was FORCED to be a member

[Marblez]

he was FORCED to be a member

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Suuuuure. I bet Hitler himself would try that excuse...

I am sure he has undergone thorough inspection, he is okay by me.

[DarkChylde]

Well whutever works I guess :sleeping

[TomCat]

Well, just remember my friends, he would've been about 10-12 in 1939 when the shit started hitting the fan, and that's after Hitler had been in power about 7 years. So given the age, the mandatory enrollment of that NAZI controlled state, I really doubt that this can be held against him. :innocent

[JaneDead]

from what i heard - yes he was very young. and was forced to join. i thought he was 14, though i could be wrong.

and then he was part of the military -i believe- and escaped. some point in there he was in a POW camp as well.

when that was all over for him he contiuned on with his religious studies.

[TomCat]

from what i heard - yes he was very young. and was forced to join. i thought he was 14, though i could be wrong.

and then he was part of the military -i believe- and escaped. some point in there he was in a POW camp as well.

when that was all over for him he contiuned on with his religious studies.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I heard most of this, or something like it anyway. I'm sure we'll know everything about him soon. The press will be all over it.

[JaneDead]

yeah i could be getting some of my facts mixed up. what i have read/heard today was the first i had heard of him as it is.

[TomCat]

By the end of the week, I think we'll know him better than his own mother did!

[JaneDead]

here is a little bit:

Cardinal Ratzinger was born into a traditional Bavarian farming family in 1927, although his father was a policeman.

At the age of 14, he joined the Hitler Youth, as was required of young Germans of the time, but was not an enthusiastic member.

His studies at Traunstein seminary were interrupted during World War II when he was drafted into an anti-aircraft unit in Munich.

He deserted the German army towards the end of the war and was briefly held as a prisoner of war by the Allies in 1945.

His supporters say his experiences under the Nazi regime convinced him that the Church had to stand up for truth and freedom.

Cardinal Ratzinger's conservative, traditionalist views were intensified by his experiences during the liberal 1960s.

In 1966 he took a chair in dogmatic theology at the University of Tuebingen.

However, he was appalled at the prevalence of Marxism among his students.

[TomCat]

LOL< who needs 60 Minutes or People magazine, we've got Dyno Power!!

[JaneDead]

yeah i don't know why but i have a great interest in all this.

[TomCat]

Yeah, Dyno, are you a born again catholic, or something? or do you just have a fancy for theology?

[JaneDead]

or do you just have a fancy for theology?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah that

[TomCat]

LOL< I figured as much. lol

[torn asunder]

i'm enormously underwhelmed by this decision... :erm

[Black Sunday]

I was hoping for a black pope. Oh well, maybe next time!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

wilton gregory would be a nice choice

[Black Sunday]

he was FORCED to be a member

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

he was also 14 years old and was a member for 6 months or something like that.

Sounds like a non issue unless you judge adults by what they did when they were 14.

but i just noticed you already covered all this.