The Pope

[PedroPonyLikesCrisps]

The Pope is supposed to be a 'chosen' conduit to God..... So why is he elected by humans?

Does that make your OP meaningless too Pedro?

Not at all. I was asking for an answer to why the Pope is chosen by humans.

The British Royals don't run anything ......apart from the fact that the queen is the head of the CofE. Whose Bishops sit in the Lords and have a say in the law of the land.

If not humans, who would you expect to chose the pope Pedro?

Daddy Pig possibly

"If not humans, who would you expect to chose the pope Pedro?"

Well obviously the only point in having a Pope is if there is actually a god hanging around. Either there is and he can elect a Pope himself or there isn't and we have to resort to a convoluted human-based election system.

This highlights my lack of belief quite nicely.

Jesus chose the first Pope didn't he? Who then handed it down to Linus (brain struggling to remember GCSE catholic teaching!) so it has been human choice for 2000 plus years.

KenDoddsDad, I'm afraid the monarch has immense reserve powers in the event of a deadlocked parliament. It's silly to imagine these will never be used.

I know ! Definitely not just a figurehead that means nothing. The "don't run anything "quote was from up the thread, forgot my quotation marks!

Pedro You seem to have a lot of theological questions for an atheist.

"Pedro You seem to have a lot of theological questions for an atheist."

That's a strange statement. Weekday do you mean by it?

That should be what, not weekday!

I wonder why you ask. As an atheist you must think that it is all fiction so I am interested in why you need answers about something that you have no belief in if you have already discounted it all.

Which questions were you referring to?

Why is the pope chosen by humans?

Why don't all Catholics vote on it?

Because last I knew, the RC church wasn't a democracy :o

I suspect Pedro is just bored.
Pop along to an Evensong near you? You might actually like it!

Just FYI. 'Francisco Jalics, jailed for five months in 1970s in Argentina, says he and new pope reconciled in 2000.'

Rather embarrassing for the secularists. Jumping to conclusions much? Well, that's what bigotry means.

Exactly, Sieglinde. There was a lot of adverse internet twitterings about Mugabe being a the inaugural mass. Mugabe wasn't even invited and besides which, Jesus said that sinners need him, like the sick need a doctor, so the Pope would hardly turn him away.

Makes me so cross!

Well put, WhatKindOf. Agree entirely.

I'm reading Anne Applebaum's book on the way communism took over in Eastern Europe and its war against the churches, especially the RC church.

It began with constant detraction and ridicule, including false claims of spying and involvement with 'enemies'. Then the state took over Catholic charities, and also took over RC and Lutheran schools. Then people had to express their dislike of the RC church and were punished if they refused. Then they began rounding up and imprisoning Catholics and others, devout laity or in holy orders....

It sounded much too familiar.

"Pop along to an Evensong near you? You might actually like it!"

Lol, I doubt it somehow!

Well, that's a shame.
Atheists are soooo narrow-minded and scared, ime.

A whiff of incense and you will be confessing sins you don't even know yo have committed. Happens to me every Sunday.

Are you sure it's mass you're going to Ken? Sounds to me like it might be the local nick. Tell me does the "priest" wear black or really, really, really dark blue.

Well I do get a torch shone in my eyes.......and the funny smell hmmm.