new Pope

[HairyHandedTrucker]

he's a scientist apparently. does it give us hope?

I'm an athiest. but I feel like the Catholic Church affects all of us good or bad.

Wait, how do you know who new pope is? I thought no-one knew new pope yet?

Oh right, it's on BBC. Is not on Guardian. Weird.

I've got friends in high places

He's not a scientist though

the coverage I'm watching said he was

Wiki says he studied philosophy.

they also said this guy has spoken out against people refusing to baptize children of single mothers!? I didn't even know that was an issue . Why would people punish babies for any perceived "sins" of their parents.

No I dont see anything about him being a scientist either.. not sure if i totally misheard or if it was over enthusiastic reporting since it was mentioned as soon as he was named

Hmm. He's against gay married because children need mothers and fathers.

He sounds really progressive and all.

Oh goody

The gay marriage thing pisses me off. He does say we should respect and be kind to gay people though, so that's a start.

What pisses me off most is the condom thing. When the hell are the catholic church going to get their stupid heads out of their behinds and just say it's fine? It is KILLING people.

The word "progressive" and Catholic don't really go together.

Oh yawn.

I take it he's a male Catholic?

I don't know why I'm so disappointed - I'm not religious at all. Good that he ticks the "contraception OK to stop disease" box and good that no link with any scandals, but he's not the progessive I naively hoped they'd come up with. Guardian site says:

The archbishop of Buenos Aires is a Jesuit intellectual who travels by bus and has a practical approach to poverty: when he was appointed a cardinal, Bergoglio persuaded hundreds of Argentinians not to fly to Rome to celebrate with him but instead to give the money they would have spent on plane tickets to the poor. He was a fierce opponent of Argentinas decision to legalise gay marriage in 2010, arguing children need to have the right to be raised and educated by a father and a mother. He was created a cardinal by John Paul II on 21 February 2001.

Sorry - I do know why I'm so disappointed. That was a stupid thing to say.

I know what you mean Hassled. I am a little disappointed too. I would like someone to change the way the catholic church does things, cos it has such a massive influence (1.2 billion catholics in the world, after all.) But I am not religious at all, no connection to the catholic church.

But he seems a lot NICER than the old pope, so that's a start.

he is quite progressive though, has a social conscience, thinks women should have more senior Curial positions, and although not pro gay marriage speaks against homophobia

it is a good outcome

He is linked to the kidnapping and torture of two priests in the 80s and the torture and murder of many people in Argentina. Oh joy.

Sheep do you have a link for that?

At the moment the telly is highlighting his good points (appropriate for today), but it'll be interesting to see what else comes out after the time for initial celebrations passes.

It's on Wikipedia not very reliable I know under the pre papacy section. There is also a book about it apparently.

This is the article that Wiki quotes. It says that his intercession probably secured their freedom.

Interesting too that he campaigned to permit the baptism of the children of single mothers, and that he has spoken against clerical hypocrisy, giving a reminder that Jesus dined with lepers and prostitutes.