NationStates Jolt Archive

The pope is sick, in bed and probably close to death but because of some stupid rule he still has to work. How pissed off would you be if you had to front up when you could barely stand/speak (being hung over doesn't count, I've already thought of it and its not that funny) Let the main take his gold watch and have a good lie down..

What do you mean? The Pope is free to retire anytime, and he would not be the first Pope to do so.

What do you mean? The Pope is free to retire anytime, and he would not be the first Pope to do so.

Really? I thought they had to stay until they died or something..?

Meh. I still don't see why if he existed, god would want us to waste our sundays talking to him, when we have all the time of eternity in heaven?

If I were him, i'd let us do what the hell we like until we died! (Within the commandments as well I suppose-But I don't follow those either. I'm agnostic.)

if he retires does he become fallible or is infallibility retained as part of the severance package?

Really? I thought they had to stay until they died or something..?Naw, it's just the recent one's have all been past retirement age when they take the job, carrying on until death now seems to be the pattern.

Of course if your celebate, own virtually nothing and are devoted to the church, what the hell would you do if you retired anyways?

Its the Pope. Why would you want to give up that office?

I would vote against his making it through the year though - I've never seen him look worse.

Which begs the question of why doesn't God take better care of those who are supposedly working for him, but I suppose all the benefits come after the job is done.

The pope is sick, in bed and probably close to death but because of some stupid rule he still has to work. How pissed off would you be if you had to front up when you could barely stand/speak (being hung over doesn't count, I've already thought of it and its not that funny) Let the main take his gold watch and have a good lie down..

He's basically a figure-head. I bet if we knew more about the guy, we'd know he isn't as true to the scriptures as the catholic church makes him out to be. After all, i never met a catholic or christian that followed every single scripture. It's more or less cherry picking.

He's basically a figure-head. I bet if we knew more about the guy, we'd know he isn't as true to the scriptures as the catholic church makes him out to be. After all, i never met a catholic or christian that followed every single scripture. It's more or less cherry picking.

Karol Wojtyla is an exceptional scholar and devout religious leader, a gifted theologian and an exceptional follower of Christ. I'm sure he's had his failings - he is only human - but in terms of his living out the life of faith, I doubt another human alive today could match him.

:) Aiera

plus, he gets his own city!

plus, he gets his own city!
'Jean-Paul II had his own version of Sim-City...'

Karol Wojtyla is an exceptional scholar and devout religious leader, a gifted theologian and an exceptional follower of Christ. I'm sure he's had his failings - he is only human - but in terms of his living out the life of faith, I doubt another human alive today could match him.

:) Aiera

If i asked to be the pope i'd refuse since i'm not catholic. I was baptized one, but i chose not to go that route. He is an exceptional man, but i just don't see him as anything other than a figure-head. I mean, noone follows what he says. They just like to see that guy talk. heh :p

The pope is sick, in bed and probably close to death but because of some stupid rule he still has to work. How pissed off would you be if you had to front up when you could barely stand/speak (being hung over doesn't count, I've already thought of it and its not that funny) Let the main take his gold watch and have a good lie down..

Being the Pope isn't your normal kinda job you know! :)
Working for God is a lifetime job.

I heard it when I took a tour of the Vatican. It is said that when the last space for the statues of the popes at the Vatican is filled that is an omen for the end of the world. The statue for this pope will take up the final space. Don't believe it personally, but it's a fun little myth. ;)

I heard it when I took a tour of the Vatican. It is said that when the last space for the statues of the popes at the Vatican is filled that is an omen for the end of the world. The statue for this pope will take up the final space. Don't believe it personally, but it's a fun little myth. ;)

Yeah, that one's fairly well known.

:) Aiera

I heard it when I took a tour of the Vatican. It is said that when the last space for the statues of the popes at the Vatican is filled that is an omen for the end of the world. The statue for this pope will take up the final space. Don't believe it personally, but it's a fun little myth. ;)

No, i don't believe that. That myth has a Roman feel to it. But as you know, the romans were pagan, not catholics. Well atleast when they were strong they weren't catholics. Christians were fed to the lions.

Just had to ask; Is the title of the thread an exclamation or a prayer? :D

He can retire if he wanted to. Well, i think it would be "proper" if he died. Other than that. If he started to lose his brains they would relinquish his position, if he thought he needed to retire, i guess he could. But i believe he will die soon, and he will be the pope until then.

He can retire if he wanted to. Well, i think it would be "proper" if he died. Other than that. If he started to lose his brains they would relinquish his position, if he thought he needed to retire, i guess he could. But i believe he will die soon, and he will be the pope until then.

Aw c'mon, how many people hear can say that they had to work from a hospital bed when they were sick and aproaching death?

Aw c'mon, how many people hear can say that they had to work from a hospital bed when they were sick and aproaching death?Not necessarily in reply to you, but more generally than that... I suppose the question is (given the premise that he could technically resign) whether:
He chooses not to resign, hanging on for personal reasons. Not necessarily selfish, though if a 'Pope-in-residence' can't get better medical treatment than a retired one I'd be surprised. (No cynicism intended in that remark, BTW, though I admit it reads that way... )
He chooses not to resign for professional reasons, e.g. that he does not believe that the current batch of possible successors has anyone suitable in it. (And presumably has not for a while, hoping to get someone suitable before his hand is forced by circumstances.)
His illness has robbed him of the rationality/foresight that retirement is an option, and nobody dares/thinks to say "wouldn't you like to step out of the public spotlight, your Holiness"?
His closest confidents are advising that he stay in office, for their own personal or professional reasons, and he goes along with that (with or without rationality).
He's being forced to stay in office by the hierarchy, and he could not/did not feel able to say "I quit" in any public speech since he felt trapped.
There's an overwhelming eclesiastical motive for him to hang on, past retired popes notwithstanding.

The fact that these days modern medicine supplements traditional faith and prayer to allow someone to keep living well beyond the point that past Popes would have (under similar health conditions) and that few doctors (especially Vatican-approved) would consider assisting even volountary euthinasia by retraction of care (and/or not doing the very best to keep him alive) might have something to do with it.

His death from (e.g.) treatable pneumonia would be bad enough for the doctor concerned on a professional level, never mind the possibility of spiritual repurcussions. In the old days, when it would not have been treatable, it might have been physically bad for a physician that oversaw the dying Pope but could do nothing (depending on the era and the sensibilities of the Vatican's top-brass), and there wouldn't have been as many 'drawn-out' reigns as wee see today. (Though I suspect a few 'drawn-out' physicians after the fact. Ah. Ha ha ha ha. Haha haha haha. Ummm... Sorry.)