[Spirit100]

"Advanced age" or did Gut and his illuminati buds create an uncoverable scandal?

Thoughts/predictions?

[nky]

first time since 1415 that a pope has resigned, that's a long time ago

[nky]

Look for a younger Cardinal to get the nod, Someone who could be pope for 20+ years.

[Granny Bear]

Yep, I barely remember that!

[nky]

by the way this could give a whole new meaning to "MArch Maddness" once the concave is called
[Image: http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/11...no-hat.jpg] "do you like my hat?"

[nky]

Irish bookie has already put a betting line out for the next pope:
9/4 Cardinal Peter Turkson
5/2 Cardinal Marc Ouellet
7/2 Cardinal Francis Arinze
7/1 Archbishop Angelo Scola
10/1 Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga
12/1 Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone
14/1 Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco
16/1 Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio
20/1 Cardinal Leonardo Sandri
25/1 Cardinal Raymond Burke
25/1 Cardinal Cladio Hummes
25/1 Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi
25/1 Cardinal Christoph von Schonborn
33/1 Cardinal Wilfrid Napier
33/1 Cardinal William Levada
33/1 Cardinal Camillo Ruini
33/1 Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera
33/1 Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa
33/1 Cardinal Renato Martino
33/1 Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith
33/1 Archbishop Piero Marini
33/1 Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera
33/1 Cardinal Keith O'Brien

Here is the top early line from Paddy:
-Cardinal Peter Turkson is the early market leader at 9/4 and speaks six languages. The Ghanaian can understand Latin and Greek and has seen plenty of support early doors.
-Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet is 5/2 to be elected as the next Pope. He is Prefect of the congregation for Bishops which is seen as a powerful position within the Vatican, it seems. According to one of the Paddy Power lads who has his finger on the Catholic pulse, Cardinal Marc has experience of working in Latin in America, is a friend of Benedict and is apparently outgoing and charismatic. At 64 he is about the right age but could be seen as too young if anything!
-Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria at 3/1. If either Cardinal Francis Arinze or Cardinal Peter Turkson are elected it would be the first time in history there would be a black Pope.
-Early steamers in the market are Cardinal Keith O'Brien from Scotland who has been trimmed from 40/1 into 33/1, and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin who has seen his price slashed from 150/1 in to 80/1.
-It doesn't look so good for Bono or Father Dougal Maguire though and they are both big outsiders at 1000/1.
What nation do early gamblers believe the pope will call home? Even though an African cardinal is leading the wagering derby at the moment, Italy is a 5/4 favorite to end up as the pope's home nation. The United States comes at 4/1.
What name will the new pope select? Peter is a 4/1 favorite at the moment. The long-shot at 100/1 is Damian.

[RunItUpTheGut]

My plans are coming together....

[TheRealThing]

Benedict XVI was trying to move the church back to a more conservative position. It seems like Popes are always plagued by healtlh issues brought on by age. But, all the sex scandals involving Bishops, along with calls for compromise across the board with regard to the church's position on birth control and acceptance of the pro-choice and gay and lesbian agenda, had a lot to do with his resignation. Most people don't want the fetters of a Godly moral code in their lives these days so, it's very likely Pope Benedict XVI met with a lot of resistance for his convictions. We're living in a time when men reject God's authority;

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (KJV)
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

I started to highlight some of the passage but sadly, the entire text is equally relevant in our time.

[vector]

Obama's fault

[Harry Rex Vonner]

As effecting the world as a whole, the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI is far more important than the reelection of Obama.

Pope Benedict XVI was and is a strong, unbending supporter of and believer of the basic tenets of the Catholic Church. He believes that these tenets do not change to suit the times or to suit the liberalization of many, maybe most, Catholics around the world. These beliefs are, to him, nonnegotiable.

The new pope may well be somewhat more liberal in order to appeal to the more liberal members of the Catholic Church. I hope that is not the case. The Church cannot liberalize its basic beliefs to better suit those who wish to pick and choose what to follow and what not to follow (ie: Cafeteria Catholics).

If the Church liberalizes its stand on its core beliefs, it may as well cease to exist. There are absolutes for which we are all responsible. These absolutes have been in effect for over 2,000 years. These absolutes do not change. Too many churches in the world of today, including the Catholic Church, are relaxing their standards in an effort to attract more members. I believe this is a mistake, possibly a fatal mistake, for all of them.

[TheRealThing]

As effecting the world as a whole, the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI is far more important than the reelection of Obama.

Pope Benedict XVI was and is a strong, unbending supporter of and believer of the basic tenets of the Catholic Church. He believes that these tenets do not change to suit the times or to suit the liberalization of many, maybe most, Catholics around the world. These beliefs are, to him, nonnegotiable.

The new pope may well be somewhat more liberal in order to appeal to the more liberal members of the Catholic Church. I hope that is not the case. The Church cannot liberalize its basic beliefs to better suit those who wish to pick and choose what to follow and what not to follow (ie: Cafeteria Catholics).

If the Church liberalizes its stand on its core beliefs, it may as well cease to exist. There are absolutes for which we are all responsible. These absolutes have been in effect for over 2,000 years. These absolutes do not change. Too many churches in the world of today, including the Catholic Church, are relaxing their standards in an effort to attract more members. I believe this is a mistake, possibly a fatal mistake, for all of them.

Totally agree. Last time I checked, God was the author and finisher of our faith, not men. But, in our time with reality now on it's head, men actually think they can change God's Word to suit themselves. A notion which is so absurd it would be hilarious if not for the eternal consequences of trying to do so.

Revelation 22:18 (KJV)
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

Matthew 5:18 (KJV)
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

However, once man grew bold enough to legalize actions which, are immoral according to God's law, in the courts of the United States, it follows that he would then have the nerve to venture out into the church to do the same thing there too.

[WideMiddle03]

Obama's fault

you're fault

[Real Badman]

Your*

[vundy33]

Men have always sought to bend God's word to fit their own lifestyle. It will never end in my opinion.