Just been on news that the pope is being fed by drip the end is nigh for the poor man .

He looked awful on Easter Sunday - felt really sorry for him.

Should there be a retirement age for popes???

I think the point is that God decides when the Pope retires ;)

Looks like He has decided.

It's seen as a vocation rather than a job unfortunately!

Since when has Tony Benn been the Pope?. It wasn't on the news. And why should they feed him on a drip ? And who is the drip , anyway ? Geoff Hoon , I bet.

Originally posted by Fareast
Since when has Tony Benn been the Pope?. It wasn't on the news. And why should they feed him on a drip ? And who is the drip , anyway ? Geoff Hoon , I bet.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4393117.stm

Get your facts right chick.

Originally posted by Tony
I think the point is that God decides when the Pope retires ;)

Looks like He has decided.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

The pope is being fed on dripping.

Now THAT would be a headline.

I'm 26 and not known any other pope (not that i actually know JP2!), i can remember when i was younger one of the nuns from our school went for an audience with the pope, i can remember the buzz and excitement for weeks before hand!
I felt so sorry for him, when he tried to make the easter blessing. x

Originally posted by leddi
I'm 26 and not known any other pope (not that i actually know JP2!), i can remember when i was younger one of the nuns from our school went for an audience with the pope, i can remember the buzz and excitement for weeks before hand!
I felt so sorry for him, when he tried to make the easter blessing. x
You woulda been a wee bairn when he got shot then. LMAO @ the pope being fed on dripping remark.

Could be worse... could be feeding him on UK kids school dinners!!
Sorry for my very bad tact - it is 2.10am at the time of keying this.

I do feel sorry for the Pope though- bless him.
Get well soon hopefully Pope JP!

Originally posted by ANGELUS
Could be worse... could be feeding him on UK kids school dinners!!
Sorry for my very bad tact - it is 2.10am at the time of keying this.

I do feel sorry for the Pope though- bless him.
Get well soon hopefully Pope JP!

Poor old fella! Hope he's out of pain one way or another soon!

K x

Originally posted by Kristian
Poor old fella! Hope he's out of pain one way or another soon!

K x

Is he in pain ?

I wouldn't know about being in pain but with two tubes in him, Parkinson's Disease, problems walking due to hip problems 10 years ago and old age he's hardly likely to be in fine fettle.

There is precedent for a pope retiring - Celestine V in 1294.

Church Law allows the pope to resign but there's nothing about incapacity or illness.

Papal resignations were a dodgy issue historically because if the newcomer had radically different policies to his predecessor then there was always the possibility that the 'old' pope might provide a rallying point for people unhappy with the new policies and so provoke a schism in the Church.

Joe

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050331/325/fffq7.html

It's not looking good.

I wonder who they've got line up for his job?? I know a little latin, I might send them my C.V...

Fun and joke aside, it is quite sad. I bet there'll be a mega funeral, like Diana POW's

He's near the end now apparrently. See here! (http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L3130351.htm)

Poor old fella! :(

K x

yes hes been given last rites this morning after suffering a heart attack last nite

Originally posted by steevie/d
yes hes been given last rites this morning after suffering a heart attack last nite

Heart attack!? I heard he'd had a high fever over night? :?

Radio update: Pope did suffer heart failer aswell as the Fever... Not looking good...

They could pick the next one with a "Pope Idol" show, that would be fun.

I wonder what the chances are on the next pope being (a) black (b) being one that was born a jew (c) gay (d) sensible.

Let's not forget these jokes are about an old man at the brink of death! :|

K x

Originally posted by Kristian
Let's not forget these jokes are about an old man at the brink of death! :|

I can't get upset about the death of a man who accused us of being "evil".

Originally posted by nick2
I can't get upset about the death of a man who accused us of being "evil".

Was that just you and Kristian, or the Forum in general :o and I thought he seems such a nice old boy :confused:

Originally posted by nick2
I can't get upset about the death of a man who accused us of being "evil".

I didn't say I liked him! I just feel sorry for people in pain...call me old fashioned!

K x

Originally posted by nick2
I can't get upset about the death of a man who accused us of being "evil".

Nick, I presume you are referring to his condemnation of homosexuality. Surely you must understand that if the Holy Father were to contradict the scriptures on something which the Catholic church fundamentally views as "evil" then he would not be fulfilling his duty as head of the Catholic Church! Furthermore, whilst the Anglican church may feel it's perfectly acceptable to contradict the Bible with regards to homosexuality the Catholic Church (which is much more consistent in its application of biblical teachings) does not.

He didn't have to contradict the scriptures, he could have just said nothing, instead he chose to re-inforce and re-justify (in my opinion obviously) an irrational hatred of a group of people for no reason other than a 2,000 year old books says to.

Originally posted by nick2
He didn't have to contradict the scriptures, he could have just said nothing, instead he chose to re-inforce and re-justify (in my opinion obviously) an irrational hatred of a group of people for no reason other than a 2,000 year old books says to.

I think you've got to realise that as the head of the Catholic Church Catholics all over the world will have looked to him for guidance on the issue. As a result, he could not say nothing and he could not contradict the scriptures which to all Christians is a God-inspired book.

Originally posted by JonJParr
I think you've got to realise that as the head of the Catholic Church Catholics all over the world will have looked to him for guidance on the issue. As a result, he could not say nothing and he could not contradict the scriptures which to all Christians is a God-inspired book.

Oh, yes, I realise his possition. I've got nothing against the guy personally, it's more the "policies" of his religion I disslike. Calling women who have abortions "murderers" etc, is not the way to inspire people to join your religion IMO, but obviously some people agree with him.

I've never understood religion.

Originally posted by nick2
Oh, yes, I realise his possition. I've got nothing against the guy personally, it's more the "policies" of his religion I disslike. Calling women who have abortions "murderers" etc, is not the way to inspire people to join your religion IMO, but obviously some people agree with him.

The Holy Father does not recruit for the Catholic Church though Nick, he is the Head of the Faith.

Is this the first pope to have had the last rites read to him twice? If so, does this mean that it is a miracle and that he will be canonised?

On the other hand is it a miracle of modern science/ medicine thats keeping him alive?

Italian Television have cancelled all normal programmes, "because the end is near"

Originally posted by JonJParr
Nick, I presume you are referring to his condemnation of homosexuality. Surely you must understand that if the Holy Father were to contradict the scriptures on something which the Catholic church fundamentally views as "evil" then he would not be fulfilling his duty as head of the Catholic Church! Furthermore, whilst the Anglican church may feel it's perfectly acceptable to contradict the Bible with regards to homosexuality the Catholic Church (which is much more consistent in its application of biblical teachings) does not.

Church leaders presume that they have a divine right to interpret the Scriptures. Christians of whatever denomination can carry on their internal, doctrinal arguments over homosexuality, (and probably split the worldwide Anglican communion in the process) - but that does not give anyone, including the Pope, the right to describe me, a gay man, as "evil".

Meanwhile, the Pope's condition continues to deteriorate, and death draws near for a very old man. May he rest in peace with his god.

Originally posted by JonJParr
Nick, I presume you are referring to his condemnation of homosexuality. Surely you must understand that if the Holy Father were to contradict the scriptures on something which the Catholic church fundamentally views as "evil" then he would not be fulfilling his duty as head of the Catholic Church! Furthermore, whilst the Anglican church may feel it's perfectly acceptable to contradict the Bible with regards to homosexuality the Catholic Church (which is much more consistent in its application of biblical teachings) does not.

LOL :rolleyes:

....................................

Just wondering- what do they do with the pope's after they pass on? Do they have a special vault in the vatican or something like that?

Surely its gotta be a special grave or something.

Originally posted by ANGELUS
Just wondering- what do they do with the pope's after they pass on? Do they have a special vault in the vatican or something like that?

Surely its gotta be a special grave or something.

Interesting answer here (http://atheism.about.com/od/papalelections/a/oldpope.htm) .

They tap him on the head three times, with a little silver hammer while calling his name, to see that he's really dead!

All 20th century popes are in St Peter's basilica, but the money is on John Paul going back to Poland.

Thanks for the information, was a very good read that.

Tapping him on the head 3 times with a hammer to see if he's dead--- I think they would have already established that fact due to the fact that he will have stopped breathing, and gone very still??? Very odd behaviour indeed.

I also think PJP will go back to Poland also.

Thanks again.

Originally posted by owdlad
I wonder what the chances are on the next pope being (a) black (b) being one that was born a jew (c) gay (d) sensible.

When he goes, he will be back . . . . he will appear from out of a cloud of dust - and step out of the old blue police box that is - the famous Tardis. To become . . . . The New Dr Who!:|

I am not a practising Catholic but I can appreciate that he his revered by Millions.
But, the guy has had Parkinson’s disease; he's had a heart attack and is obviously in some pain. This is supposed to be Gods representative on earth. Well he must have ****** God off big time at some stage on in his life to suffer such things.
So if if this is the case it looks like I’m going to burn in hell for the few discretion I have made in my life.

And I thought confession would give me an easy ride into the hereafter.

The latest news on the Pope is overdue since 9.30am.

Looks like he may have passed away.

I guess this means he'll be getting the keys to the "executive washroom".

Of course he might end up face to face with the Hindu pantheon, Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu, Lakshmi etc and have a lot of explaining to do.

They tap him on the head three times, with a little silver hammer while calling his name, to see that he's really dead!

Pronouncement by toffee hammer. Doesn't seem fitting, somehow.

He's gone. 9pm.

Bless him.

Edit: 8.37pm http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=CTSQS3B4TY1BMCRBAE0CF FA?type=topNews&storyID=8068129&section=news

Originally posted by cgksheff
He's gone. 9pm.

Bless him.

Rest in peace.

RIP John Paul II.

Originally posted by cgksheff
He's gone. 9pm.

Bless him.

Edit: 8.37pm http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=CTSQS3B4TY1BMCRBAE0CF FA?type=topNews&storyID=8068129&section=news

It's very sad for the family left behind when someone dies and he has the biggest family in the world.
RIP

just heard the pope has died.

:| oh well...............

This man, achieved a lot in his life for the good of everyone.

He reminded people of their faith and not to give up on having hope.

He inspired people and was always a true gentleman that cared for everyone.

From his childhood he was always destined to be a pope of great statue. He overcame such a lot.

He can now go home and be at peace.

Gone but never to be forgotton.

RIP.

I thinkl we all have a sence of loss. Im not even Catholic but ill miss the guy! :|

Its so sad but at least now hes at peace xx

RIP John Paul
Gone but never forgotten

Thankyou for what you have done throughout your life, Im not a religious sort, but I can see what good you have done for the world as a whole.

Just been watching the news bulletins about the pope.
Something came to me.

I think we are visiting princess diana syndrome territory again.
Where people just 'have' to go and grieve because they all were really 'touched' by this special person once again.

I'm also wondering how many of the 'massive' crowd at the square right now.. are there because of their beliefs, and/or have met the guy or actually believe in the faith??

OR maybe - just want to go there just to say they had been to the square the day the pope finally died.

I really do question why people actually do this.

No offence to the people who really did love the pope with all their heart and soul.

Poor old guy. Hated by thousands, but loved by millions! I personally did not agree with all the things that came out of his mouth, but I can't say I agree with the all the things that come out of the mouths of my loved ones!

I wish people would stop joking about this; whatever your belief system or values, an old man has died who (arguably) fought for the benefit of the people for years. The passing of anyone is sad for someone. I hope nobody unkindly jokes about my death when I go. (Yes, this means you Kirky!)

K x

RIP JP2
Sadly missed.

I'm waiting to see when the funeral is announced.

Isn't Charlie Windsor's wedding day on Friday?

That would really stir things up, but probably won't happen.

There should be a lying in state of three days as this is the traditional period, however there is talk of it being extended due to his popularity and as a result of the unknown number of mourners.

Just heard the pope has died. RIP John. He'll be better now.

It's very sad when anyone dies, and he was a much loved man, revered by many. I also beleive he was a man of peace BUT, his views on contraception, condoms, abortion, aids, homosexuality etc were bad news for millions of people. It's time for a change. I hope the next Pope has more compassion.

Originally posted by clogginchris
It's very sad when anyone dies, and he was a much loved man, revered by many. I also beleive he was a man of peace BUT, his views on contraception, condoms, abortion, aids, homosexuality etc were bad news for millions of people. It's time for a change. I hope the next Pope has more compassion.

The catholic church changing its policy on contraception and abortion? Dream on! I think the chances of that happening in our lifetime are somewhere between zero and f**k all.

Every sperm is sacred, didn't you know? ;)

I'm also wondering how many of the 'massive' crowd at the square right now.. are there because of their beliefs, and/or have met the guy or actually believe in the faith??

You don't think that the vast majority will be Catholics? - They do consider the Pope to be their spiritual leader & God's representative on earth & all that after all. I don't think it's that uncommon for people of any particular faith to express grief when their appointed spiritual leader dies. Particularly when it's such a long serving one.

I think we are visiting princess diana syndrome territory again.

I think the Pope was a bit more active in world politics than Princess Diana...

The Pope's funeral will be at 10:00 on Friday.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/pope/story/0,12272,1451919,00.html

K x

Originally posted by komal
:| oh well...............

I'm assuming people will be saying the same about you when you pass away and go downstairs...you sound the cold hearted type that no-one cares about...:rant: :rant: :rant:


RIP Jean Paul, you'll always be with us

Rest in Peace John Paul the Great - your life was an inspiration to millions.

Originally posted by Kristian
The Pope's funeral will be at 10:00 on Friday.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/pope/story/0,12272,1451919,00.html

K x

I wonder what Charles & Camilla think to this. Their marriage plans have been thwarted ever since they announced their plans!

The Royal wedding has been cancelled for the funeral!

BBC story (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4409507.stm)

Originally posted by Tony
The Royal wedding has been cancelled for the funeral!

BBC story (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4409507.stm)

I can't believe how much controversy that wedding has caused, and now they're having to rearrange the bloomin' thing!

They would have been better running away to Gretna Green!

K x

Originally posted by Kristian
I can't believe how much controversy that wedding has caused, and now they're having to rearrange the bloomin' thing!

They would have been better running away to Gretna Green!

K x

Yes it is a bit messy!

Maybe not get married AT ALL.

Not that I am that bothered.

Can someone religious tell me why the pope's body is not in a coffin ? as surely leaving on show like it is a health hazard. Because when the queen mother died her body was placed into a coffin :confused: :confused: :confused:

Originally posted by craigmason
Can someone religious tell me why the pope's body is not in a coffin ? as surely leaving on show like it is a health hazard. Because when the queen mother died her body was placed into a coffin :confused: :confused: :confused:

Why exactly do you think it's a health hazard? Bodies don't decompose after 5-6 days you know- it's why you can hang a steak for 28 days! :)

Having the deceased on show so people can pay their last respects is common in other countries. I think it used also to be common practice in the UK also. I remember when I used to live in the US being invited to view the body of a deceased colleague. All his family and friends were there and it was a very dignified and moving occasion. I wonder why we don't do it any more in the UK?

Originally posted by LordChaverly
I wonder why we don't do it any more in the UK?
Probably for similar reasons that we don't like to know that...

Originally posted by JonJParr
it's why you can hang a steak for 28 days! :)

JP2 looks very serene

Originally posted by JonJParr
Why exactly do you think it's a health hazard? Bodies don't decompose after 5-6 days you know- it's why you can hang a steak for 28 days! :)

Using that logic, by the time the funeral happens he should be really well-hung!

No altar-boy jokes, please ;)

Please do not mistake my previous post in which I referred to the act of hanging a steak for a lengthy amount of days as being in anyway disrespectful to the Holy Father. I am a great supporter of the Holy Father and would love to have been able to undertake the pilgrimage to St. Peter as a mark of respect to Him.

I should like to apologise unreservedly to those who I may have inadvertently offended.

May the Holy Father rest in peace. Technically, I am Church of England, but I do not attend anymore for fear of encountering anorak-wearing guitarists and people with pudding bowl haircuts, jumping up and down for 'Jesu'. I can understand the recent surge in conversions to Catholicism. The Pope, in particular, was not afraid to label certain practices as 'wrong' and 'sinful', and his views appear to have Biblical backing. He dealt, as does the Catholic Church, in what are perceived to be, absolute, intrinsic truths at a time when millions are desperate for 'answers' in the age of anomie and cultural relativism.

In sharp contrast to the equivocal, 'non-judgemental' Cof E, with its half-empty churches, and almost desperate desire for ecumenism and compromise, the Catholic Church in the shape of the Pope bravely and unwaveringly stuck to the scriptures. Regardless of fashion, unpopularity with certain sections of society etc, the Pope spoke without fear or favour. I think that he was a courageous man. It was just his certainty that worried me.

the pope touched many people even tho they did not follow catholic religion he was 1 of the longest serving popes in history and came from the same town as my dad nearly the same age as well r.i.p pope john paul 11 best regards steve...:love:

Originally posted by LordChaverly
Having the deceased on show so people can pay their last respects is common in other countries.... I wonder why we don't do it any more in the UK?

I think its because in this country we seem to be (in general) so afraid of death, that as a society we have removed, sanitised and boxed up what is a natural part of the life process. Surely we all know someone who has died but how many people have seen a corpse? Except on telly.

Pity the next pope because he has one hell of an act to follow.

Does anyone else think what they did to the pope was sick? I mean carrying him on a stretcher like that through the crowed all exposed didn't seem very dignified to me, actually I felt very freaked out about it because I didn't think he looked very peaceful. And how are they going to keep his body from not smelling while its on display?

All over the news for the last fortnight, how many people are sick of hearing about it and don't really care anyway? How many people are grieving the loss of John Paul II?

The question is: Do you care about the Pope?

im not ultra religous but something i heard on tv today during the funeral is ......if one passes away during the 7 days of easter....they ride on the back of christ to heaven ......a comforting thought ....

im very anti religious, so yeah theres been waaaaaaaaaaay too much pope on a rope, erm i mean on telly.
i did watch a bit of the funaeral today for the laff....how much centuries of tradition? grand gestures? and mumbo jumbo? lol

all the idiots in big hats and purple and white etc, all the waving of incense and the wine and wafer stuff etc

also all that visiting a dead body while its just lying there???? thats not normal, bunch of weirdos.

He obviously meant alot to alot of people.
Not being Catholic it hasn`t meant a great deal to me personally.But any death of a good person is sad.

I remember when pope johnpaul the first died.
Will the next one be the Third or can they choose any name?
Whats the procedure?does anyone know?

Check the Google links on the left of this page.

Interesting...

he's dead....its bad for his family........but i have a big disrespect for any religion and dont belive in the mass hysteria that follows any `pope' around. its a farce.

he had a gud innings anyways...he was bout 140!

Originally posted by MTheo
he's dead....its bad for his family.



Yes. I'm sure all our thoughts are with his wife and children at this difficult time.

Some interesting alternative obituaries here:

THE OTHER SIDE OF KAROL WOJTYLA

How marvellous that the pope has popped his clogs. After all, didn’t he spend his whole life telling us how wonderful it is to be dead? Well, now he knows what it’s like to be dead and I fear he’ll be rather disappointed. If, indeed, he is anything.



This man, who had such delusions of grandeur, brought nothing much to the party except misery and endless whinging about how evil we all are. But to judge by the ludicrous, overblown media reaction, you’d think life is never going to be the same again. Well, sorry all you hysterical fools at the BBC and in Fleet Street – life will not change one iota for most people beyond the Vatican.



So today, on the day of his planting, we will have to endure yet another great outpouring of media sycophancy, crammed with hushed voices and sentimental images of weeping nuns and Tony Blair putting on his special “she was the people’s princess” voice.



Newsline hereby tries to redress the balance slightly by giving a small voice to the dissenters:



Edwin Kagin, Kentucky State director of American Atheists: “Opposed to birth control. Opposed to the rights of gays. Opposed to the rights of women. Opposed to the right to have an abortion. He made a virtue of human suffering rather than working for meaningful ways to prevent human suffering. He sought ways to deal with the persistent problem of so many priests of his church raping children: mostly same sex children. Perhaps he could have suggested that they obey the law. He exonerated Galileo, and he apologised to the Jewish people for his church having not condemned, and maybe even having helped their un-excommunicated communicant Adolph Hitler.



“Many of the faithful thought he was correct in all things. And they obeyed him. Except when he condemned capital punishment and the war in Iraq. The pope, they figured, got it wrong on those – that abortion is god-prohibited murder, but that killing people in prisons and on the battlefields is fine no matter what the Vicar of Christ has to say on such matters. The dead Supreme Pontiff also thought the teaching of evolution was okay. Many think he was wrong on that too, and that they are more qualified to decide where people came from than the chief primate”.



Peter Tatchell: “History will judge the Pope harshly. His opposition to the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV has contributed to millions of people dying an agonising, needless death. Millions of children in developing countries are orphans; having lost their parents to Aids because of the Pope’s anti-condom dogma. Pope John Paul II waged a ceaseless war against the human rights of women and gay people; opposing the right of women to control their own fertility; blocking women’s equality in the church; and endorsing state-sponsored discrimination against lesbians and gay men.”



Hans Kung, theologian: “The role the Polish pope played in helping bring about the collapse of the Soviet empire is… heavily exaggerated by papal propagandists. After all, the Soviet regime did not fall because of the pope (before the arrival of Gorbachev, the pope was achieving about as little as he is now achieving in China), but instead imploded because of the Soviet system’s inherent economic and social contradictions.”



American Atheist Newsletter: “Even in the wake of the Vatican bank scandal, the IOR/Holy See continued in its efforts to hide evidence that it was the beneficiary of large amounts of gold (and possibly other financial assets) confiscated by the Nazi puppet regimes in the former "Catholic State of Croatia" and elsewhere in Europe. Indeed, the Vatican has been pressuring U.S. courts to stop any disclosure of IOR assets and their origin.”



Johann Hari, Independent: “If we want to talk about respecting the dead, today we should not grieve for one peddler of superstition, but the tens of thousands who – thanks to him – did not live to see this day. I do not believe that John Paul II will face a Judgement Day in ‘Heaven’. But one day, the fatuous tributes of the past week will rot, and his name will be cursed here on earth.”



Christopher Hitchens: “A few years ago, it seemed quite probable that Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston would have to face trial for his appalling collusion in the child-rape racket that his diocese had been running. The man had knowingly reassigned dangerous and sadistic criminals to positions where they would be able to exploit the defenceless. He had withheld evidence and made himself an accomplice, before and after the fact, in the one offence that people of all faiths and of none have most united in condemning. (Since I have more than once criticized Maureen Dowd in this space, I should say now that I think she put it best of all. A church that has allowed no latitude in its teachings on masturbation, premarital sex, birth control, and divorce suddenly asks for understanding and “wiggle room” for the most revolting crime on the books.) Anyway, Cardinal Law isn’t going to face a court, now. He has fled the jurisdiction and lives in Rome, where a sinecure at the Vatican has been found for him. (Actually not that much of a sinecure: As archpriest of the Rome Basilica of St. Mary Major, he also sits on two boards supervising priestly discipline—yes!—and the appointment of diocesan bishops.) [Update, April 4, 2005:And to add injury to insult as well as insult to injury, this wicked old fugitive will, in the coming days, be a part of the holy conclave that assembles to decide on the next Pope. Could anything be more disgusting?]



Simon Edge (in a letter to The Guardian): “Tony Blair tells us that even those of us with no religious faith should admire Pope John Paul as a ‘shining example’ of what ‘true and profound spiritual faith should mean’. That faith involved outspoken homophobic bigotry at every possible opportunity. This does seem to be a hallmark of established religious faith, but I don't quite see why those of us who don’t believe the mumbo jumbo are meant to admire it. I am chilled by the eulogies for a hatemonger who spent his dotage passionately denouncing the ‘evil’ of gay people living together (while defending the child-molesters in his own church).



Michael Rennie (letter to Guardian): “It is estimated by the Tablet that 8.5% of Britain’s population is practising Catholic. Given this tiny proportion, why has the media gone barmy over the death of this divisive, reactionary old man?”



George Broadhead of the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association said: “The Pope’s opposition to gay relationships and gay rights has been relentless throughout his 26-year tenure of office, culminating in his book published this year in which same-sex marriage is described as part of an ‘ideology of evil’. His catechism condemns gay relationships as ‘intrinsically disordered’ and a ‘grave depravity’. In 2003, he even went so far as urging gay children and their parents to seek psychiatric treatment. More heinously, his opposition to the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV has condemned millions of people to an agonising death. He will be recorded in gay history as one of the most implacable homophobes of all time.”



Clare Wagner (Independent): “The Pope spoke about toleration and love but was in fact intolerant and showed no love for the children of Africa dying of Aids, for the women who want to preach about Christ, or for the thousands of children who have been abused by priests over the centuries.”



Terry Eagleton (Guardian): “From his early years as a priest, he was notable for his exorbitant belief in his own spiritual and intellectual powers. Graham Greene once dreamed of a newspaper headline ‘John Paul canonises Jesus Christ’. Loopy far-right mystics and Francoists were honoured and Latin American political liberationists bawled out. The Pope’s authority was so unassailable that the head of a Spanish seminary managed to convince his students that he had the Pope’s personal permission to masturbate them…. He was one of the greatest disasters for the Christian church since Charles Darwin.”



Joan Smith (Independent): “While his intransigence on homosexuality, women priests and contraception has been mentioned, few commentators have remarked on the paradox of a leader of so thoroughly undemocratic an organisation as the Roman Catholic Church being hailed as a champion of freedom and democracy – or the fact that this doughty opponent of communism was little short of Stalinist in his intolerance of dissent and relentless centralisation of power.”



Frances Kissling, president, Catholics for a Free Choice: “He will go down in history as a pope who didn’t understand and who wasn’t friendly to women. He couldn’t have slammed the door shut more loudly on the question of the ordination of women. He will go down as a fifth-century pope in terms of who women are”.



Editorial New York Times: “He was not a great religious figure. How could he be? He may, in time to come, be credited with destroying his church”.



Mark Steel, Independent: “Not only is the Roman Catholic Church at the centre of a huge child-abuse scandal, the recent pope went to enormous lengths to cover that scandal up. In May 2001 he changed the rules to make each case a ‘pontifical secret’. Bishops could no longer investigate child abuse in their area, as each case had to be referred immediately to the Vatican. Seeing as most cardinals were appointed to ensure a continuation of policy, there must be a worry they’ll announce the next Pope is Michael Jackson.”

I've got nothing against anyones religion - I just think that JP 2 is a child of satan sent to inflict misery on the poor and exploit the il-educated with his backward 19th century conservative rhetoric.

Am I the only one whos glad he's dead along with that sister of misery Mother fxxking Teresa!

I think it was predicted that at the end of the world the devil would appear in this guise. Everyone seems so blinded to the fact that he has condemned so many to die of AIDS in poor countries and his protection of child molesters in the church because he wears a gret big silly hat and speaks a language that is dead and elitist.

Rome!! Rome!! They killed Jesus didn't they?

Jesus was probably an Iragi and if he was alive today he would most likely be bombed by the west.

Rebuild the Vatican in the middle east!!

Just thought the time was right to throw my hat in the ring on this one.

If Jesus was real I would have loved that guy - JP sorry mate not you in your silk robes and your personal sevants.

Thanks for that tallyho. Nicely written.

At last the voice of reason amid the sanctimonious and pious outpourings of those who really do believe they're going to heaven.

I always think its funny that if you look at the people who are meant to be going to heaven would you want to be there? Give me hell anyday:clap: