Am I missing something here?

[Bob Hubbard]

To begin with, let me first say, I was born and raised in a catholic household.
When I reached my late teens, I made a conscious decision that it was not the religion that I wanted to devote the rest of my life too.
As the pope is nearing death, The television networks are carrying the situation minute by minute.
I appreciate the fact that John Paul the 2nd was the leader of the roman catholic religion through out the world but, at this point this is where we part.
I can't understand why the world has such reverence for one man.
Bear in mind, this is a mortal man we are talking about who, was voted into the position of pope by his piers.
He is no different than you and I.
Like you and I, he had a job to do.
He dresses himself just like you and I, one leg at a time.
I am a property manager, some people are mechanics and He, just happened to be pope.
Today I heard some women being interview and her comment really disturbed me.
She said, "He is the closest thing to God on the earth".
That is a bunch of crap.
He is human, just like you and I, with no more importance in the eyes of God.
How can people be so gullible, and follow like sheep?
The closest thing to God on this earth is what you and I have in our hearts and minds.
The belief of his existence and everlasting love for all of us.
To put this pope up on a pedestal and to pretend that somehow he is in the same class as Jesus Christ is mind boggling.
The difference between the pope and you and I is that he got more notierity.
I don't feel he is, or ever was, any more important in this world than the rest of us.
Presently, he is just another mortal person lying on his death bed.
I will pray that his death is swift and without suffering, as I would do for any person in the same circumstances.
I will continue to feel that he or whome ever succeedes him is no more important in this world than you or I.
Am I missing something here

 

[pepperman]

Bob, you are not missing anything, i feel the same way but i also consider him
a stand up guy , because he has used his position to make a diffrence in this crazy world.

 

[MAC1]

I can't understand why the world has such reverence for one man.

Bob,

I was also raised Catholic. I still attend Catholic Chruch from time-to-time, but will also attend Protestant churches (i.e. Presbyterian) as well.

Not only was John Paul II integral to the defeat of communism in the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, he also traveled all over the world and reached out to many nations and people using his incredible ability to communicate. I trust you understand why many admire this "man." People of all religions and even atheist admire John Paul II. He was courageous, compassionate, and a strong leader. I'm sure he would be the first to agree that he is only a servant of God. My view is that if people want to love and admire him, fine. He is a historical figure, a part of history which is about to fade away--forever.

The media likes big stories and will often bombard us with the same thing over-and-over again until we just can’t take anymore. That being said, I’m going to concentrate on the many positive things that John Paul II accomplished and hope he will find the rest that he deserves, as I know you do.

 

[Jamler3]

To begin with, let me first say, I was born and raised in a catholic household.
When I reached my late teens, I made a conscious decision that it was not the religion that I wanted to devote the rest of my life too.
As the pope is nearing death, The television networks are carrying the situation minute by minute.
I appreciate the fact that John Paul the 2nd was the leader of the roman catholic religion through out the world but, at this point this is where we part.
I can't understand why the world has such reverence for one man.
Bear in mind, this is a mortal man we are talking about who, was voted into the position of pope by his piers.
He is no different than you and I.
Like you and I, he had a job to do.
He dresses himself just like you and I, one leg at a time.
I am a property manager, some people are mechanics and He, just happened to be pope.
Today I heard some women being interview and her comment really disturbed me.
She said, "He is the closest thing to God on the earth".
That is a bunch of crap.
He is human, just like you and I, with no more importance in the eyes of God.
How can people be so gullible, and follow like sheep?
The closest thing to God on this earth is what you and I have in our hearts and minds.
The belief of his existence and everlasting love for all of us.
To put this pope up on a pedestal and to pretend that somehow he is in the same class as Jesus Christ is mind boggling.
The difference between the pope and you and I is that he got more notierity.
I don't feel he is, or ever was, any more important in this world than the rest of us.
Presently, he is just another mortal person lying on his death bed.
I will pray that his death is swift and without suffering, as I would do for any person in the same circumstances.
I will continue to feel that he or whome ever succeedes him is no more important in this world than you or I.
Am I missing something here

Your missing the simple fact that there ARE over 1.2 Billion Catholics in the world and HE is considered their most revernd leader.....
HE also is the leader of his own country! Now thats impressive.
So, although he's just another man (And is there proof he wears pants? :N )
The Pope is "THE POPE" Serious Importance to 1.2 Billion people all over the world

 

[MrWilson]

Bob,

I was also raised Catholic. I still attend Catholic Chruch from time-to-time, but will also attend Protestant churches (i.e. Presbyterian) as well.

Not only was John Paul II integral to the defeat of communism in the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, he also traveled all over the world and reached out to many nations and people using his incredible ability to communicate. I trust you understand why many admire this "man." People of all religions and even atheist admire John Paul II. He was courageous, compassionate, and a strong leader. I'm sure he would be the first to agree that he is only a servant of God. My view is that if people want to love and admire him, fine. He is a historical figure, a part of history which is about to fade away--forever.

The media likes big stories and will often bombard us with the same thing over-and-over again until we just can’t take anymore. That being said, I’m going to concentrate on the many positive things that John Paul II accomplished and hope he will find the rest that he deserves, as I know you do.

you hit the nail on the head. But his biggest blackmark on his record, is that he didnt have a MarkVIII popemobile.

 

[MonsterMark]

I don't feel he is, or ever was, any more important in this world than the rest of us.

Hey Bob, when you die and over a billion people say a prayer for your soul, let me know.

 

[mespock]

The Pope is "THE POPE" Serious Importance to 1.2 Billion people all over the world

I agree this should be the main attention! I'm not Catholic, I was raised and attended Lutheran grade school and High School, and I was taught that the Catholic Church claims that when the Pope speaks he speaks as if he was God. I was also taught that Catholics were evil (Wisconsin Lutheran Synod), I never bought that thought, and I do feel that the Pope due to his position reaches many souls and does Gods work.

I don't feel that the Pope is the next closets thing to God nor is any other person on this earth (maybe Bryan). There we are all equal. But for some people their faith may require them to believe this point. For them he is the closets think to God. I don't need this for my faith.

But the media the Liberal media who has spent the last few weeks extremely conservative, likes to over dramatize everything. They no longer report the news or the facts they try to entertain the masses and skew what is being reported for ratings.

God Speed to the Pope on his journey home! God's blessing to all who morn his passing. He was a good man!

 

[mach8]

He is no different than you and I.

If you belive this, it's the first thing you're missing. He may have started in this world the same as anyone else, but he has done things in his life others did not have the will to.

Like you and I, he had a job to do.

I don't think any pope thinks of his calling as we think of a "job", nor do I.

I am a property manager, some people are mechanics and He, just happened to be pope.

I don't think he just "happened" to be pope, it's not like falling off a curb.

Today I heard some women being interview and her comment really disturbed me.
She said, "He is the closest thing to God on the earth".
That is a bunch of crap.
He is human, just like you and I, with no more importance in the eyes of God.

You know this? For a fact? Write prophesies?

The difference between the pope and you and I is that he got more notierity.
I don't feel he is, or ever was, any more important in this world than the rest of us.

I don't know yet where life will take me, but I a pretty sure that the pope has been a more important influence in the world than I, or the vast majority of people on this planet who's interest extends no further than their own front door.

Am I missing something here

You are missing the faith that millions of Roman Catholics have held for centuries. But even without this faith you should recognize this pope for the postive efforts he made in this world during his life for all of us, whether we believed as he did on not.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Perhaps there will not be a "billion" people praying for my soul when I depart but the only reason thoes billions are praying for the deceased pope is because he was who he was.
Years ago, he was elected to the position, not unlike our presidents.
His notierity came from his travels around the world.
To travel the world, meeting the "masses" was part of his "job", again, not unlike our presidents who also travel the world meeting the "masses".
True, he did much good in the world and the "masses" have benefited by his "work".
I also have done good in this world, as many of you have.
The difference is, he is known throughout the world, we are not.
He was doing "God's" work.
Every day you extend yourself to help someone, you too are doing "God's" work.
You can talk all you want, but there are no words you can ever say that will convince me that this mortal man was any better than the rest of us.
Soon a new pope will be ELECTED by his piers to take over the reins of the catholic religion.
His "job" will be, to be the pope.
Again, regardless of what this new pope is able to do, it is still a "job".
True, it is for life, and he can never be fired but , it is still his "job".
Somewhere he started his career as a priest, receiving a pay check , just like all of us who have worked in our lives.
Throughout his career he was elevated(given a raise in position) or promoted, if you like that term better.
At a time, again he was "promoted" by the college of cardinals, this time to the highest level one could attain in the catholic religion.
Through out this time, these "promotions" were all part of his "job".
Again, he was a mortal man as the rest of us and now he has gone to the grave like the rest of us will do some day.
I don't belive for one minute, that a "seat" right next to the throne, is waiting for him.
I firmly belive that in the eyes of the creator, we mortals are all equal.
Our deeds on this earth are measured as are our short commings.
The day of judgement for all of us will come when we pass, but to put this mortal being on some kind of "fast track" to the almighty because he just happen to have a "job" where he was in the public eye is rediculous.
The pope is an ELECTED OFFICIAL , no more, no less, and to look at him as anything else is redundant.
The man is not God, never was, and never will be, in spite of what billions of misguided catholics belive.

 

[mach8]

Any catholic that believes the pope is god is misguided indeed and needs to speak to their priest.

What becomes of the pope, or anyone else after they cease to exist in our world is one of the things religion is all about and despite what anyone says, believes, or how many wars they fight to kill unbelievers the fact is the only way to be certain who was right is to die.

We are not dealing in this world with what the eye of god may see or not see. This world is about what the eye of man sees and the eyes of man finds many thing to measure the worth of an individual, be they valid benchmarks or not. Unfortunately those who recieve the medias attention get more credit for their acts than they may deserve, but this should not devalue their actions which may be held up as examples to the world at large.

Still the fact is some mortal men are better than others, be they pope or begger. When your peers put you up to represent them, their organization, their beliefs, their future, you can say they think this mortal is better than themselves. As with any other "elected official" it is important to seperate the man from the office and to see how well the ideals of the office have been met. Pope John Paul filled the shoes of the fisherman as well as the original, Bill Clinton left the shoes of his presidency covered with mud.

You may have issues with the concept of the pope, but let those who don't have thier faith. They may be wrong, it may by futile, but in the end if it made their life easier to get through and made them treat their fellow travellers through this world better then it is a postive thing which should not be discounted.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Mach8, That was truly a fantastic response.
If those billions of followers need to feel he is some sort of God, so be it.
Perhaps they also think my views are somewhat out of line, and to that I also say, so be it.
The good point is that we can all express an opinion regardless of who belives what.

 

[barry2952]

While I disagree with many of the Pope's doctrines I will state that he did more to heal the rift betweens Catholics and Jews that any Pope that came before.

I think he should have done much more about the pedophiles in the church and he should have softened his view on abortion, especially those pregnancies due to rape or incest. His adamant view on celebacy has kept a large number of good people from the priesthood.

On a much more positive note, he was able to shame world leaders into a higher code of ethics.