The Pope is resigning

[woodrot]

now thats an interesting development. Arrested in the Saville enquiry praps ?

[maxxi]

Been made a better offer by the Hindus?

[Otta]

That is interesting. I thought they had the job til death.

[Otta]

Just read the story on BBC, apparently it's not totally unheard of, but not in the "modern era".

He says he's too old at 85. I wonder if maybe he's coming down with dementia or something they wouldn't be able to hide for long. You can't have the pope wandering the streets naked asking passers by if they've seen Mary.

[northlondoner]

Decided to leave last year. But just kept pontificating .

[woodrot]

northlondoner Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Decided to leave last year. But just kept

> pontificating .

boom tish

[Mick Mac]

1415 was the last resignation apparently. Its becoming a trend.

[Otta]

So the modern era can stretch back 600 years?

[Mick Mac]

I knew from the start this one would not last long. He looked like the sort of slacker who might be tempted by early retirement.

[ruffers]

Seems like a good excuse to post this Adam Buxton production -

 

[LondonLogCo]

Probably to spend more time with his family.

[KidKruger]

Perhaps they fear his old age / dementia makes him more prone to letting slip sensitive info that would damage 'the church'.

[Mick Mac]

Maybe he just realised that as a Germna he was actually a Protestant.

[Annette Curtain]

There is a resemblance to The Neon Flying Squid & the Pope's hat

(specially in the early take off & the re-enty stages)

And maybe it's that (hat) that's made him retire.

I reckon he's looked in the mirror and sighed " I'm not wearing a squid shaped hat-no more! "

http://laughingsquid.com/wp-content/uploads/flyingsquid-1.jpg

[El Pibe]

1415 i'd say bit of a push for modern.

Early modern maybe, usually some vague hadwaving about the renaissance or the end of the middle ages, but again the late middle ages could be argued to go into the 16th century and the renaissance could be argued as having started in the 14th century.

Modern period usually starts with the French Revolution which is as good an arbitrary date as any other for pointless meaningless historical taxonomy.

I must say I was surprised by this, I though the usual method for early retirement was poison!!

It's probably down to ill health but I guess conceivably, if he had been approached about arrest warrants for perverting the cause of justice or somesuch it could be very interesting....

I'm looking forward to the new nexus version anyhow.

[Annette Curtain]

So you don't buy into my squid theory then El Pibe?

[woodrot]

Wopuld suggest that Roland Ratz has Alzheimers or summit and they cant wheel him out without showing their hand , what with the jesus death stuff coming up in the next month or two

seriously though. next pope will likly be "ethnic" ( sorry for lazy use of that rather broad term )- thems islams are getting their claws into Africa, the Anglican church is splitting due to African Anglican differences of opinion - Teh vatican surely will go for a black african pope to make the best of these problems, AIDS, Africa becoming a de facto colony of godless China - Will this change anything though ? a new broom ? New liberal ideas ? a change from a shouty bad tempered god to a god of love ?

no.

Like Obama in teh white house, different USP, same old shite

[Townleygreen]

Mick Mac said: Maybe he just realised that as a German he was actually a Protestant.

In fact, 30 per cent of Germans are Catholic.

[Mick Mac]

He is Son of Luther.

[El Pibe]

"In fact, 30 per cent of Germans are Catholic."

Little end of an egg, big end of an egg, it's hardly worth fighting over!!!

[Townleygreen]

I'm not fighting,just correcting Mick Mac's apparent impression that Germans are protestant. In fact, the south (eg Bavaria)for instance is overwhelmingly catholic. The Pope is from Bavaria.

[El Pibe]

Ah well, it was a little joke, the Germans fought about 3 wars over this, everyone piled into the last one, it lasted 30 years and killed about 10 million people.

[Townleygreen]

you mean the 30 years war in the 17th century I think.

[*Bob*]

Are there any other Thirty Years Wars?

(pass the salt)

[Ridgley]

I heard It would be interesting if they voted for a pope from a different ethnic background who is Catholic. I don't think there has ever been an Asian pope or Black Pope