Ratzinger has distinguished himself in the field of Jewish-Catholic relations.

Too bad he's been so hostile to all the other religions.

t edit To wit: In 1997 Ratzinger annoyed Buddhists by calling their religion an "autoerotic spirituality’" that offers "transcendence without imposing concrete religious obligations." And Hinduism, he said, offers "false hope"; it guarantees purification based on a "morally cruel" concept of reincarnation resembling "a continuous circle of hell." The Cardinal predicted Buddhism would replace Marxism as the Catholic Church’s main enemy this century.

Maria, I'm so seriously thinking about it. I mean, I'm sincerely and utterly delighted to know that he's not only not a closet Nazi but has played an instrumental part in the Church's recent acts of apology, atonement and reconciliation. But that still leaves the social conservatism, the anti-feminism, the hostility to liberation theology, the etc. etc. etc.

But now I must leave -- first meeting with a staffer at the School of Circus Arts, to decide what kind of volunteer work I'll be doing with them for the next few months.

It's also possible I'm a little bitter about the one I wanted not getting chosen. Just a little possible, mind you.

I'm calling him someone who doesn't recognize the lessons of the Nazis.

What are the lessons of the Nazis? Do you contend that things like the bio claims aren't sincere, aren't lessons, or aren't enough? The reconciliation with the Jews mightn't be one? Not enough?

Is there any way he can have learnt lessons from that time without becoming a good guy?

The HY membership doesn't bother me. After all, the man is only human. It's his positions on dogma and faith that leave me cold.

I'm calling him someone who doesn't recognize the lessons of the Nazis.

I think he does, but has internalized it in a way that manifests itself as the belief that secular society is inherently bad and religion will inevitably be corrupted by its influence.

From another board:

I heard the reason the Nigerian Cardinal wasn't elected is because the other Cardinals were still angry at him about those Nigerian e-mail scams.

It seems unlikely given that JPII appointed all but three of the college of cardinals that any candidate would be a drastic departure from his unfriendliness to gays & women. This is the position of the church. Getting 2/3 of the college to agree to someone with substantially different positions from JPII is improbable, to say the least.

Is there any way he can have learnt lessons from that time without becoming a good guy?

Speaking theoretically (as in, not ascribing these views to Pope Benny), one could learn lessons on what mistakes not to make next time.

Put me in the "A lot more bothered by what he's done lately" category.

What are the lessons of the Nazis?

I'm not sure I'm qualified to give a full answer, but I certainly think one of them is that when you have the power to marginalize, you do it with great consideration and rarely. You never allow a group of people to be considered less than human. He says that the Nazis used distortion and lies- but isn't what he said up there about other religions distortion at best?

Do you contend that things like the bio claims aren't sincere, aren't lessons, or aren't enough?

I would say, not enough for me.

The reconciliation with the Jews mightn't be one? Not enough?

Not enough.

Is there any way he can have learnt lessons from that time without becoming a good guy?

By not applying the idea of creating an "other" to hate being a bad thing to the groups he marginalizes.

When do we start Inquisition II?

Subtitle: Electric Bugaloo, or We've got Tazers Now, Weeeee!

I think that the last Pope's attempts at peace making were terrific. I think his attempts to stop condom use in AIDS-ridden sections of Africa were appalling. I've yet to see anything that suggests the next pope will be following in John Paul's steps in the former, or reversing course on the latter.

Actually, I've yet to see anything suggesting that the other candidates would be better about the Catholic church's doctrine on condoms. Therefore, not having an African Pope who might draw more people to a church that has what I consider to be an awful, life-threatening position on viral vectors--kind of a plus, for me. I don't know from transubstantiation or saint-making, but I have pretty firm opinions on people substituting religious doctrine for disease control.