Well in a topic or two (and the shoutbox) people have started talking about this - so not to go off topic anymore - here's a thread about it!

This is a man, who's done more than most of his predecesors. He tried to bring different religions closer, he fought communism, he tried to connect with the youth, he opposed contraception, he fought for peace and against exploitation...
There are many things that can be said about him, but right now the real question is, when will he be alowed to die.

With modern medicine people can be kept alive - but is that live?
His own wish (as others interpreted his words) was to be kept alive no matter what. He is a symbol and what they decide to do in this case will set a presedance for many other (less importaint) people. So the decision is really political. On the other hand - how can he preform his duties (he's still the single leader of the Chatolic Church). It's enough to show him some papers for a certain amount of time - and if he nods - he aproves of them. At least that's how they got over a dozen cardinals apointed in the last few days. But when it comes to church laws - this is legal.

OK - this are just some of the thoughts I had, let's hear yours...

He also forbid the use of condoms, spreading aids more rapidly :whistle:

but yes he did a lot of good things. I hope the next one will have a more modern point-of-view though. Even church has to watch what is happening around them in the world, otherwise they'll loose their connection with the people even more.

I just don't see how he can do much good in the state he is in. It semms highly pointless to keep him alive when all he can do is nod and wave a hand.

I am wondering about who will be appointed as the next pope... its been discussed on the news that perhaps a person from the ''third'' world (LEDC) will become the next pope. If this is the case would they have to move to rome?

Sorry, im not very religous and im very retarded when it comes to the rules of religion :D

While I don't agree with many of his viewpoints Karol was a good man and probably the best pope in centuries and it is sad to see a good man like him die.

1 of the 3 most likely to become the next pope is from nigeria, correct. But I think having a corrupt Ghanaian heading the UN is enough already.
its either Ratzinger, or perhaps the Vatican (now that the soviet union is gone) will return back to tradition and push the italian candidate forth as the next pope.

Yeah, you just had to love this pope... I'm not religious too, but he's a good man, there's no doubt about it!

I'm probably just highly ignorantg, but... what do atheistic soviets have to do with choosing the right pope?! :blink:

Well its as Sebatianos said, the pope fought communism, and as a pole he incited anti-communist riots in poland which then grew in size across other soviet republics.
In a way the choice of a polish pope helped in the destabilazation of the soviet republics and maybe even in the eventual downfall of the soviet union.

Most reporters now laude him not only as a peaceful pope, but also as the pope that helped 'destroy' the soviet union.

Just because people are doing something still doesn't make it right. The high morality standards are maybe out of reach for most pepole, but does this mean we should lower the standard?
This has nothing to do with popularity. People don't like paying taxes eather, but this doesn't mean the next government should get rid odd all taxes. Sure that would make them popular, but the state would fall apart imediatly. So I think modernization of the church should not change its moral point of views. People should not have intercourse all over the place and surely not just for the pleasure of it. And if this would be achieved then the need for condomes would probably be very close to none.

This is very sad, but not really unexpected since he's been suffering of Parkinson for almost 12 years if I'm not mistaken, and had to be taken to hospital even more often on last months.

He's been more modern than a lot of actual candidates for his seat. He's a Pope much loved by young people, since he deeply loved them. He started many youth meetings, the most famous should be "World's Youth Day"(my personal translation from Italian, dunno if it's correct).
About the condoms, well, they break in fact one of the main rules of Catholic Church, which is the respect of life in all his forms (and condoms do in fact prevent births), and the same goes for abortion. Condoms and abortion are a custom of contemporary age, while these rules I told about before have been written to be "eternal".
The counter of the medal is illnesses such as Hiv infection and unwanted births by mothers who cannot afford to raise their baby, and more. I'm for laicism, condoms and abortions (when absolutely necessary), but you can't expect the Chief of a Church to go against his own church's beliefs.

He's a holy man if I've ever seen one, and I'll be happy if the next Pope will be half as good as John Paul II.