The Vatican And Its Left-Wing Critics

[scottycelt]

Advise you might well take to your own heart, sc. Failing to recognise the Aunt Sally nature of the Mandrake's 'summary' has led you right up the garden path. I, for one, was rather expecting an African (of African heritage at that) to be elected. I was also expecting such a Pope to be even more reactionary than Ratzinger, and hoping he might drive a few more away from the fold. As it is we seem to have got a Mother Teressa with a (sexually redundant) penis.

Oooooooooo ... aren't we just the bitter one!

I was responding to the attacks on Mandryka and you are no more aware of the motives of other members than I. It is noticeable, however, that, if you are correct, then it is the knee-jerking critics including yourself who have just sunk their teeth into any dangled bait!

Sorry you're so disappointed with the new white guy. Should we just cancel the election and install instead a nice reactionary Black Pope of your choice ..?

[Serial_Apologist]

The advancing capitalist world imposed Christianity on "heathen nations" as part of its self-defined superiority in terms of religions and firepower. There is nothing patronising in recognising the rebound effect on "the West" of fundamentalist Christianity in many forms - most of them in fundamental disagreement regarding what they all see as "eternal truths" - revisiting its presence into its midst. Hindus and Buddhists would describe as "karma" the longterm effects of the drive to control exercised by the ruling classes: globalisation leading to banking breakdown, increases in birthrate to a point beyond the earth's carrying capacity, and "solutions" forever based on the short-term principles on which the system has to operate if it is to succeed on its own terms, namely keeping the rich and powerful in charge.

[amateur51]

Oooooooooo ... aren't we just the bitter one!

I was responding to the attacks on Mandryka and you are no more aware of the motives of other members than I. It is noticeable, however, that, if you are correct, then it is the knee-jerking critics including yourself who have just sunk their teeth into any dangled bait!

Sorry you're so disappointed with the new white guy. Should we just cancel the election and install instead a nice reactionary Black Pope of your choice ..?

Sorry scotty, the choice of Pope is entirely in the gift of your lot, I'm disenfranchised, as you never tire of pointing out

[Mandryka]

I imagine Bryony sat staring out the window with finger in mouth for six hours while thinking up that 'witty' Mother Teresa line....

Still...onto more serious matters: I actually think the last two Popes have been very impressive. Karel Wotyla especially was probably the greatest pontiff in living memory, but Ratzinger (whom Wotyla might have chosen as his own successor) was a pretty class act, too. Of course, Ratzinger was that most effective type of conservative in that he was once on the liberal/reformist wing of the Catholic church: the nihilistic leftism of the so-called sixties convinced him of the error of his ways, though (it had this effect on many thinking people who had misfiled themselves as leftists/liberals), when he realised that all forms of left-wingery are ultimately destructive. He did some brilliant work in making sure that the RCC provided a natural home for Anglicans disaffected by their own Church's tomfoolery over women priests, etc. Wotyla and Ratzinger have been a lot more impressive than some of the contemporaneous politicians of this era - especially duds like Obama and Clinton.

[ahinton]

The advancing capitalist world imposed Christianity on "heathen nations" as part of its self-defined superiority in terms of religions and firepower. There is nothing patronising in recognising the rebound effect on "the West" of fundamentalist Christianity in many forms - most of them in fundamental disagreement regarding what they all see as "eternal truths" - revisiting its presence into its midst. Hindus and Buddhists would describe as "karma" the longterm effects of the drive to control exercised by the ruling classes: globalisation leading to banking breakdown, increases in birthrate to a point beyond the earth's carrying capacity, and "solutions" forever based on the short-term principles on which the system has to operate if it is to succeed on its own terms, namely keeping the rich and powerful in charge.

Would that be Christ's fault, though? Aren't we looking here at least in part of the centuries-long imposition by an increasingly powerful organisation of something that it conveniently promotes as "Christianity" for such purposes rather than prioritising the promotion of the teachings of Christ?

[MrGongGong]

when he realised that all forms of left-wingery are ultimately destructive.

Mandy you really take the biscuit for nonsense
would these forms of "left-wingery" include the teachings of the beardyman perchance ?

[amateur51]

I imagine Bryony sat staring out the window with finger in mouth for six hours while thinking up that 'witty' Mother Teresa line....

Still...onto more serious matters: I actually think the last two Popes have been very impressive. Karel Wotyla especially was probably the greatest pontiff in living memory, but Ratzinger (whom Wotyla might have chosen as his own successor) was a pretty class act, too. Of course, Ratzinger was that most effective type of conservative in that he was once on the liberal/reformist wing of the Catholic church: the nihilistic leftism of the so-called sixties convinced him of the error of his ways, though (it had this effect on many thinking people who had misfiled themselves as leftists/liberals), when he realised that all forms of left-wingery are ultimately destructive. He did some brilliant work in making sure that the RCC provided a natural home for Anglicans disaffected by their own Church's tomfoolery over women priests, etc. Wotyla and Ratzinger have been a lot more impressive than some of the contemporaneous politicians of this era - especially duds like Obama and Clinton.

Hilarious! The guy's name is Wojtyła, Mandy

Did either of them win an election by the populace? Did they buffalo.

[Mandryka]

Did either of them win an election by the populace? Did they buffalo.

Replies like this only add grist to my mill. You are really not qualified to join a discussion like this, are you? Because, as an atheist/leftist, you see everything in secular terms.

I'm willing to bet that Wajuck (look it up!) and Ratzinger will be remembered with far more affection and respect in the future by Catholics than Clinton and Obama will be by the people who (mistakenly) elected them.

[amateur51]

Replies like this only add grist to my mill. You are really not qualified to join a discussion like this, are you? Because, as an atheist/leftist, you see everything in secular terms.

I'm willing to bet that Wajuck (look it up!) and Ratzinger will be remembered with far more affection and respect in the future by Catholics than Clinton and Obama will be by the people who (mistakenly) elected them.

I did look it up Mandy - you have recent form for leaping on spelling mistakes after all - and you're wrong!

[anotherbob]

...the so-called sixties.

I think you'll find they were the actual sixties. I remember them well.

[amateur51]

I think you'll find they were the actual sixties. I remember them well.

[MrGongGong]

And it seems that your "mill" only produces one kind of output

http://www.allpumpsdirect.co.uk/toilet-macerator-units

[Mandryka]

I think you'll find they were the actual sixties. I remember them well.

Appropriated, with thanks, from the late William Donaldson.

[Bryn]

I think you'll find they were the actual sixties. I remember them well.

In which case you cannot, surely, have lived through them.

[anotherbob]

Appropriated, with thanks, from the late William Donaldson.

... and mainly used these days by the likes of Richard Littlejohn, Simon Heffer and Melanie Philips. Exalted company!