Monday, April 25, 2005
Papal Bull
All good Catholics want Pope Benedict XVI to be successfull in his pontificate. Heck even some not-so-good-Catholics (and various non-Catholics) want the same. Alas, we can see that the church has become infected with much of the baneful politicking of the modern world (not that there wasn't politics in the church before, but it was a whole lot more discreet).
See now the former Joseph Ratzinger's sense of humility in showing that he prayed not to be elected.
Yet, Time concurrently reports that Ratzinger's rise was actually 18 months in the making. With all due respect to the pope's infallibility, I think I'm going with Time on this one. The sense of faux humility is irritating enough when it comes from politicians (that is to say, actual secular politicians who run for office on a regular basis). But coming from the Pope? Please. It's fine to say that the elevation is a supreme honor, and, "how could I be so worthy," etc. But, praying not to become head of the church, when there is a fair bit of evidence of behind-the-scenes jockeying for position? Come now.
Spin is bad enough in secular politics. Using it in the context of leading one of the great religious denominations is a bit unseemly.
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See now the former Joseph Ratzinger's sense of humility in showing that he prayed not to be elected.
Yet, Time concurrently reports that Ratzinger's rise was actually 18 months in the making. With all due respect to the pope's infallibility, I think I'm going with Time on this one. The sense of faux humility is irritating enough when it comes from politicians (that is to say, actual secular politicians who run for office on a regular basis). But coming from the Pope? Please. It's fine to say that the elevation is a supreme honor, and, "how could I be so worthy," etc. But, praying not to become head of the church, when there is a fair bit of evidence of behind-the-scenes jockeying for position? Come now.
Spin is bad enough in secular politics. Using it in the context of leading one of the great religious denominations is a bit unseemly.
