The Pope

[Davyred]

At the risk of being controversial (again), I find it hard to understand these people in the street being interviewed who say \'I\'ve lost a close friend\' or \'I\'ve lost a member of my family\' and things like that.

I can\'t believe that anyone can say things like that when they haven\'t even met the person. I lost my Grandmother today who practically brought me and my brother up for 20 odd years - how the hell can they feel the way I did this morning over someone they never met?

I realise that some people live for religion, but come on, get a grip.

[alan]

Really sorry to hear about your Grandmother passing away.

I dont have any religous believes mate,the world would be alot safer place if everyone was like me though.

[sless]

sorry to hear about your sad news davy

[Hedley]

Sorry Davy. I too have lost many close realatives over the years who were very close to me. I would agree personal grief at losing someone really close is way ahead of the loss of someone with whom you have never had a close, personal relationship. It\'s beyond me too how some have reacted.

[bribones]

sorry to hear sad news

religion who needs it ?its the cause of more wars and conflicts than anything else and in todays society isnt needed ,it preys on the weak and vunarable the people who can say ive lost a friend or member of my family when they have never set eyes on the bloke well who needs them ?

[willywetegg]

Sorry to hear of your sad loss Davy It takes a bit of coming to terms with mate you have my deepest sympathy\'s. Have heard all the sad story\'s this week about what is happening in Rome and it doesn\'t cut. Sorry if that offends any one BUT. Just came home from the local and had to leave a great mate there who was grieving his father who passed away today.
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As a moderator of this site I will leave it at that.

Jim.

[mark]

the pope\'s dead... and this affects the world how?? or have I missed something.

The organisation that over the last 1000 years has sanctioned he slaughter of more people than hitler, pol pot, saddam and many more put together, has stolen more than anyone in history ever, is one of the top ten richest nations in the world, sorry If that offends any papists out there, but there\'s more to religion and faith than guilt and contrition.

maybe the next pontif will redistribute some of the vatican wealth to ease the suffering around the world, but then again there\'s as much chance of that as there is of harold shipman or Michael jackson getting the job

[Edited on 8/4/2005 by mark]

[alan]

I stopped myself putting something similar to that,well there you go !

Sorry to hear about your Gradmother, Davy.......you have my sympathies (and I\'m sure those of us all).


Oh dear......I really DID want to stay out of thos one..................

Whilst I totally agree.....there\'s nothing worse than the PERSONAL grief at the loss of a family member (been through that many times myself), I can understand (to a degree) the outpouring of PUBLIC grief at the death of the Pope.
I\'ve got absolutley NO religious beliefs or persuasions......infact I fully agree with Bribones in that \"religion\" and NOT dictatorial aspiration has been the cause of the mjority of wars, throughout history.

However, to the millons upon millons of Catholics he was THEIR \"leader\" and to many non-Catholics he was seen as a great statesman.
I know it\'s difficult to understand ( I have trouble with it myself), but those who DO have strong religious beliefs, do so \"fully\" and \"utterly\".

In that regard, I can see how his death has come to bring out quotes such as you have mentioned, Davy.

However, I also believe that many of those who crammed into St Marks Square weren\'t there for any \"religious\" reasons, but soley for the spectical, for the sake of being able to say \"I was there\", for the sake of tourism, if you like. I would suspect that there were a good number of those there who had no religious beliefs, whatsoever.

There was a piece on TV recently about how \"we\" the public AND the media seem to have adopted a \"grieving culture\". They questioned the growing \"popularity\" of strangers leaving roadside floral tributes to those killed in road accidents and the seemingly ever - present black armbands worn and minutes silences held during sporting events.

Sad to say, but it appears that a great many people feel the need to grieve and feel a sense of personal loss ........why is that??

In my view, such actions dilute and belittle those occassions when there IS large scale personal grief or rememberance.


And THAT\'S why I wanted to stay out of this one.

[willywetegg]

Nee arguements from me Tony. I Am still gonna leave that blank space though.

Jim.