Unconditional Reverence And Obedience

[naomi24]

Pope Benedict XVI has promised 'unconditional reverence and obedience' to his successor. What a ghastly thought! Can you imagine yourself making such a promise to anyone?

[magsmay]

only my cat naomi ;-)

[chakka35]

No, I can't. But as you know, naomi, religionists are not allowed to think for themselves, so what else can they do except obey their alleged superiors? Personally, I find the whole thing creepy.

[zebo]

If he does these things he'll be a first, as indeed he is. In my experience, the person whose job is then done by a new person can't resist commenting "helpfully", I don't envy his successor at all. I doubt he'll last long though, Benedict that is.

[Buenchico]

If you're stepping down from the job of Pope, where a principal doctrine is that the Pope is infallible, you can't really say that your successor might be less than infallible, can you?

>>>Can you imagine yourself making such a promise to anyone?
If you've got a cat in your life, 'unconditional reverence and obedience' to it is an essential requirement, Naomi!

[emmie]

not even to the o/h, and i most definitely revered him in an odd sort of way.

[daffy654]

I agree with the cat owners here. One of my masters woke me at 5.15 am today by meowing loud and long outside the bedroom door, she had decided it was feeding time and nothing would silence her except me getting up and providing that food.

[ludwig]

It's a big committment to make. What if the successor orders him to dance around the room like a monkey, just for a laugh?

[ummmm]

They are only words. Doubt they are truly meant.

[giveup]

When I saw this I thought you were talking about my husband.

[Alston]

Can anyone believe everything that is uttered by church leaders?.

Al.

[ummmm]

I think that he knows, they know, that nothing will be asked of him.

[Jonathan-Joe]

This may be a foolish promise to make in a personal relationship, but here the relationship (Pope / Pope Emeritus) is more professional. The loyalty is really to the Roman Catholic Church who, as Benedict's employer, has good reason to expect it.

[mibn2cweus]

They don't call them 'catlicks' . . . for nothing.

[Hopkirk]

Only to a dominatrix

[Theland]

Hi Nims, just a quick hello. Been on law. 62 now, feeling my age. Keep well, along with usual suspects, Mibs, Wiz, etcetc

[wildwood]

I've never uttered those words, but it is still expected by SheWhoMustbeObeyed.

It is really nauseating to see all this unnecessary opulence and complete waste of money by an organisation that is supposed to help those less fortunate than most.

[DJHawkes]

urgh, no, i'm a human being not a robot

[Ronnie10]

"What a ghastly thought! Can you imagine yourself making such a promise to anyone? "

Subconsciously isn't this what you promise during a marriage ceremony?

[naomi24]

Hello dear Theland, nice to see you here again. Wiz isn’t around - and you're both missed. (I hope all went well with your daughter).

Ronnie, //Subconsciously isn't this what you promise during a marriage ceremony?//

Do you? I didn’t. Anyone?

[doctordb]

It's a strange thing to offer and even stranger to expect.