Pope Benedict

[sandyRoe]

Who will join me in wishing his imminent journey from this life to the next is calm and untroubled?

[roopower]

I will. Let's hope he just goes to sleep and doesn't wake up, lovely and peaceful.

[andy-hughes]

I would wish that for anyone and everyone, including the erstwhile leader of a corrupt and venal institution that spreads misery and fear throughout the world on his word.

But that's because I am a better man than he is.

[anneasquith]

As I would for anyone. He was the first pope in 6 centuries to resign .

[sandyRoe]

I've been thinking recently of how my parents went and how I might go myself.
My father, in his late 50s, collapsed in the street, spewing blood, an aneurysm. I guess a minute or so of blind panic and then it was over for him.
My mother died in her 80s in a hospice.
She asked me if I thought there was Hell. The Catholic indoctrination stayed with her all her life.
I told her, 'No, it's just like going to sleep with no dreams.'
The last conversation we ever had.
I wish I could have been more comfort to her.

[andy-hughes]

anne - // He was the first pope in 6 centuries to resign . //

And likely to remain so for the next six.

Let's face it, if you managed to climb to the top of that particularly odious greasy pole, you are unlikely to relinquish it unless you absolutely have to - better to stick it out and die at the top.

[Buenchico]

I have never understood why people who believe in an afterlife shouldn't be looking forward to death - unless, of course, they're worried about going in the wrong direction!

[douglas9401]

There is indeed a lot of self-serving, mealy mouthed nonsense surrounding the Church of Rome, their adherents and support crew.

I'm sure the man will arrive wherever he's going without a stain thanks to some interesting smells and a few bells.

[sandyRoe]

And I believe in times past you could buy your way into heaven. Thought doing that was later described as the sin of simony.

[anneasquith]

AH, it would appear your aim is to take a big swipe at the Catholic Church, I don’t think that’s what the thread is about ?

[naomi24]

This isn’t the time or the place to bash the church. I would wish a peaceful, pain free end of life for anyone.

[MissTerious2]

Agrees Anne and Naomi. Not the time or place to discuss.

[andy-hughes]

anne - // AH, it would appear your aim is to take a big swipe at the Catholic Church, I don’t think that’s what the thread is about ? //

As you well know, threads have a life of their own, and it's not possible for anyone, including the originator, to control or dictate where that life will take the thread.

I wish the pop a pain free and peaceful end, as I said.

My responses after that were directed to posts I read and on which I commented - that, as you know, is how the site works.

[Atheist]

Pope Benedict will disappear as we all do, regardless of whether or not other people believe in his religion. There's no disrespect in not being a Catholic believer. He will dissolve away as humans do, without any help or hindrance from other faiths.