Maybe it’s just me, but I think it’s right, fitting and proper that a German intellectual is the Pope.
Kim loves Benedict. Just sayin…
Life, Culture and Politics from BrisVegas
Larvatus Prodeo was an Australian group blog which discussed politics, sociology, culture, life, religion and science from a left of centre perspective. more»
That’s one of the reasons why Mark loves Kim. Just sayin…
It’s not just you, Kim. I couldn’t agree more.
I have a great devotion to the Holy Father.
Who was that Polish dude again?
It quickly became obvious why the Church Chose Benedict as the new Pope. Most of the punting was that the new pope would be from a region where Catholicism shows the most promise. However the Conclave wisely chose a man who could restore the Church in Europe where religious faith seems to be dying. Not only is religious faith dying, it seems the entire continent is heading for the morgue.
At this point in time only a man with the intellectual stature of Benedict could help avert this disaster, as there does not seem anyone else on the horizon. One can only hope.
I recently read a very powerful essay by a Spanish writer discussing the future of Europe. The most powerful point he made is that Europe and the European ideal died at Auschwitz and will probably not recover.
Yes, there’s no doubt that Benedict’s project is deeply tied up with Europe – as a concept and not just in terms of emprirical data on faith and secularisation.
I dont get it.
Neither do I Nic. Something about this chick and a donkey, something something wine something stoush something stupid hats something sex bad chook raffles good something something.
Famous last words, Nic.
Amen.
Is it just me, or does Jesus look like he’s rolling his eyeballs?
Word, Amanda.
I’m off to worship some false idols and contemplate which level of hell I’m going to end up in.
hey what happened to the post about marx and foucault?
I decided it didn’t make sense when I was sober – composed after quite a few pinots. So I deleted it.
What I don’t understand is why some people give credence to what the Pope says… can anyone help?
Because they’re Catholics?
If he speaks with a voice people understand, it will have meaning and credence. Europe needs a voice. Not just any voice but someone who can help get it off life support.
Many non-conservatives may not agree with the comments by that Spanish writer I referred to earlier. He felt through Auschwitz Europe destroyed a people who helped the continent develop in every way, cultural, scientific, etc. In it’s quest to regain respectability Europeans replaced those it killed with a culture that is essentially alien and inimical to European ideals. EuropeÄôs slow death is evident in lots of ways. There is no leader that can reverse this decline. Maybe this is Benedict’s calling, as he certainly ha the intellectual stature.
I donÄôt say this from a religious perspective in the sense that he would help convert more people to Catholicism.
I want to add that I am not religious in any shape or from. I do believe in God, but only because the odds favour belief, in the sense of why piss off the big guy if the alternative is nothing anyway. Pascal’s wager?
As Europe is our heritage and the heritage of the new world, we don’t want to see it end.
On and off this morning I’ve been crafting a brilliant comment in my head on Heidegger and stuff. Now there’s nowhere to plant it. A shame!
“Church in Europe where religious faith seems to be dying” and the rest of the modern world.
Perhaps as people become more educated, they have less need for the fantasy of religion.
Brian, you could always write your own post on Heidegger.
Mark, it was more about stuff than Heidegger. That is, about what was most significant about the 20th century in terms of the future of the world. I’m planning a post, but time and energy have been a bit lacking.
btw I was talking to a friend who had been in Europe recently. She said the churches would all end up being used for something else as the worshippers had pretty much vanished.
But then I also met again recently a guy I went to school and uni with who is now a Lutheran pastor in a small community of about 5000 in Germany. I forgot to ask him about his flock, but someone must pay his wages.
Brian – the Catholic, Lutheran and Evangelical churches in Germany have their priests’ and ministers’ wages paid by the State – out of an opt-out church tax – standard-ish model in Northern Europe – Sweden is the same. Therefore, parishioners or no parishioners, provided people don’t take the legal step of ceasing to register and thus not paying that proportion of the tax indirectly to the church (they pay the tax anyway but it goes into secular welfare stuff), the reverends get paid.
Hence the German churches are among the most cashed up in the world.
Marx and Foucault walk into a bar on the Left Bank, and there’s this fish drinking absinthe, so Marx says to the bartender…
No, no, what happens (in 2003 – actually) is you end up in a bar in Wollomooloo (or however you spell it…) with a post-Marxist at 2am debating whether Foucault was a Jansenist over gin, lime and tonics. And people should never settle for anything less than Bombay Sapphire.
The best gin I ever had was Bulgarian.
That’s good, Mark, I like it. I must admit it crossed my mind.
So here we have the secular state paying up to help God’s work. And it makes God’s messengers financially independent of the flock.
But now that citizenship has been extended to people of Turkish origin, shouldn’t their clergy get the same consideration?
Brian:
But now that citizenship has been extended to people of Turkish origin, shouldnÄôt their clergy get the same consideration?
I’m gunna get the popcorn, put my feet up to watch this one. It’s going to be real interesting.
I think they probably should, Joe, but actually I think that it might be better if Germany embraced secularism.
He who pays the piper calls the tune – a good reason to stay out of the hands of government funding full stop (including school funding, which I was arguing for a couple of weeks ago – strange place, this).
Homophobic Pope Benedict, speaking out on a topic that Italy’s incoming centre-left government will likely have to confront, on Thursday condemned gay marriage and legal recognition of unwed couples…