tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post746096171334007754..comments2024-03-15T20:52:26.967-07:00Comments on Steve Sailer: iSteve: Pope Benedict XVI, age 85, announces retirementUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-78210904683732260152013-02-12T18:49:12.904-08:002013-02-12T18:49:12.904-08:00I don't blame Benedict XVI for relinquishing h...I don't blame Benedict XVI for relinquishing his position, perhaps he knows that he is starting to have cognitive decline, but I am reminded of John Paul II's incredible bravery is allowing all of us to witness the ravages of his aging, especially since he had such athletic vigor when he started his reign. He reminded us that the comforts of this world, even the sumptuous comforts of the Vatican, are no protection against a humiliating death.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-44476268342607150342013-02-12T17:59:51.623-08:002013-02-12T17:59:51.623-08:00The pope claims for himself "infallibility&qu...<i>The pope claims for himself "infallibility" in matters of "faith and morals". A position like that shouldn't be something you can retire from while living, like Rotary Club president or something.</i><br /><br />Please, leave theology to the professionals. You're not only confusing 'infallibility' with 'impeccability', you're confusing a teaching about the office with a teaching about the man.<br /><br />Stick to your polyester-suited preachers who impress you because they can rattle off a word or two in Koine Greek.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-90906752514709476912013-02-12T15:59:35.133-08:002013-02-12T15:59:35.133-08:00I wonder if sitting presidents actively criticizin...I wonder if sitting presidents actively criticizing law enforcement encourages violence against the police.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-66217319680777391472013-02-12T12:29:15.632-08:002013-02-12T12:29:15.632-08:00I knew it was Diocletian. I guess I'm surprise...I knew it was Diocletian. I guess I'm surprised that so many others did too. Smart group, your readers.<br /><br />The reason Diocletian sticks out is because of the violent fates of all those previous third century emperors. After the stability of the Antonines (ending with Commodus) the next century was disheartening. Diocletian restored some stability.<br /><br />I just turned 70. 85 seems very, very old to me. People tell me that we are all living longer today. But not really. Life expectancy at birth doesn't mean much to you if you survive childhood. I looked up life expectancy (cohort survival) at age 70. A hundred years ago it was 10 years. Today it's only 13 years. <br /><br />Old is old.<br /><br />AlbertosaurusPat Boylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13477950851915567863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-91555406182246912222013-02-12T12:09:24.187-08:002013-02-12T12:09:24.187-08:00People don't always die quickly or gracefully....<i>People don't always die quickly or gracefully. They can be in a living death for years. The pope is not a figurehead. He has a billion-plus member church to lead. Let him retire with dignity.</i><br /><br />The pope claims for himself "infallibility" in matters of "faith and morals". A position like that shouldn't be something you can retire from while living, like Rotary Club president or something.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-35718414186703361862013-02-12T11:40:39.566-08:002013-02-12T11:40:39.566-08:00"And within 1100 years, the empire had collap..."And within 1100 years, the empire had collapsed."<br /><br />It's a miracle the Byzantines lasted that long. Once Heraclean replaced Latin with Greek as the official language, and the Arab Conquests, the Byzantines reverted into what the Franks called a Greek kingdom. Sure, they could marshal Orthodox non-Greeks into service, but they were plagued with the infighting and treachery Greeks have employed since Achilles mutinied against Agamemnon, lasting to this day, where hardly any Greek will be bothered to pay his taxes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-6484631887477837602013-02-12T11:23:12.587-08:002013-02-12T11:23:12.587-08:00When you talk to Catholics who've long since s...When you talk to Catholics who've long since stopped going to mass, sending their kids to Catholic schools, etc. most say it's because the Church (esp. their local church) is too liberal. They say, "Why should I pay extra to send my kid to a Catholic school when they're as bad as the public school in teaching that "liberal crap?" <br /><br /><br /><br />I had separate conversations yesterday with two such "fallen Catholics."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-70122632051597158292013-02-12T11:22:25.793-08:002013-02-12T11:22:25.793-08:00When you talk to Catholics who've long since s...When you talk to Catholics who've long since stopped going to mass, sending their kids to Catholic schools, etc. most say it's because the Church (esp. their local church) is too liberal. They say, "Why should I pay extra to send my kid to a Catholic school when they're as bad as the public school in teaching that "liberal crap?" <br /><br /><br /><br />I had separate conversations yesterday with two such "fallen Catholics."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-53614813771461600992013-02-12T10:16:25.082-08:002013-02-12T10:16:25.082-08:00
Since the pope is known as The Holy Father, might...<br />Since the pope is known as The Holy Father, might the ex-pope have the honorific of The Holy Grandfather?Auntie Analoguenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-12249269833177089642013-02-12T09:25:15.387-08:002013-02-12T09:25:15.387-08:00Can Christianity afford a Pope surnamed Marx?
htt...Can Christianity afford a Pope surnamed Marx? <br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinhard_Marx<br />Pope Sarah doesn´t sound quite right either.<br /> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sarah<br />BBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-86760399461217750182013-02-12T08:37:05.091-08:002013-02-12T08:37:05.091-08:00On the other hand, people live a long time these d...<i> On the other hand, people live a long time these days. 85 is a pretty reasonable age to hang it up.</i><br /><br />50 years ago and before old age meant knowledge and wisdom. Today it more often means dotage.<br /><br />Add to this modern medias emphasis on youth and star power; plus knowledge is now often a wikipedia link; and I suspect the trend will be for Popes to step down in favor of a more "rock star" replacement.<br />rightsaidfredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14074128270057493787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-15392800418711630612013-02-12T08:37:01.418-08:002013-02-12T08:37:01.418-08:00Maybe he resigned because Disney hired him to play...<i>Maybe he resigned because Disney hired him to play a Sith Lord in the upcoming Star Wars films? </i><br /><br />You know who the previous pope selected to be his voice ion the audio book for <i>Crossing the Threshold of Hope</i>?<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Hammond" rel="nofollow">Earl Hammond</a>.<br /><br />Yes, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSBIpTUi_RY" rel="nofollow">that Earl Hammond</a>.Glaivesterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16867323638154972101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-8669902985120109992013-02-12T08:36:58.570-08:002013-02-12T08:36:58.570-08:00"Diocletian. He also shifted the center-of-gr..."Diocletian. He also shifted the center-of-gravity of the empire to the east, and formalized an eastern style for the imperatorship, wherein the monarch is treated as a remote, almost God-like being, with pomp, and elaborate ceremonial dress, and armies of lackeys."<br /><br />And within 1100 years, the empire had collapsed.joshnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-39586848848311076422013-02-12T08:10:32.365-08:002013-02-12T08:10:32.365-08:00"It's kind of lame that he resigned. Pope...<b>"It's kind of lame that he resigned. Pope should be one of those positions you can't quit while you're still alive."</b><br /><br />The Mormon Church does this. The head of the Church remains the prophet until his death. In the case of Ezra Taft Benson, who was prophet for 8 1/2 years from 1985-94, he spent at least half of his tenure as a walking vegetable. They'd occasionally carry him out to events and prop him up for all to see, but you could tell the lights had gone out long ago. His grandson, Steve Benson, a once respectable Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist who went nuts himself, bitterly protested this.<br /><br />People don't always die quickly or gracefully. They can be in a living death for years. The pope is not a figurehead. He has a billion-plus member church to lead. Let him retire with dignity.Matthewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-7065852818342577252013-02-12T07:41:28.479-08:002013-02-12T07:41:28.479-08:00Peter, thank you for visiting us from 1995.
Was a...<i>Peter, thank you for visiting us from 1995.</i><br /><br />Was already on the ground, lying on a futon, but LOL.<br /><br /><i>the reason Benedict is retiring now is so that he can have a say in the choice of his successor</i><br /><br />Seems likely, or he has a degenerative disease.<br /><br /><i>Papa Ratzi could follow the American custom and expect still to be addressed as Pope. Or Mr Pope.</i><br /><br />Signor Papa. Who wouldn't want to live out their final days being called 'Signor Papa'?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-58138334686109744442013-02-12T07:12:56.829-08:002013-02-12T07:12:56.829-08:00"Anonymous said...
It's kind of lame tha..."Anonymous said...<br /><br />It's kind of lame that he resigned. Pope should be one of those positions you can't quit while you're still alive."<br /><br />Like "60 Minutes" host.Mr. Anonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-14857172534234641622013-02-12T07:11:23.357-08:002013-02-12T07:11:23.357-08:00Anonymous said...
What rank is a retired? Does he...Anonymous said... <br />What rank is a retired? Does he revert to being a cardinal?<br /><br /><br />There is talk of giving him some kind of emeritus status.Dahindanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-9285068839629074112013-02-12T05:56:13.775-08:002013-02-12T05:56:13.775-08:00Diocletian. He also shifted the center-of-gravity ...<br />Diocletian. He also shifted the center-of-gravity of the empire to the east, and formalized an eastern style for the imperatorship, wherein the monarch is treated as a remote, almost God-like being, with pomp, and elaborate ceremonial dress, and armies of lackeys. That's waht Procopius complian about in Justinian having people kiss him and Theodora's feet.2/11/13, 8:45 PM Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-69864836935286822612013-02-12T04:50:25.033-08:002013-02-12T04:50:25.033-08:00My prediction is that the dumbed-down and militant...My prediction is that the dumbed-down and militantly secular media will spend a huge percentage of its time speculating about the next pope being black. <br /><br />Gentlemen, the next month is going to be all about the search for the first Afropope.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-40430597440435092922013-02-12T04:10:37.282-08:002013-02-12T04:10:37.282-08:00Papa Ratzi could follow the American custom and ex...Papa Ratzi could follow the American custom and expect still to be addressed as Pope. Or Mr Pope.deariemenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-56576442749251725952013-02-12T03:22:48.538-08:002013-02-12T03:22:48.538-08:00When you resign from your job, you normally presen...When you resign from your job, you normally present your resignation letter to your boss.<br /><br />Who do you give to when you're the Pope ? To God himself ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-82198315008449992832013-02-12T01:59:11.413-08:002013-02-12T01:59:11.413-08:00"Pope should be one of those positions you ca..."Pope should be one of those positions you can't quit while you're still alive."<br /><br />Yeah, I can see that. On the other hand, people live a long time these days. 85 is a pretty reasonable age to hang it up.<br /><br />If I'm still writing at 85, you're hereby allowed to decide I've gotten boring. (Of course, at age 84 I may change my mind about this.)Steve Sailerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11920109042402850214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-78430834345992792522013-02-12T01:25:49.172-08:002013-02-12T01:25:49.172-08:00It's kind of lame that he resigned. Pope shoul...It's kind of lame that he resigned. Pope should be one of those positions you can't quit while you're still alive. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-41193681214864800542013-02-12T01:07:25.915-08:002013-02-12T01:07:25.915-08:00"Sulla also retired, though for more hedonist..."Sulla also retired, though for more hedonistic reasons. Having obtained the title of dictator-for-life, Sulla eventually concluded that power had no more enticements for him, and so spent the last six months of his life partying constantly".<br /><br />I'm sure this is precisely what Ratzinger has in mind. <br /><br />And why not? <br /><br />Anon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-91316812240022480702013-02-12T00:10:09.174-08:002013-02-12T00:10:09.174-08:00
Is an ex-bear Catholic? Does the ex-pope sh_t in ...<br />Is an ex-bear Catholic? Does the ex-pope sh_t in the woods?Auntie Analoguenoreply@blogger.com