Yes, it’s late, but everyone else has done a Pope post, so why can’t I? I’ve actually commented at a few sites about it, and never very intelligently. When the new Pope was announced I was (surprise) in the pub – they turned the tv over and announced it was Cardinal Ratzinger. The place didn’t exactly erupt in a mass of “they picked a German” patriotic fervour. Rather it was “he’s a nazi”, “ultra conservative”, “he was in the Hitler Jugend”, “ich bin sowieso schon ausgetreten”. I’ve seen a similar reaction on loads of websites which (much like this one) never normally mention religion. I was asked what I thought. Now, I’m a pretty devout Atheist and wasn’t sure how deep this was going to get so opened with a pretty faithful rendition of a line from Stephen Fry “I’m not much of a theologian, but I know my St Ignatius from my Ian Paisley - my Loyolists from my Loyalists as you might say - and can spot the difference between a Pelagian and a gnostic at fifty paces”, mostly because I find it highly amusing, but also to state that “look, if you want to talk about religion fine, but I don’t know that much, and I don’t take it seriously, so take what I say with a pinch of salt”. No one knew what the hell I was on about - I suspect like many of the websites (and dare one say it, members of the media) that have commented about the latest Benedictus.
You wouldn’t believe how many people wanted me to join their team for the pub quiz later that evening though….
Übrigens: Ernst Beinhalter at Zappeduster has the most sensible advice I’ve heard yet from a German for “Unser Joseph”
Song playing as this was published: Asian Dub Foundation “Fortress Europe”
Aah, the demise of the rennaisance men (inclusively meant for the PC police)
Although I must admit I would have to refresh my memory on the Pelagians - weren’t they the chaps who mainly thought humans were good, while the gnostics thought humans were bad?
Sivani, good to see you fit and typing….
The point I was trying to make was that apart from being a member of the Union of Jewish Students for 1 year, I have no real personal experience of religion. I grew up in a religion-free home and was having to explain to a group of catholics who St Ignatius was and why therefore Loyola… This don’t forget is in a country where being ex-communicated has significant tax-benefits (church tax is taken from your salary at source unless you “publicly” state your lack of faith). They were going on and on about their church and didn’t know who Ignatius was, and you can kind of see a lot of that lack of historical background in the media/blog debate about the new pope. Mark Holland has a good title (and comment) about it.
Myself I don’t really care. I’m not catholic, I was just a bit shocked to hear all these comments from people who seemed less informed about their religion than I might possibly be. Although the reporter on TV was struggling too.
We never got as far as Pelagius who I think wondered too loudly about whether all humans are born carrying the weight of original sin (he thought not), it has lots to do with infant baptism and all that if you die before baptism, off to purgatory, even if you’ve done nothing wrong business. Don’t trust me on this - I’m too lazy to look it up.
In-Act, tu quoque!
I know, I know….. But I wasn’t claiming to know about the catholic church - I used the sentence specifically because it’s a joke - to show that what I said wasn’t to be taken seriously, and suddenly everyone looked at me like I was a theological expert…. In future I’ll stick to the first part about loyolists and loyalists where my knowledge is on slightly firmer ground…..
I to am not a Catholic, but I’m surrounded by Papist, right down to the wife and kids. Yeah…with the exception of the Bild, no other Germans that I know seemed to be claiming the new Pope for their own. As it turns out, in Der Spiegel the a poll stood at only 29% of Germans supporting Benedict. In fact, this guy really doesn’t reflect German Catholicism at all. The German church has always been a bit more rebellious and non-conformist.
As for the Hitler youth connection…pure poppycock. Even I, the great persecutor of things German, am not going to dump a Nazi label on this guy…at least not seriously. It does make delicious fodder for a bit of humor though.
I really should not post comments at 5 friggen 30 in the morning. Anyway…you know what I ment to say.