The Pope's Legacy...sounds like a Star Wars movie-CC

Okay so as much as it pains me to talk about the pope AGAIN, I will. It's not that I'm against Catholicism or Christianity as a whole, its just that I am against that idea that if you dont believe what they believe, than your gonna rot in hell.

I quote the pope in 1981: "the church cannot be an association of free thinkers."

So what do they expect people to be, sheep? I understand that the point is to live your life the right way, and you will go to Heaven. THATS GREAT. But I mean, am I that far off when I say that I think by scaring people into behaving a certain way, or even telling them that they are not supposed to be free thinkers, is a kind of violent and odd method. And what if you dont do what your supposed to do? Go to church on Sunday, repent, and all is forgiven? Talk about the ultimate loophole!

Anyways, the pope is gone and he has left behind this legacy which would make any candidate for the job a bit nervous. It's like going on a job interview to replace GOD.

I guess you dont really have to be Catholic to appreciate the many good things that the Pope did, ie: helping end communism, ending wars between nations, helping create better relations between the catholics and the jews.....etc etc....

But for some reason it is easier to dwell on the negative, especially if your not a practising Catholic. It's hard for me to really admire someone completely if there are a lot of things that I dont agree with. For example, his highly conservative views towards abortion, artificial insemination, and homosexuality.

Maybe for me, the biggest issue would be his opposing views towards women in the clergy. Maybe because I'm a girl my opinion is a bit skewed but heres what I think. I think the current state of the church is more conservative and worse off because there arent more women involved in the decision making. I mean, women are stubborn too but I think a bit more flexible.

Especially in issues invoving womens lives such as birth control and abortion. You can't expect a man to really understand what going through something like pregnancy or unwanted pregancy is like.

Well anyway, I hope that the next guy they pick knows what he is in for, and up against.