New Pope Went Along To Get Along, All The Way to the Top
Raised Roman Catholic, and educated in Franciscan, Benedictine, and Jesuit schools, I have an opinion about this Pope. The Jesuits taught us that to be spiritual is to be beyond the influence of the times and peer pressure — to “be your own man.” But Pope Benedict sounds like a go-along to get-along kind of guy. While he may not deserve to be crucified for joining Hitler Youth in the first place, this thing he confessed to, of pretending to be Hitler Youth to get a tuition break after completing his seminary education, discloses a character flaw. Clearly he was already through his priestly education at this point, having completed seminary, and yet he's pretending to be a fascist to get a tuition break? Give me a break!
[quote="The Pope“]'When the Hitler Youth was established, my brother was forced to become a member,' Ratzinger said in an interview in 1997. ”I was still too young, but later, when I entered the seminary, I also joined. But as soon as I had left the seminary, I never went to see them again. And this was difficult, because in order to be entitled to get a discount on the tuition fee, which I urgently needed, one had to prove that one was a member of the Hitler Youth.'[/quote]
In other words, he joined Hitler Youth at the same time as he joined God's Army of celibate clerics, then didn't go back to the clubhouse after graduation, but just pretended as much as necessary to “prove” himself a member. I bet on occasion that required a little fancy guss-stepping!
A Pope should be a man of character, someone worthy to fill the shoes of the first Pope, Peter, whose name means “Rock.” Peter was one tough guy, who himself attained martyrdom at the hands of the Romans, just like his zealot leader, but insisted on a distinction from his executioners — he wanted to be crucified upside down. Legend says he claimed to be unworthy to of the honor of being crucified in the same manner as his master.
Peter had shown a crazy streak early on, though, like in the Garden of Gesthemane, when he cut off the Roman soldier's ear with his fisherman's blade, and Jesus had to re-attach it to calm things down. Somehow, I don't think our new Pope could fill the shoes of such a fisherman. He'd more likely be out there with Judas, seeing what they could buy for 30 pieces of silver. It's just what anyone else would do, and that is the standard on which the public seems eager to judge this Pope. Why didn't they look for a priest who was a fisherman? Then they might have even found a Pope from Africa or South America, or some other former European colony.
Benedictu Sancti,
Chas ;)
[quote="The Pope“]'When the Hitler Youth was established, my brother was forced to become a member,' Ratzinger said in an interview in 1997. ”I was still too young, but later, when I entered the seminary, I also joined. But as soon as I had left the seminary, I never went to see them again. And this was difficult, because in order to be entitled to get a discount on the tuition fee, which I urgently needed, one had to prove that one was a member of the Hitler Youth.'[/quote]
In other words, he joined Hitler Youth at the same time as he joined God's Army of celibate clerics, then didn't go back to the clubhouse after graduation, but just pretended as much as necessary to “prove” himself a member. I bet on occasion that required a little fancy guss-stepping!
A Pope should be a man of character, someone worthy to fill the shoes of the first Pope, Peter, whose name means “Rock.” Peter was one tough guy, who himself attained martyrdom at the hands of the Romans, just like his zealot leader, but insisted on a distinction from his executioners — he wanted to be crucified upside down. Legend says he claimed to be unworthy to of the honor of being crucified in the same manner as his master.
Peter had shown a crazy streak early on, though, like in the Garden of Gesthemane, when he cut off the Roman soldier's ear with his fisherman's blade, and Jesus had to re-attach it to calm things down. Somehow, I don't think our new Pope could fill the shoes of such a fisherman. He'd more likely be out there with Judas, seeing what they could buy for 30 pieces of silver. It's just what anyone else would do, and that is the standard on which the public seems eager to judge this Pope. Why didn't they look for a priest who was a fisherman? Then they might have even found a Pope from Africa or South America, or some other former European colony.
Benedictu Sancti,
Chas ;)