View Full Version : I'm so tired of hearing about the pope
Isn't there more news in the world, than who the next pope will be? I don't ever remember it being like this before. Its constant, and I'm really tired of it.
Hopefully they aren't as deadlocked as our congress and we can get this over with. Seems like everything is a circus anymore.
Maybe, but I think it's more uplifting news than hearing about grisly crimes and white collar crimes and sex scandals and backstabbing in politics, and what the Jersey Shore cast is up to.
But then again, I have strong Catholic roots, and I'm always hopeful that the leadership is going to rise to the occasion and be an inspiration to the world.
Isn't there more news in the world, than who the next pope will be? I don't ever remember it being like this before. Its constant, and I'm really tired of it.
Hopefully they aren't as deadlocked as our congress and we can get this over with. Seems like everything is a circus anymore.
I know! Tell me about it! And the smoke thing! What a charade. Can't they just go to the door and say.."Uh, not yet..." I mean, seriously. Does this 'election' actually have any impact on anyone's (outside of the Vatican) life, at all? Will your day to day doings, or even your core beliefs change? I don't think so. If the pope came out tomorrow and said he now accepts gay marriage, the ones who think it is a sin will still think it's a sin, and the ones who don't will shrug and say, ok, well, that happened.
The whole goofy black/white smoke thing just leaves me with one thought. All they need now are the mirrors.
goldensmom
3-13-13, 8:25am
I don't mind. I'm not Catholic and have no connections to the Catholic church but The Vatican City is a country and has importance in the world. As <catherine> said, it's a lot better than a lot of the things we hear on the news.
I'm not Catholic, either, though I seem to know a lot of them. And there are a lot of them: one in every five people in the world calls himself or herself Catholic. The way a new Pope leads the Church certainly affects that billion-plus people. Anything that affects that many people deserves attention. There are plenty of issues which affect more people than that which deserve more attention than they get. But they're all more complex than the election of a church leader and its a lot harder to provide the ends of those stories.
I don't watch mainstream TV or read the newspaper regularly any more, and my blood pressure has dropped 20 points and I stopped getting sick with a thousand little ailments that that stress used to cause me. But that said, this is something that's important to a billion people and so it's news. {shrug} Better that than the Kardashians, barf. If you're sick of it you could turn on something else? Or turn it off entirely for a week and see how much better you feel: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA401018/Need-a-News-Fast.html
Like overdose on any other news item, it can be tedious to hear the same spiel and manufactured stuff to fill space and time on the media.
Talk about the US financial cliff went on and on and on forever, it seemed, and only affected something like 2% of the GDP if all the cuts were implemented. It sounded as though the world would end according to media reports.
I get my news from the computer online news sources with just the highlights for most items and my stress level is down to normal.
All the hype is the result of having all the electronic gadgets in so many hands with space and time to fill them.
The whole goofy black/white smoke thing just leaves me with one thought. All they need now are the mirrors.
Haha peggy. That's kind of how I feel about ANY organized religion! I attended the funeral of a friend's Dad a while back. Full on Catholic. The Rosary the night before, then the complete "High Mass" the next day. I'd forgotten how completely Catholicism embraces it's rituals. As a gypsy in the palace I just tried to politely stay quiet and awake, but it wasn't easy after the 400th "Hail Mary filled with Grace...". I respect Catholics traditions if that works for them, but I can't say I will ever understand it. Btw, when the priests swung those little pots around the smoke was white. I wonder if that meant something?
Originally posted by Peggy.
And the smoke thing! What a charade.
The whole goofy black/white smoke thing just leaves me with one thought. All they need now are the mirrors.ROTFLMAO!!! Peggy... you provide some of THE best colour around here!
I'm old-fashioned, so kind of fancy the idea of the smoke thing... wouldn't seem right for the Vatican to send out an email or text Re:. Somehow, the smoke thing seems old-world, and I like that, mind you, I can only imagine the bickering, the whining, and the sulking going on inside right about now.
So many vying for a shot at the title... feeling entitled to, or even ownership of... yet for those clearly out of the picture... the mass of would be pope's-noses out of joint.
Miss Cellane
3-13-13, 10:25am
I think there's just more news coverage of everything now. More all-news networks that need something to fill the air time.
And this election is a bit different, because the pope resigned instead of dying. So instead of a death, followed pretty quickly by the Conclave, you had the announcement of the resignation, the final days of the Papacy, followed by the gathering of the cardinals and now the Conclave. And the resignation was Big News, because such a thing has happened only once before, so it got a lot of air time. And the newscasters need to explain what's happening, so that non-Catholics, and to be honest, many Catholics, understand what's going on.
It's just like all the hype over Presidential elections. I could do without that, as well.
As for the smoke in the thurible* (incense pot), it has more to do with the brand of incense and the charcoal used than anything else.
We Catholics are pretty big on our traditions. Things do change however--the cardinals are no longer locked into the building where they hold the conclave, cardinals over 80 are no longer eligible to be voted in as Pope. Things change in the Catholic church, but they change slowly.
And it's the being locked in that started the black/white smoke signals, I think. There was no communication with the outside world, oso the general public had no idea what was going on. The smoke signals would at least show that votes were happening, and how often.
I suppose the traditional smoke thing might be okay if the media wasn't camped out and glued on that smokestack.....along with thousands of people in the area. And the smoke........they use chemicals to make it look really black or really white. And they have to install a furnace and smokestacks, just for this occasion.
I just think of all the money, resources spent on all of this "tradition". Just because a billion people are into it, doesn't make it the truth...........or good, or anything else.
Its just too much. Maybe tradition was good long ago, when it didn't cost millions of dollars, just to express a tradition..........but its all gotten out of hand......like everything else in this world.
Simpler is definitely better.
Mighty Frugal
3-13-13, 11:29am
Well, as others have written I'd rather see this than all the other 'no effect on my life' news.
I love tradition and the smoke.
A billion people do believe in this (at least to a certain degree) and I think we should respect everyone's beliefs.
As with anything else on TV, if you are not interested, simply turn off the TV
IshbelRobertson
3-13-13, 11:32am
Good for the Catholics!
I live in a country that has a deeply held belief in traditions - long may they continue.
I keep watching for white smoke. Then it will be over.
Miss Cellane
3-13-13, 11:37am
Well, the Catholic church has no control over the media camped out there. I'm sure many of the Vatican workers wish the media would disappear.
The installation of the furnace and the chemicals for the smoke don't cost nearly as much as flying all the cardinals to Rome and feeding and housing them for weeks. And the smoke is probably less harmful to the environment than the plane fuel that is burned.
Maybe they should all stay home and vote over the internet.
Congress could do that do, there's no real reason they have to all be in Washington together.
Personally, I think the whole March Madness basketball thing is a total waste and a huge media hype. And think of the money and resources spent moving all the teams and their associated coaches and trainers around the country. And the money and fuel spent by fans who travel cross-country to see the games. But many other people get enjoyment from it. So I just avoid all mention of basketball and March Madness on TV and the internet for the month of March.
When you get down to it, why even have college baskeball or football? Or pro sports? All those consume millions of dollars yearly and for what? A homecoming tradition at a college?
I guess I don't see why the election of the Pope is bringing out such negative feelings. Stuff gets hyped in the news all the time. Just skip over the reports you don't want to hear/see and move on with life.
Miss Cellane
3-13-13, 11:47am
Oh, and for the record, I'm Catholic. And I think the media is over-playing the Papal election myself. I really only care to learn when they elect a new Pope, not all the false starts.
The longest Papal Conclave was in the Middle Ages. It took three years to select a Pope. They were feeding the cardinals nothing but bread and water by the end, in an attempt to get them to come to a decision. Let's hope that doesn't happen again!
As a life-long Catholic, I'm very interested in the selection of a new pope. And I'm 66 years old and this may be the last one I see. The tradition goes back over 2000 years; don't worry--the Catholic church has plenty of money to pay for all of this.
Whatever the reason is...........the media, the populus, the church, etc...........its just too much.
Spend a few minutes on it, but not 75% of the news time........including interviews with foreign and local people over it.
I watch the news for a variety of information, but its hard to know what's going on in my community, or the world, if all the stations are about the pope selection.
Like I said, its like everything else........just too much.
And don't make this into a "she's criticizing our religion"..........I'm just tired of hearing about it so much.
crunchycon
3-13-13, 12:12pm
Well, it's a piece of history, so it's an important story...but this is where our 24-hour news culture has gotten us. Back in the days of Paul IV, this event would have rated a chunk of the 6 o'clock news. Now we're subjected to a lot of filler.
Miss Cellane
3-13-13, 12:18pm
Then please put the blame where it belongs--on the media. The Catholic church is just going about its business, the way it has for centuries.
What's changed is the media coverage.
CaseyMiller
3-13-13, 12:45pm
Isn't there more news in the world, than who the next pope will be? I don't ever remember it being like this before. Its constant, and I'm really tired of it.
Hopefully they aren't as deadlocked as our congress and we can get this over with. Seems like everything is a circus anymore.
Jeez! I agree 1000%. I know it is news I really can't understand how it justify's this much coverage.
Oh, and for the record, I'm Catholic. And I think the media is over-playing the Papal election myself. I really only care to learn when they elect a new Pope, not all the false starts.
The longest Papal Conclave was in the Middle Ages. It took three years to select a Pope. They were feeding the cardinals nothing but bread and water by the end, in an attempt to get them to come to a decision. Let's hope that doesn't happen again!
Oh my, 3 years!! And to end up on bread and water only!! That's funny (to me but I bet it wasn't to the poor guys who were stuck there!!)
Anyway, I am not Catholic so it holds no deep spiritual meaning to me but I am interested in who is elected. Where will he be from? Will he change the church in any way? Just Curia curious...
I see the Church--certainly the Vatican--as an anachronism that will eventually have to change or disappear--It all seems very medieval to me--that's my opinion as a CINO, but I'll defend the coverage as being at least as relevant to my life as most of the rest of the news.
...don't worry--the Catholic church has plenty of money to pay for all of this.
Hahaha, I was thinking the exact same thing!
I see the Church--certainly the Vatican--as an anachronism that will eventually have to change or disappear--It all seems very medieval to me--that's my opinion as a CINO, but I'll defend the coverage as being at least as relevant to my life as most of the rest of the news.
I see all religions (not spirituality mind you) as medieval and increasingly irrelevant. Which I guess is why I get so tired of it all. I know it shouldn't', but a part of me gets annoyed when we, modern, intelligent, reasoning adults go on and on as if all this were 'true' and without question. It's as if we all absolutely believed in Santa Clause and the Easter bunny, and got offended if anyone points out that they are just make believe. Sure, some believe in Santa Clause, but we wink, accept that and move on. It's not a matter of 'respect' (which really establishes esteem or deference) cause I just can't 'respect' anyone's belief in sky gods, or sun gods, or devils, or other such things. I ACCEPT it, which is more appropriate a term that 'respect' IMO. But for anyone to be 'offended' by me saying it's goofy makes about as much sense as them being offended if I say broccoli sucks! You may love broccoli (as do I) and you may believe in god. Fine, ok, that's your thing. But don't expect me to act like I think it's real. Or deserves any special deference. Which takes me back, in a round a bout way, to the OP. Going on and on about this on the news, annoys me as much as them going on and on about the Kardashians.
OK, I know I've offended some people. I think this is why some fundamentalist religions (among others) are so anti science. Every time we learn more truths (real facts) about our world and the universe, it pulls that curtain back just a little more. go out in the world a bit, travel and live in other countries. You'd be surprised how close we actually are to a theocracy.
IshbelRobertson
3-13-13, 2:27pm
White smoke!
No further news.
It will probably take the media a week or two to let it go.
White smoke!
No further news.
Apparently it takes up to an hour for the new pope to appear.
What do you guess? An Italian? They are all conservative so little will change except the birthplaces which will be overrun with tourists.
So cool! I live down the street from a Catholic church and all of a sudden the bells started ringing and they're still ringing.. I remember when Benedict was chosen, it was the same happy sound.
So, I guess you guys only have to tolerate Pope news for another couple of days... back to Jodi Arias very shortly.
What do you guess? An Italian? They are all conservative so little will change except the birthplaces which will be overrun with tourists.As a Canadian, I'm hoping Cardinal Marc Ouellet!
CaseyMiller
3-13-13, 3:11pm
Seriously interested -
Given the media coverage, I can only assume the Pope is one of the most powerful people on earth. Okay, so what exactly gives the Pope so much power? What can he do to influence change? I recognize the charity aspect etc...but what does he influence/change that can give him seemingly so much of a perception of power?
I'm pulling for Father Guido Sarducci. :)
The new Pope is, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
Okay, so what exactly gives the Pope so much power?
It's a natural aspect of being God's representative on earth (according to Catholics). Sorta just comes with the territory.
The new Pope is, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
I'm so happy about that. This is a simple man, who wears monks robes and rides a bus to work and really is a man of the people in Argentina. I hear he is taking the name Francesco, after St. Francis, who of course is the patron saint of poverty, animals, and ecology..
A Simple Pope! I'm so psyched!
ApatheticNoMore
3-13-13, 3:35pm
Seriously interested -
Given the media coverage, I can only assume the Pope is one of the most powerful people on earth. Okay, so what exactly gives the Pope so much power?
The fact that so many people are Catholic.
What can he do to influence change?
Personally, I'd wish for a change of stance on birth control (come out for condoms at least), such has large impact on the earth's population etc..
I recognize the charity aspect etc...but what does he influence/change that can give him seemingly so much of a perception of power?
he influences perceptions on social type issues (birth control, gays, divorce, etc.). Now the catholic church actually has a strong social justice aspect, but they don't often win fights against economic power! Economic power almost always wins. They have a strong just war stance but this seldom persuades military might and the desire to fight wars, might makes right pretty much always wins that one.
Those getting angry at too much news really just need to turn off their t.v.. I get most news from places where I can choose what to dig into (an article in the newspaper on the pope - um you can just check the headline and not read it, same with a link on the web). But t.v. ought to have a responsibility just to keep us as informed as possible yea yea ... but it doesn't ... if wishes were horses.
Miss Cellane
3-13-13, 3:35pm
And he's the first Jesuit to become Pope. I went to a Jesuit college and know a few Jesuits, because my cousin is one, and I have a lot of respect for them.
And he's a young sprout--only 76!
ApatheticNoMore
3-13-13, 3:48pm
But is he Catholic? I've been wondering ...
I don't think his life will be simple now. I wonder if that would bother him?
I don't think his life will be simple now. I wonder if that would bother him?
Maybe he can change that way of thinking and spread the wealth a little. : )
I'm so happy about that. This is a simple man, who wears monks robes and rides a bus to work and really is a man of the people in Argentina. I hear he is taking the name Francesco, after St. Francis, who of course is the patron saint of poverty, animals, and ecology..
A Simple Pope! I'm so psyched!
Let us hope he will be able to use these as platforms for positive change. :)
Actually, his patron is St. Francis Xavier, not Assisi.
Actually, his patron is St. Francis Xavier, not Assisi.
Well that would make sense since he's Jesuit, but the media has been referencing Francis of Assisi. Probably the only saint named Francis they're familiar with top-of-mind. I'll be interested in getting confirmation on that--where did you hear that, Tradd?
Catherine, I heard that on the local CBS radio station. However, I'm not seeing that anywhere online. Obviously, someone had their info wrong.
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1218 From this little bit of a biography St. Francis Xavier sound like a decent sort to emulate....Being a non Catholic I am not aware of many of the saints. Thought you all might be interested.
I'm pulling for Father Guido Sarducci. :)
:laff::laff::laff:
Oh, then we can all play "Find the Pope in the Pizza!"
Well that would make sense since he's Jesuit, but the media has been referencing Francis of Assisi. Probably the only saint named Francis they're familiar with top-of-mind.
What??? The mass media machine didn't confirm their "facts" before going to air??? {{Shudder.}}
The Storyteller
3-14-13, 10:42am
Considering he is probably the most influential religious leader in the world, I would say his selection is newsworthy. But if you are seeing too much coverage, you are probably just watching too much television.
But many Catholics share your frustration with the media coverage. This was shared on my Catholic son-in-law's facebook page...
http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/yimcatholic/files/2013/03/Catholic_Memes_Secular_Media_Conclave_Bingo_.png
goldensmom
3-14-13, 11:06am
Considering he is probably the most influential religious leader in the world, I would say his selection is newsworthy. But if you are seeing too much coverage, you are probably just watching too much television.
That's funny because whenever I comment about the constant, over the top news coverage of an event my husband says 'then don't watch it'.....problem solved!!
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