The Town Hall Archives

Eugene Kendall™ · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 3:10 pm Post subject: The Pope Died

Pope John paul the second died today

Melka · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 4:15 pm Post subject:

ohh he did...when? { runs off too look for confermation...}

Eugene Kendall™ · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 5:23 pm Post subject:

http://www.cnn.com/
http://www.msn.com/

GusDeHaan · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 7:24 pm Post subject:

Finally - I am getting sick of news reporting on things for 2 hours straight.

ObiWan Kenobi Girl · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:17 pm Post subject:

are you guys Catholic?

Jonathan · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:19 pm Post subject:

GusDeHaan · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:53 pm Post subject:

Coralfish · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:57 pm Post subject:

GusDeHaan · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:59 pm Post subject:

Jared · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 10:31 pm Post subject:

As I am not Catholic, I obviously do not view the pope in the same terms that a Catholic would. Nonetheless, Gus, I would note that regardless of your views as to his religious role, it is undeniable that Karol Wojtyla, the man who in 1978 became John Paul II, has greatly impacted modern society.

When the Soviet Union's grip on Eastern Europe began to falter, he played a significant role in moving the region away from communism and toward liberal democracy. I would suggest that, whatever one thinks of the Roman Catholic Church, it is no coincidence that the old Soviet Bloc nations aligned with Roman Catholicism far outpace those aligned with the Eastern Orthodoxy in terms of political development, economic growth, freedom and prosperity.

It was an era of great men and women who championed the ushering in of a new era of freedom for a region of the world that had scarcely tasted thereof: Reagan, Thatcher, Havel, Walesa, Sharansky and, I would argue, John Paul II.

John Paul II's pontificate has also advocated a conservative social policy and has in so doing no doubt influenced a significant number of people. While I strongly disagree politically with the former pope's support of a massive welfare state, his support for socially conservative causes, and particularly the pro-life movement, was of considerable import.

One can, therefore, have irreconcilable differences with his religious teaching and still believe that he was a man of great significance who played a vital role in a crucial moment in history.