The College of Cardinals, the oldest continuing democratic body in the world, have elected a new pope. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI today. Leftists, who generally respond to the inside of a church in the same way that Count Dracula reacts to garlic, are already throwing a brat-fit. Apparently they were expecting Pope Susan Sarandon.

Viva il Papa!

You know, if I were Cardinal McCarrick, and if this were a business, and Pope Benedict XVI had just been elected chairman of the business...I'd be nervous.

Rest in peace, John Paul II. Long live Benedict XVI!

You may find some of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger's writings at: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/doc_rat_index.htm, and again at www.ratzingerfanclub.com, though this site has crashed due to the recent large volume of traffic. The operator of the site, however, will be increasing his server capabilities. Check back to it soon.

Leftists where counting on Harvey Fierstein to take the thrown.

"Ratzinger served John Paul II since 1981 as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In that position, he has disciplined church dissidents and upheld church policy against attempts by liberals for reforms."

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050419/D89IJPKO3.html

This man is a great man. Praise God for Pope Benedict XVI!

I was surprised. I thought they'd go with Arinze. But you've all seen my NFL picks, so ...

I'm well-pleased. He'll do well. Even Richard McBrien had pleasant things to say about him on ABC. And never let the lefties forget: At Vatican II everyone considered him some sort of Protestant mole out to ruin Holy Mother Church from within. Now the whole world thinks he's RoboPope, the Machine of Doctrine. I think it's more likely that he hasn't changed, but has been solidly rooted to one spot, while the zeitgeist spins about dizzily.

I wonder whether what Benedict's first actions will concern? Uprooting the vice of pedophilia by halting the infiltration of homosexuals into the priesthood? Reining in the liberalism and independence of the Western bishops? Etc.?

God willing, he'll undertake them all simultaneously.

I'm not sure what Church you're thinking of...

The Church will continue to do things the way she always has: Extraordinarily Slowly.

post-modern western authoritarian leftists detest people like the great Pope Benedict XVI because of his flawless logic born from a spirit of love. the only way they are able to attack these philosophies are through setting up straw-men to knock down, as evidenced by some of the pathetic posts at americablog.org(this blog is great for a laugh. if a student of philosphy wanted to they could probably count on average one blatant logical fallacy per post). one thing is certain, there is no way that the post-modern intolerant leftists will be able to divert the direction of the church down the road that leads to a culture of death with a man like Pope Benedict XVI as its head. he will lovingly continue to guide the church in a direction that advocates a culture of life, reconciliation, and peace.

the left continues to highlight its intellectually vacuous nature by demonstrating intolerance towards people whose "crime" is simply a difference of opinion that is offered peacefully and lovingly. the left is completely unable to offer pro-active and positive solutions to today's problems. on a day such as this, which should be a day where we celebrate an institution that advocates world peace(i apologize if i offend anyone by minimizing the church like that; i know it is much more than that!), all the left can do is rant and rave, produce animal noises, and puke all over itself and resort to vicious ad hominem logical fallacies and red herring logical fallacies.

but the left has lost the battle today! i'm going out to buy a bottle of wine! this is a great day for love and peace!

Homer,

Some things call for immediate action (in my humble opinion). The issue of pedophilia, for example, has been around for decades now.

I ain't arguin' wit ya. Just statin' the facts.

Homer,
I guess "paddypower.com" got it right and vegas didn't?

As I said, I'd trust the Irish over Vegas to pick a Pope any day.

I have to start betting when I know it's a lock...

I thought the Elites, Liberals and the MSM have denounced any form of Christian religion wether it be Catholicism or Christianity. But why on every single channel(including CNN and CBS) is there nothing but coverage of the Popes death and the election of a new one?

James - the media equivalent of the old freakshow, I gather. "SEE the Bearded Lady! GAPE at the Wolf-Boy! WATCH a Papal Election! Just a dollar, STEP right UP!"