We have a new, popularly electiced, religious leader

around lunchtime on Tuesday, the 19th of April 2005 by Variable

Announced just today, Roman Catholic Cardinals have decided on, via popular vote, a new Pope. Call me crazy, but I would imagine that there would be more of a religious spin to the selection of the leader of the world’s largest religion. In my fantasy world, you’ve have to endure a grand ceremony and personal test of God’s divine will for you to lead his religion. Instead, I can’t help but imagine the politics going on in the Sistine Chapel, "Vote for me, and I’ll abolish celibacy!" Which they of course forget about as soon as they are elected for the life-long appointment. Since when was religion a democracy? Isn’t the whole point to it that *God’s* will be done? The fact that they had to go through several votes raises all kinds of red flags to me. If God wanted someone to be Pope, wouldn’t he intervene and influence the Cardinals’ decisions? It would be unanimous the first time around!