Which is why it'd even out at about 1 billion. If every Catholic in the world cared, then there'd be even more non-catholics who do care, and it would be more than a billion.

Mikus, stfu. Period.

Yes, that's a good THEORY, but of course, there's no reason to believe that what you're pulling out of you ***, is more valid what the rest of us are getting from our own treasure troves.

What is he pulling out of his ***?

This statistic of 1 billion.
I go to a Catholic school 99/100 people I know are Catholic, about 3 of those 99 give a damn about the pope, so according to these statistics, only 30 million Catholics in the world care. YAY FOR BULL****!

[Edit: used wrong words]

Thank you.

Who cares about the number of people who care about the pope?

Such a redudant argument. "My number's better than yours!"

The argument is whether or not it's newsworthy to have every little bit of information about a man frontpage news, so the amount of people who would care to learn this news is rather relevant.

Ok, so perhaps not all of Christiandom/Catholicism cares for the well being of the Pope. He is still the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. I want you all to read that bold line again. The Roman Catholic Church has A LOT of members. Yes, devotion varies across the globe. This is why he is in the media frequently. What exactly are we debating?

Getting away from everything, it's obvious that I don't hold much esteem for the Pope, but let me ask those of you who do:
If you got your newspaper and read "The Pope has died of Parkinons at age 90[or however old he is]" would you think "Why didn't anyone tell me he was feeling sick?!" or would you think "This is a sad time for me and those of my faith, I hope a strong new leader is elected promptly" You only get to pick one.

All I would think is "Crap! What if the next pope isn't polish?"

Who cares how many people care about the Pope? It's still newsworthy.

I doubt more than 200 million world wide would care if George Bush was run over by a bulldozer, but it would still be newsworthy...

Yes, but the Pope wasn't run over by a bulldozer. "Sick man goes to hospital" OMQ!

Bush would get the same coverage if he were in the hospital like the pope is now.

And no one will really care if he does.

For god's sake, your argument is completely redundant! The pope's failing health IS definitly a news worthy thing! Just because you don't care, and the kids in your high school don't care, doesn't mean most people don't care! The target audience for the news is not people your age, it's older adults, and many of them definitl;y care about the pope.

We get it. You don't give a ****. You made that clear from the start. You're failing is that you don't understand how others might feel that the Pope's condition is important. Despite what you may think, other people feel much, much differently that you do.

That means nothing coming from you.

You not caring about Bush is like just like an atheist not caring about the pope.

Except that some people would be rejoiced if Bush was run over by a bulldozer, thus, they care.

If Kofi Annan had failing health and went to the hospital, it would make front-page news. If it was the queen of England, the president of Russia, or someone of equally important standing, it would be the on the front page of the news.

Myself, I would care, if simply to know what's happening to the leader of an extremely important organization. The Roman Catholic church is a huge organization, spanning countries and people. To say, "Meh...he's not important to me, and to some people I know, so no one cares," is an extremely self-centered view.

Yes, news coverage is fine, not stalking!!!

Indeed.

Incidentally, I'm an atheist and I care more for the Pope than for Bush...

Oh, brother.

/me takes a few steps back from thread

So I guess this means that Mikus concedes the argument?

Mikus, knock it off. You're helping nothing.

News network boss in a meeting with his reporters:

Boss: Well, there’s not much going on. It's going to be difficult to maintain the illusion that the world is in crisis. We milked 9/11 and the Tsunami for just about all they were worth. Now that we've run out of big things to report, we'll have to take some small news that we'd normally have mentioned on the evening news, and blow it out of proportion. Anyone got any ideas? You?

Reporter: Well... I heard the Pope is sick, though nothing very serious.

Boss: Excellent, excellent, remind me to give you a raise! We'll have to whip up news category for developments for this. How about "The Pope Crises". We'll give every one updates every five minutes. I want you to get out there and dig up anything you can.

In the Pope's hospital:

Pope: Holy crap! Where did all those reporters come from!

Bishop: You must have been randomly selected for news coverage because the networks had nothing to report on.

Pope: Crap!

Four days later:

Pope to reporters: For the billionth time! It's just a stupid operation! I'm feeling fine!

Reporter: How are you feeling?

Pope: That's it! I herby excommunicate all reporters!

Reporter: How was the surgery?

Pope: *cries*




Way more people than that would care. Just because someone doesn't like the leader of a powerful nation doesn't mean they wouldn't care if he got killed. For example, if Hitler had died everyone would care. They might not like him, but they would care.

God, it's so true. Nice post.

Alright...
But how come nobody complains when there is stuff in the newspaper about what people wore to the Oscars. Surely that is less important and less people would actually care about that?

Don't be too harsh. He's just being....well, himself. :p

Obi: The Pope's condition is by no means "small news". Is it smaller than 9/11 or the tsunami? Yes, but still not "small news".

He's jsut doing his job.

He's the spiritual leader to 1 in 6 maybe, but I Highly doubt the most important. My best friend is Catholic and he doesn't give a flying flip that the Pope is in the hospital. And I guanrtee I will find dozens of people who also say he isn't the most important before I find one who says he is.

If the pope died, there would be international mourning. If Bush died, there would be celebrations in the street all around the globe (though not in America)

Well most important living religious figure then.

For real Catholics at least.

Dj Yoshi, I think "most important Christian religious figure", considering there's the Dali Lama.

Read the last line of his post. :p

Wait - Liberals prefer Dick Cheney to Bush!? That's news to me.

We're all making the assumption that the people caring about the Pope is limited to Catholics. So it can only be 1 billion or lower.

Maybe it's just me, but I believe there's probably other people in the world who have some sympathy for the pope even though they're not religious. If you look at his history, accomplishments, and even his morals (forigiving the person who tried to assissinate him) - then maybe you can relate. When Mother Teresa died, was that a 'only the religious care' thing? Most people could admit - she lived a tough life but one that impacted many.

Maybe people don't want to know his every second condition, but I think it's kinda thinking 'in the box' if you only view it as only Catholics have interest.

For example, did it really affect me when Arafat was lying in a hospital dying?

He was on the news 24/7. He had no real bearing on my life whatsoever. Yet the media reported his every status to the US like we actually were concerned.

In the same way, any public figure is going to get media coverage like this. If you don't like it - go live on an isolated island.

He said real Catholics, which I assumed was a reference as to how my friend doesn't care and he's Catholic.

Holy crap, do you have a point. The gleeful jubilations of the world would be stomped to a pulp under the iron rule of Cheney immediately.