I'm sure its been brought up, and maybe someone who's catholic can help me out here, but WHY ON EARTH IS A FORMER NAZI THE POPE? He fought in the German Army during World War II! I simply don't understand how on Earth this man can willfully be accepted as one of the most powerful men on this planet despite being involved (even remotely) with the most terrible genocide in the history of the planet.

Please. Inform me. I simply havn't been able to get past this since I found out he was elected.

I was rather under the impression that he was just a member of the Hitler Youth at a time when being a member was compulsory.

In 1935 the Soviet Union intentionally created a famine that would starve to death more than 10 million Ukrainians alone, not including the other nations under USSR control.

This is the first time I've ever done a

QFT.

These are the key words here, folks.

Wow, what an ignorant post to make. While he refuses doing anything out of anger in his past involvment with the Hitler, a mans past negative actions shouldn't judge who he is now. He changed his ways, joined the church, and has been a good man ever since. Hell, some of the most "famous" of all catholic saints had troubled pasts, tax collectors, soldiers, prositutes, radicals,etc. These people turned out to be the most respected and revered past members of the catholic faith, good people.

You know, not all nazis were bad people. They were just normal people forced to do bad things.

Besides, people change.

If he really is a bad choice, and that he still clings to his old nazi beliefs, do you honestly think all the highest catholic authority would unanimously vote to elect him as their main leader?

Well, nazis and catholics have pretty much the same beliefs.









I know this isn't (entirely) true, let's see how seriously you will take it.

Yeah, people can change, he had to join the Hitler Jugend back then, but if he turns out to be a nazi... well, I'm not the one to blame.

Yes. Ratzinger was just forced into the Hitler Youth, but it doesn't mean that he really thinks like Nazis.

Not to mention he deserted the German army.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Benedict_XVI

Read, learn, benefit.

Have you guys heard of the prophesy of St. Malachy? He predicted 1100 years ago that the 112th pope (Ratzinger) would be the final pope. He even predicted the name "Gloria Olivae" which means glory of the olive (peace), and Ratzinger chose the name "Benedict XVI. The order of St. Benedict is known as Olivetans and has the olive branch as it's symbol.

According to the prophesy, the Gloria Olivae pope will be the last pope and identify the Anti-Christ as the second coming of Jesus, which brings about the rapture followed by the end of days.

I read up on this stuff while Pope John Paul II was still alive and was amazed at how accurate alot of it turned out to be when Ratzinger was elected.

And no, I'm not a Jesus freak, I just found this really interesting. Most bible thumpers refuse to believe there will be a last pope.

http://www.jpdawson.com/lastpope.html

I'm not in favor of any pope, but I stanbd up for people for what they arebut here is the reason: Because he was DRAFTED!

Hitler youth is fine; I just don't understand how they could elect a pope that looks so much like Palpatine.

He was forced into the hitler youth and then deserted.

Can't say that makes me like him any more though.

it still amazes me that this guy stands there with a 50 foot yacht at his disposal while he 'represents' the poor and down trodden and still millions of people keep paying for him to live his life of the rich and famous.
people grieved when john died. ****, he lived a better life than most billionaires in the US.

it doesn't surprise me one bit this news about the new pope.

oh and btw, the world will end on christmas eve 2012. so he may still be pope then if he's lucky.

Umm....

German Army =/= Nazi Army

Yes. He then served in an anti-air craft crew, but abandoned his post due to moral conflicts with the war.

Hmm. The site I saw said that Ratzinger was the 2nd to last pope, there'd be one more after him.

I really hate to use this term but isn't this somewhat of "old news?" I remember when Benedict XVI was first elected, there was a big stink about him and the Hitler Jugend. Then that all fizzled away because it wasn't such a big deal. Mount Mole-hill is not a good place to be.

Running from the oncoming Red Army was common. Towards the end lots of soldiers and civilians fled from the eastern front and sought to surrender to the Western Allies who were not as likely to immediately summarily execute anyone they came across in reprisal for atrocities commited during the conflict.

What's your point?

Yes, indeed. I fail to see how it was the late Pope's fault if, according to Darth Evad, most US billionaires don't know how to live a happy and good life. Quite a random accusation, really.

Well, at least one person knew what I was talking about.

Yeah, the LAST pope is supposed to be Christ. I think the prophesies are all up for interpretation. Maybe Malachy meant the last of the mortal Popes? Who knows? The only thing I would suggest is to try to find articles written before Ratzinger was elected. Because after the fact, everything written about it tries to dispel the prophesy. If You read stuff written before John Paul II died, the similarities with Ratzinger and Gloria Olivae will blow your mind.

True, but the prophecies appeared like 500 years after their were told to have been written.

All the predictions of pope were very very accurate up until that point *meaning the procephy of 500 years ago matched the popes for the first 500 years of the prophecy*. Then they become a lot more fuzzy and less concrete. Kind of like Nostradameus, in that you can take many of his pieces and fit it to anything.

Plus, the last pope you are talking about, was apparently added way after they were discovered. Hence possible forgery on last one?

Eversor, are you seriously so ignorant of the facts or flame-baiting. Interesting that you haven't posted again in this thread after asking for an explanation.

Hey, I just posted what I read. Make of it what you will. I think the Gloria Olivae and Ratzinger is ONE hell of a coincidence, if thats what it is.

What is the big coincidence? I know the whole name thing...let me post some quotes from sites...

Here's in relation to the prophecy

"The Glory of the Olive. The Order of St. Benedict has said this Pope will come from their order. It is interesting that Jesus gave his apocalyptic prophecy about the end of time from the Mount of Olives. This Pope will reign during the beginning of the tribulation Jesus spoke of. The 111th prophesy is “Gloria Olivae” (The Glory of the Olive). The Order of Saint Benedict has claimed that this pope will come from their ranks. Saint Benedict himself prophesied that before the end of the world his Order, known also as the Olivetans, will triumphantly lead the Catholic Church in its fight against evil."

Then the Ritzinger chooses Benedict XVI.

However, I fail to see how this is that freaky.

Here's some counterpoints and points.

1) There was a website called [url]www.catholicplanet.com[/url] which actually predicted the name of next pope before John Paul II even died. This has been verified. However, they also said the next pope would be African, as did many others.

2) Many speculate the Vatican is self fufilling the prophecy. Meaning they know about the prophecy and are choosing popes based on this. Also possible, Ratzinger chose his name based on that fact (since the prophecy is very well known). A self fufilling prophecy is as valid as me stating I'm going to jump up in 5 seconds, and then proceed to jump up after 5 seconds. Of course it will happen if I try to follow it.

3) Again, the prophecies are mostly regarded as being forgeries.

4) Weird coincidence, Benedict XV reigned during the 'miracle at fatima' event. Here's a quote. 'Turns out that during Benedict XV’s reign, the “miracle” of Fatima occurred, which had everything to do with denouncing Communism and Russa. Ratzinger is also closely connected to the Fatima mysteries, and a huge opponent of supposed “Marxist” Liberation Theology. Coincidence?'

5) Someone has a point on how a pope can fit anything. One website states "Those who seek shall find, eventually". Meaning if you keep studying one person, you will find something that fits the prophecy.

Here's one on John Paul II. "Seriously, the real problem with these prophecies is that they are so vague as to be meaningless. Consider John Paul II: Couldn't he just as well be "Ignis Ardens," the burning fire, given his hard-line stance on many social and political issues? Couldn't he be the Pilgrim Pope (Pius VI's ostensible title), given how John Paul II has traveled more than any of his predecessors--and has made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem? Could he not be "Of the Half Moon" (John Paul I's title), again because of these partial solar eclipses? These are just the things I recalled off the top of my head; I'm sure that more could very easily be found if I put any effort into it"

People are making it out that cause he chose the name Benedict it means its true. If it was like Benedict III, I'd be more concerned. IT'S THE 16th! Its fairly common. He chose Benedict because of his stances on stuff. He's fairly traditional.

Here's another good quote on the speculated forgery as I was stating.

"Reputable scholars have researched the Prophecy of Malachy and dated it to the 16th century, because there is no mention of it prior to that time. Those who want to believe in the prophecy explain this discrepancy by saying that it was kept hidden for centuries. However, the prophecies, which consist of enigmatical oracles taken from scriptures, supposedly referring to each pope from Celestine to the end of the world, rely on symbolic terms that can be interpreted this way or that, made to fit every pope if we try hard enough. Most significantly, the symbols used to identify the "future" popes are highly accurate and on-target until 1590, but they're extremely vague afterward, leading to the conclusion that it's a 16th forgery.

Researchers further concluded that they were invented at the request of a certain cardinal who wished to have his coat-of-arms match one mentioned in a prophecy in order to get elected pope. Although he was not elected, the papal prophecies attracted much interest and soon became widely read, passed along to modern times with the prophecies of Nostradamus"

So there's the evidence. The only thing that is so freaky is he chose the name Benedict. The 16th. A common pope name.

Hopefully there's more of a coincidence then that

I and not catholic, and I am not religious by any means in fact I might even say I am borderline athiest, however...

Just because he was in the Nazi army and fought for them doesnt mean he's a bad person or even agreed with the Nazi party at all. At the time in Germany you were FORCED to be in the Hitler Youth program and were put into battle to fight for the Nazi's because you had too. Look at Vietnam where American soldiers were drafted, and also even now in Iraq. Do you think every single soldier over there agree's with the concept? No, and certainly not during Vietnam either and the same goes for Nazi soldiers. I'm sure a very large portion of Nazi soldiers/officers were perfectly honorable men by standards then and standards today as well who were fighting because that was their job, not because they agreed with the cause.

Just to clear something up here, being in the German Army didn't make one a Nazi.

If you can put aside your sarcastic "knowledge" I think you'll understand where Evad is coming from, I agree with him. He's saying why the hell is there a guy that's representing poor people that is a billionaire, and more than that, one that doesn't use his money to help poor people.

You've auditted his finances? Are we still talking about the Pope, because I'm confused. Doesn't he represent the Catholic Church?

I think it's pretty much obvious that the pope is wealthy beyond all means.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12473a.htm#malachy

The last of these prophecies concerns the end of the world and is as follows: "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End." It has been noticed concerning Petrus Romanus, who according to St. Malachy's list is to be the last pope, that the prophecy does not say that no popes will intervene between him and his predecessor designated Gloria olivæ. It merely says that he is to be the last, so that we may suppose as many popes as we please before "Peter the Roman". Cornelius a Lapide refers to this prophecy in his commentary "On the Gospel of St. John" (C. xvi) and "On the Apocalypse" (cc. xvii-xx), and he endeavours to calculate according to it the remaining years of time.

DINGDINGDING!

My grandfather is Ukrainian, and was forced to join the Wermacht (That would be the German army) and fight on the Russian front. After the war he was offered the chance to live in France, the UK, the US or Canada. He chose Britland (yay!), although it turns out I do have relatives in the US and a good few in Canada.

Anyway, on topic, old news, not interesting, going to stop typing now.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm

Pope Benedict is the 265th pope.

Slight edit:
You need pope 276 before you can panic

Celestine II (1143-44) was 165th. 165 + 112 = 277

Nazgul, the entry on Peter the Roman though was never in the original prophecy, but was added in later years.

"There is no mention of Peter the Roman in the original Malachy prophecy. This Pope was somehow added when a book by Nelson publishers was printed in the late 1800s of the Saint’s predictions. This would mean that Pope Benedict, the 111 th, would be listed as the final Pope, perhaps before the great time of evil comes to the earth."

Is da younglings gonna die?