To: Elroy who wrote (220443 ) 2/24/2005 11:22:14 AM From: RetiredNow Read Replies (1) | Respond to The Pope doesn't have the final say either. Catholics are a pretty diverse lot. You have the Jesuits, the Cistercians, Franciscans, Benedictines, Dominicans, etc. All of them have different interpretations of Catholicism, some more extreme than others. Even the Pope doesn't discourage this kind of diversity, because diverse thinking keeps the religion alive and growing. The first Pope, btw, was St. Paul the Apostle, appointed by Jesus as the head of all of the Catholic faiths. The Popes are the foundation, the rock, of the Catholic faith, in that they carry on the core of the tradition. The current Pope stimulates alot of debate on key issues like gay marriage and abortion. He lays down his opinion on the law and most Catholics agree with him, but it engenders debate nonetheless. The Pope also has secular powere, as head of the Vatican City. So that actually gives him a little more power than your typical mullah, excepting Khamenie. The difference is that the Pope doesn't have the secular power to restrict the freedom of choice among Catholic adherents. So if I want to go against Catholic law, I'm free to do so with no consequences, other than spiritual ones. In the Islamic world, the earthly consequences of spiritual decisions can be most severe. That is the main difference between Christians and Muslims. We believe your sins on earth will be punished in the afterlife. Whereas, in the Muslim world, things like choosing a gay lifestyle or choosing not to be Muslim can cost you your life.
