Why can't the Pope be fired?

[AnArmyVeteran]

If any leader in business or government did what the Pope has (allegedly) done, he would already be indicted, with a date set for his trial. And he would have resigned his position by now. This is not just one incidence of abuse against children. It is a decades or centuries old, systematic assault against the most vulnerable people in the church, by the most powerful people in the church, 'priests'. To participate in either the molesting or the coverup makes both heinous criminals.

The Pope should be afforded no other rights a common man has when they commit a crime. A robe or a cross should not ever come in the way of justice. The Pope will ultimately face his 'god' for ultimate judgement, but he should and must first be held accountable by an earthly court of law.

"Religion is just another of man's inventions to get people to hate each other" - LSR

[provis99]

1. He can't be fired because he was chosen by god.

Yes, that is really the reason. Feel free to roll your eyes at the theology of the Vatican.

[GreenTea]

2. Because the Pope was chosen by god and God doesn't make mistakes, (that's how he got to be God).

[lordsummerisle]

8. I seem to recall

that Popes are elected...

[ZeitgeistObserver]

3. Who by?

The pope is the supreme authority in the church.

Only God is higher, and you'll note the pope hasn't died.

[Not Me]

4. More significantly he is a head of State

Suffice it to say that the Vatican Police aren't going to serve him with an arrest warrant, and when he travels, he enjoys diplomatic immunity.

[Goblinmonger]

13. There is some speculation about that.

The Vatican is not recognized by the UN.

[elocs]

5. My guess is that only a nonCatholic would ask that question. n/t

[AnArmyVeteran]

9. I am glad I am ignorant of the Catholic Church

Yes, I am ignorant of the procedures and rituals performed by most churches, all of which were made by people, not god. Frankly, I am glad I am ignorant of all the hocus pocus in the Catholic church. I used to go to Catholic church services and I had no idea what was going on. The services were in latin, the priest would wave or play with urns and bottles, and he would make all kinds of ritualistic gestures, none of which was created by god. And when I looked around and saw frail, old ladies barely able to get up and down, down to their knees, then sit, then stand, then back down to their knees I thought it was cruel. My urge was to help them, but there were too many in the church and because I was a kid I was terrified to look out of place by going from pew to pew to help people.

I am ignorant of the rules and rituals of the Catholic church, but I do know what responsibility means. And to have someone like the Pope who allegedly turned his head as children were being abused makes him a monster who should be arrested, tried and put in prison.

BTW, god DOES NOT appoint the Pope. Cardinals do and they are MEN. Does anyone really believe god picked all of the Popes, when some where tyrants, oppressors, murderers, deviants and evil? I'm sure just like in most circumstances, the MEN who select the Pope do so with a long of political posturing and maybe even arm bending.

[stray cat]

6. DU sure doesn't have a horse in that race - so no one cares what DU would want

[iris27]

10. When was the OP ever asserting a collective opinion on behalf of DU

with the expectation that it would be immediately implemented by the Catholic hierarchy? :wtf:

[Ozymanithrax]

7. Actually, even people in government through most of the world are immune...

He should not get a free ride, but I think it is par for the course with powerful people throughout the world.

[deutsey]

11. He's on a mission from Gad?

Oh, wait. That was the Blues Brothers.

[JerseygirlCT]

12. Who is going to fire him?

Within the RCC, he's the boss. It is not in any way a democratic organization - though the ceremony of electing a new pope might give something of that impression. The people in the pews - they have absolutely no power of this hierarchy - unless, perhaps in a very united and focused denial of donations.

Even then, however, the Vatican is already awash in riches. The boys could live for a very long time on that.

[AnArmyVeteran]

14. Can the Pope get an automatic weapon and mow down 1000 kids in a classroom?

Can a Pope do anything and not be accountable to anyone? Face it, no Pope is infallible. And if a Pope committed a heinous act like killing 1000 kids would everyone say he is unreachable? Good grief. He is just a man. And given the evidence allegedly against him, he doesn't seem to be a very good, wise or honorable man, let alone perfect. He covered up the abuse of children, one of the worst offenses imaginable. And to cover it up is to be a part of the conspiracy, making the Pope just as guilty of abuse as the actual abusers. How many hundreds, thousands or millions of additional kids were abused because the Pope said nothing when it was his time to do what was right by humanity, rather that what was best for his church?

[JerseygirlCT]

15. Whoa there

First, we were talking about "firing" not "prosecuting". Entirely different things.

Please don't go running off thinking my comment meant I don't think/wish he were accountable WITHIN THE CHURCH for his actions. I find him despicable, actually - have long before he was even made pope.

As head of state, it might be difficult to prosecute him for those crimes. Having a religious head also function as head of state (The Vatican) certainly makes all that fuzzy. Wish that weren't the case - and not knowing the niceties of Italian law and Cannon law, I couldn't tell you.

My point was that since the RCC is not a democratic institution by a long shot, there is no mechanism to "fire" him that I know of.

(Papal infallibility is also widely misunderstood and far more limited than many think. And for the record, I'm not keen on even the limited instances where his pronouncements are supposed to be considered infallible. Part of why I'm now Episcopalian, no longer RC).

I think the fact that the RC hierarchy placed their perception of the welfare of the institution above the welfare of its most vulnerable children is horrifying, and unlike what they thought they were doing, they cut any moral grounding for the institution or their positions in it to shreds. If they are victims, they are their own victims and put themselves squarely in the trouble they now find themselves in.

I think, from the pope on down, they need to avail themselves of the sacrament of reconciliation and humbly and honestly beg forgiveness of the children abused, the parents of the children, the people of the RCC and the world. And then spend the rest of their earthly lives makes honest restitution.

[Facebook Group]

16. Men vote but they are guided by God-- please read

Men elected the pope through divine grace. According to them God steps in and guides them. However, just because God leads them does not mean that we understand God's intentions. Perhaps this is God's way of purging the evil, the corrupt from the church. Maybe it will take a pope to resign or better yet, arrested for crimes against humanity, for the faithful to believe again in an institution that has been marred by evil.

Please join the Facebook Group, "Down with Pope Benedict XVI", millions of people should join this group as a show of force against the blemish known as Ratzinger. He needs to clear the way in order to restore the sanctity of the church.