Why is the pope cool?

Question

My teacher is a born again Christian he says that the pope isn't any holyer than George Bush why does he have the right to make priests not get married that's so cruel they used to be able to get married why not now? What gives the pope the right to do that? He's not God! don't get it

Answer 1

+ The Pope +

The Pope is the spiritual leader of over one billion Catholics.

We believe that he was selected to succeed Saint Peter, the first Pope, by the Holy Spirit.

John 21:15-17 states:

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."

He then said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."

He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." (Jesus) said to him, "Feed my sheep.

Matthew 16:17-19 states:

Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

The Catholic Church believes the Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the "rock" of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock.

The Pope is the senior pastor of 1.1 billion Catholics, the direct successor of Simon Peter.

The Pope’s main roles include teaching, sanctifying, and governing.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 880-882: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p4.htm#880

+ Celibate Clergy +

The celibate clergy did not come into full bloom until about 1000 C.E. There were many married priests, bishops, and popes before this time. There were also many celibate priests, bishops, and popes going back to the time of Jesus (including Jesus).

Priests, religious brothers and religious sisters (nuns) as part of their vocation choose not to marry following:
+ The practice recommended in the Bible
+ The example of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, and the Apostle Paul.

+++ Scripture +++

In Matthew 19:12, Jesus says, "Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it."

In Matthew 19:29, Jesus says, "And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life."

Matthew 22:30 - Jesus explains, "At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven."

In 1 Corinthians 7:1, Paul writes, "It is a good thing for a man not to touch a woman."

Then in 1 Corinthians 7:7, Paul says, "Indeed, I wish everyone to be as I am."

In 1 Corinthians 7:27, Paul writes, "Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife."

In 1 Corinthians 7:32-33, Paul teaches, "I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife." And in verse 38, "So then, the one who marries his virgin does well; the one who does not marry her will do better."

Paul recommends celibacy for full time ministers in the Church so that they are able to focus entirely upon God and building up His kingdom. He “who refrains from marriage will do better.”

See also 1 Timothy 5:9-12, 2 Timothy 2:3-4, Revevation 14:4, Isaiah 56:3-7, and Jeremiah 16:1-4.

+++ Scriptural Examples +++

Biblical role models of a celibate clergy came from John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostle Paul.

John the Baptist and Jesus are both believed to have been celibate for their entire lives. Some scholars believe that the example of the Essenes influenced either or both Jesus and John the Baptist in their celibacy.

WWJD? What would Jesus do? Jesus did not marry.

The Apostle Paul is explicit about his celibacy (see 1 Cor. 7). There is also evidence in the gospel of Matthew for the practice of celibacy among at least some early Christians, in the famous passage about becoming “eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:12).

The concept took many twists and turns over the years and will probably take a few more before Christ returns in glory.

A priest is "married" to the Church. Some people think that a priest who takes his duties seriously cannot take proper care of a wife and family. "A man cannot serve two masters."

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 2

The pope is very uncool - he and the other popes before him are the single largest reason for the world's overpopulation problem, because so many people do whatever the pope asks of them. Until a pope comes out in support of birth control, the office of pope will bear the blame for all the ills associated with having too many people here on earth. Not cool!

Answer 3

Well, your teacher is gravely mistaken. Jesus said, "you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church." He was establishing the head of his Church here on earth. The line of Popes goes back unbroken to St. Peter himself. Had there never been a Pope, or a Church hierarchy, your church would never had existed.

Answer 4

He's the head of the largest mind control group, opps organized religion, in the world. How cool is that?

Answer 5

because he has a cool pope hat, a nifty utility belt equipped with fart spray and a pope mobile for those ever so necessary escapes from criminals who would harm him.

Answer 6

I don't like him.

The pope, Vatican, and Catholic church is all about control. They don't allow personal freedom. (nuns & priests can't marry, they have to wear those UGLY outfits, they all have to pray exactly the same way, etc).

Answer 7

I don't think he is cool. He is just a man who needs the touch of the Saviour like anyone else.

Answer 8

"Why is the pope cool?", the man has a Popemobile, for Pete's sake! How cool is that?