RIP Pope John Paul II

He did help quite a lot to bring to an end those commies you hate so much though.

I think he's been quite a relevant figure, even if for the last years he was in a terrible condition and didn't do much apparently.

You may or may not agree with what he did or with his religion but he was a strong, ambitious (in the good sense!) man who wanted this world to be a better place even if his ways of trying to achieve it weren't always the best. In the last years he also leaned quite a lot towards Opus Dei and all that but I think he should be more remembered for his first years as a Pontiff.

At any rate, I'm also quite curious to see all the rites and things that will be happening in the next few weeks. As I say, whether you agree or not, it's not a thing you're going to witness many times in your life.

And just for the record - I was brought up a Catholic but I don't really believe in the Church. However I don't think that bars me from admiring the strength of the man.

I am in the same position. I was brought up and sent to Catholic primary and secondary school but I may not be considered a 100% religious person, I do pray but don't go to Church every Sunday and so on. As Cristina has said, I still believe he was a great man, whether we/I agree with his views/ideas or not.

May he rest in peace.

Yep, we're definitely on the same boat

Someones death?

I'm with Jim on this, sure it's sad when someone dies but when it's someone you've never met, no matter how good a life they've led, you can't honestly be too upset about it.

I said the exact same thing with terry schiavo and to be honest, she got a much rawer deal than him.

the death of a pope...

but that shouldn't be a reason for some people to start bets over his death... that's quite disrespectful methinks.

I didn't start a bet over his death and the only reason krb be done that was his sole existence here. to piss people off which it appears he's been succesful in doing.

No, silly - the rites and transition from one Pope to another.

Yes, and once again the you're-not-affected-unless-you -know-them. Well, thankfully we're not all the same. Plus you live in a country where the Pope is either virtually ignored or passionately hated so that's another matter.

Me, I'm just curious regardless of the religion or his position or not knowing him. It's full of old rites and I want to see them, that's all I was saying. It's okay if you're not curious about things.

I never said you did... I just said it's disrespectful in general...

It's not just about who suffered the most even if the "rawer deal" is up for debate. It's a matter of the implications their deaths are going to have. Terry Schiavo's will be a landmark for terminally ill patients and a lot of legal issue. While the Pope is more of a "symbolic" death, if you know what I mean. You're all also forgetting that he was not just the head of the Church but the "President" of a country.