General Chat

25 years ago (showing my age now! lol) I went to Rome as part of a school trip - we had an audience with the Pope in the days before he had to ride round in a bullet-proof buggy, and I was one of the lucky ones who got to shake his hand! I'm not the most devout Catholic or overtly religious person, but my legs gave out and I had to sit down! It was an amazing feeling, one I've never experienced before or since - like a wave of Peace (sounds really daft I know, but it's the only way I could describe it) It pains me to see him suffering and I wish him well.

Hi Chloe I am not RC myself but I work in an RC establishment. He is a religious leader but they do not profess to worship him. They pray for the Pope - not to him; there is a difference. Beth :)

Please let's stick to the topic of Lisa's original thread. which is to hope for the recovery of a well respected Head of a religious faith. The poor soul is so obviously suffering. Yes, so many others suffer in the world, but it would be impossible to cover them all. As a non-believer I have great respect for the man.

hiya. i am speaking as a woman who never had any chidren. not by choice cos i was turned inside out but never found found anything wronge but i am not against abortion. it is down to the indevidual(bad spelling) but the pope is a well loved man you could see that tonite as peeps were in tears. at the end of the day he is a very sick man god bless him x

Ive just had an afterthought and maybe this is not the thread to discuss this on. I am sorry too that the Pope is so ill and suffering.

Last message I promise. Wendy - so if you were to experiment on bacteria, or another living organism more than one cell, and eventually kill it - that would be murder too??

Wendy, i really dont think anyone would put themselves through a late abortion unless they had no other choice. Im sorry but i dont see everything in black and white and i think everyone has their own reasons for going through a termination which im sure is not a decision taken lightly in the majority of cases. I can see your point of view too, but i dont think its as cut and dried as that.

Lisa- that you've been close, means to me that you can have a more 'educated' opinion on it. Peter - all I can say, is simply, that I don't agree with you. It is not used as birth control. If it was your body......, your life....., maybe you'd think differently. And it is not easy either. Have started my own thread. Sorry to have hijacked this one. Personally, I don't respect Pope John Paul simply because I find his viewpoints offensive. He has not aided the relationships between other religions, I know that's not his job. But it would be nice if he was tolerant of ALL religions not jst those that follow his god. It is sad that he is so ill. But there are millions of people in worse situations than he is, worse off, poorer, and they don't get the news coverage that he does. Why?

chloe im not narrow-minded at all,i still believe its murder ,the cell is a living organism.ok some people are at risk but there are an awful lot of people that have abortions more than once ,ive worked with nurses from abortion clinics and the things that happen would sicken the most hardened .foetuses crying and screaming ,because of leaving it too long before aborting the human being, and thats what they are ---human beings. im not getting into a slanging match with anyone i am only putting my opinion forward andi respect all peoples opinions.

Well, he's a strong character, I'll give him that. And his never ending faith, I just don't think people should worship him like they do. Shouldn't they worship and follow God like that, not the Pope?

hiya chloe. you are skating on thin ice. i am not a catholic but it is about RESPECT x

chloe i nearly went through it but changed my mind.and god i am glad i did.xx(:

My sister has had an abortion. It is NOT an easy decision to make. We were brought up as strong Christians. She was not promiscuous, she was a child herself. I won't go on about that any more. There are no mistakes in this world, I forgot, humans are perfect, aren't they?

It's not murder, Wendy. And if you had actually experienced it, then you wouldn't be so blunt and narrowminded about it. As for not getting pregnant in the first place, you can be the most careful person in the whole world and still get pregnant. But then again, us women shouldn't be having sex before marriage, should we? Bloody alright for men!

pregnancy through rape is a different matter chloe but it's not just about protection.how about disieses .they are on the increase due to unprotected sex.i agree with another member.this is a life not just a mistake that you can get rid of.use protection that is the answer.the pope has his views just like anyone else.it is a free country and free speechxx(:

It's not at all. Do you think that someone WANTS to have their child literally sucked out of them? Do they WANT to give birth to their child stillborn? It is NOT something goes into lightly and effects the rest of their lives. It is not used a 'birth control'. How many young women would be out there, on benefits, because they had to have the child.... putting more strain on the economy because they're not working and to support the child? What about a pregnancy through rape? It is no where near an easy decision to make. I used to be dead against abortion and then I experienced the devastion first hand. Funnily enough that changed my mind. Chloe

A great man of our time ,im not catholic but he is respected and admired by many. each to his own Chloe.but abortion is murder and the answer to not having to abort is ----dont get pregnant in the first place. even the morning after pill is committing murder. so all you fertile girls out there think about what you are doing.

May God bless the Pope. Joy

chloe please don't think i am being rude but like i said we have to respect their faith and i for one am not going to stand here and slag the pope off.i too feel that the policy of abortion is wrong.but what about protection on the womens part.i for one in my view do not believe in abortion unless the child is disabled and the parent feels that it is in the best interest for the child.abortion is too easy nowadaysxxx(:

lisa,he is a very ill man,who has earned great respect from many religions,i hope he doesnt suffer for too long, he is in my prayers..lori