Friday, March 15, 2013

Rope a Pope

The media coverage of the election of a new pope at the Vatican is incredible. Willi had thought that this was the secular age. Wrong, wrong, wrong! Perhaps it's only a slow news cycle, but people are fascinated with this 2000 year old process. It makes him wonder what the hell is going on.

The New York Times, not exactly known as a bastion of religiosity, cannot get enough of this story, they've published literally dozens of articles. From the merest rumors of the machinations of the Red Hats, in conclave, to the precise details of just how black smoke or white smoke is generated after each round of balloting—here's a hint: the holy spirit doesn't do it—these people are fascinated. Why?

Pope Francis is now the head of the Church until he dies—or decides to retire. Can there be any one now in Europe, Asia, or the Western hemisphere, who does not know that name? Willi asks: what is the name of the top guy in the Eastern Orthodox Church? Who is the Large Lutheran? The Big Buddhist? The Rebbe Rabbi? The Hefty Hindu? The Major Muslim? Vastest Voodooist? No, you can't name any of them. But Willi bets that you can name the Pope. Why?

He doesn't know.

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