According to some people I have an obsession with him. I don't of course. But I thought I'd do an entry about his death anyway. It's a pretty big thing. He's the only Pope I've known. I was born in '77, he became Pope in '78. They don't usually last that long (they probably will from now on).
I am an atheist, so as such the Pope (whether it be this one or any Pope) has no real influence on my life. But of course the opinion of the Pope has a certain weight, esp. in the Western world, and in that respect what he did and stood for was important.
Undoubtedly he has caused a lot of harm. He was a very conservative, even reactionary Pope. Any of his opinions on sex, contraception, abortion, sexually contracted diseases, homosexuality, women in the Church, women in general and so on outraged me of course.
But because de mortibus nihil nisi bonum I would like to pay tribute to this Pope for his efforts for peace: his often surprisingly harsh & straightforward stance on many issues, even when he knew he was going against strong political groups (the same cannot be said about many of his predecessors), and his readiness to meet & embrace people of different faiths & creeds. I think his efforts for world peace are remarkable (even tho perhaps ultimately futile).
I'm not sure how I feel about the way he chose to end it - personally I think there would have been a better way - but he deserves some respect even for that. One way or another, I will miss him. My first Pope is gone. On to the next phase of my life...
Clarissa is so cuuuuuuuuuuuute 
this is supposed to be a serious entry n'all 
I have avidly awaited an entry on the Pope. To be honest, I didn't know how you felt about him and thought it'd be likely that you'd despise him as he is/was the head of Church. Interesting... 
I happen to have the same ambiguous feelings about him that you do. Although, I have to add that I didn't spend much thinking on him while he was alive...
I did. He was relevant to me just as any politician is.
Posted by: Clarissa on Sun April 3, 2005 at 9:54you were obsesssssssssed!
Posted by: squiZZle on Sun April 3, 2005 at 10:15
I was, but not with the Pope 
It's at times like these that I wished I believed in Hell.
Posted by: Woods on Sun April 3, 2005 at 14:58
Sinead, what do you mean? Do you not like the Pope then?
Posted by: The BML on Sun April 3, 2005 at 18:06It was so awful to see him struggling cus he couldn't get his words out. I hate seeing old people struggle. It makes me feel guilty even though its not my fault or anything.
I respect him for sticking to what he thought what right regardless of whether it was the popular choice. Most christian authorities just try and look good in the eyes of western culture. He wasn't like that.
John Paul II was no Pope at all! For he was not even a Christian. And how could someone be the head of an organization or a group, when he is not even a member of it?!
You can call him "pope", but not "Pope"! To be Pope one must be Catholic.
But let me demonstrate, why Karol Wojtyla could not be a Christian. He stated e. g. that Christians, Muslims and Jews believe in the same God. That's absurd and further is completely against the teachings of the Church. A Christian believes, that Jesus Christ is God. A Jew or Muslim denies this. Jesus of Nazareth told us, that whoever rejets him, rejects his Father in Heaven.
John Paul II was in fact, by his deeds and teachings, an Antichrist! He was an usurper of Peter's Chair and duped nearly the whole world.
Look for instance at: http://www.savethemales.ca/000338.html This is not my favourite homepage. But its publisher has the advantage of not being a Christian. So you don't have to "bother".
Yves lives!!! 
(no comment on your fundamentalist post of course 
)