3) "Ratzinger is an ultra-reactionary, I always knew this!" And so, like many other people, you actually don't have a clue. John Paul II was a pretty reactionary Pope. People didn't think so because of his great PR, but compared to the four guys who preceded him (including Pius XII) he was fairly conservative.
I'm aware that John Paul II was a very conservative Pope, and I was hardly a fan. Regardless of this, his successor is, in my eyes, a true reactionary.
From what I know Ratzinger actually was fairly liberal until Vaticanum II and the 1968 movement. I don't know what caused his change of face, but from that on he stood against every single reform, every emancipatory movement.
Benedict never had a chance, because from the time he stepped out on the balcony, it was clear to people that he wasn't "Uncle Fluffy", and did not have the personal charisma of JPII... ergo, he must be this mean, old, conservative man.
That's certainly wrong for Germany, and I think for the whole world. You may have seen this famous headline before. It's from BILD, the German paper with the highest circulation:
"Our Joseph Ratzinger is Benedikt XVI. We are Pope!"
Benedikt was almost a popstar during the first month in office. The World Youth Day 2005 was little more then one great Pope-show. No, Benedikt has had a chance. He didn't take advantage.
The sentence "We are Pope" is of course a perversion of German grammar, by the way.
"Undemocratic!" The Church has this bizarre notion that democracy doesn't, by necessity, convey moral authority, and often times does just the opposite. It's one that our friend from Germany, who made the charge, ought to be familiar with.
Everything you say is true. Still I prefer democracy with all it's flaws over moral dictatorship from unelected authorities. But that is the Catholic's business, not mine. I have no intention to give advice to Catholics how to organize their church. It's just that personally, I prefer a decentralized, bottom-up church.
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