A few things that are based on what I learned as a 13 yr old prior to being accepted as amember of my parents' church: Protestasnt: a person who protested the Catholic Church. Regardless of denomination: two things must be the focus: Jesus as the way to God, and forgiveness. All the rest all humans messing with what God has said. I have been to many different services. A few that really just creeped me out were the pentacostal services.... Knowing the people who were doing the most wailing and "speaking in tongues", pretty sure it was a fake job.... they were Sunday faithful week long hellions..... nutzy coo-coo hellions.....
Baptist: don't mind them- except for the one guy who wore metal cleats to a church softball game and sliced my knee open. 10 stitches later, I forgave him(we won anyway).
Catholic: my cousin married into a Catholic family as did my sister. My wife grew up Catholic. I respect and find comfort in the ritual and ceremony of the Catholic church. I find the sermons of protestant churches more informative and helpful than just a ritual service.
I do think as an outsider that the whole celebacy thing has gone on long enough. The church's reason for insisting in celebacy nolonger are an issue and haven't been an issue since feudal Europe.
The Pope, I see as a connection to God, not just for Catholics, but all Christians. He is a learned man who has committed his life to studying scripture.... He should have an opinion. It may not always be right, but it is an opinion based on prayer and study. Again as a non-Catholic, an opinion that supports birth control- based on the exploding world population- should be adjusted. I agree with no abortions, but the pill- really is it so wrong to control the family's size????
Islam: as a social studies teacher this year, I have had to teach comparisons and contrasts between Christianity and Islam. The two are not as far off as people think..... There is even a similar 10 commandments. Islam even mentions Jesus as a profit and scholar..... An amazing amount of war, killing, etc could be eliminated if we all just said... oh, you have a relationship with God.... goood for you.
Aryan Brotherhood- duh guys... Jesus was Jewish, not a white guy from a trailer park who thinks everyone else is inferior!
Catholic tradition is respected and has as long history. It is also the beginning of all Chirstian denominations.
Hindu: we can't all be reincarnated, over half of the people who have ever lived are alive right now. Besides, I like meat too much- Grampa, we eating you tonight. And why is a cow a sacred animal?
Jesus and me- we are good... He isn't always happy with me, but I am going to be with him some day.
These statements are the opinion of Hotsnot, and do not represent anything the Pope thinks or says. God did not tell me to say any of it either.