At the risk of the lighting bolts, may I offer a few Pope comments.
1) Benedict? Like Benedict Arnold? Now, granted, Lynn has gone far towards rehabiliting the name for us, but still. Benedict. Hummm.
2) A German Pope? There is nothing that will quiet that whole Hitler - Mussolini - Pope collaberation thing like a nice robust German who was in the Nazi army (assistant to Anti-Aircraft guns and constructed tank barriers).
3) Not only a German, a Bavarian! Bavaria is to Germany as Texas is to the United States as the butthole is to the human body. A little too full of itself.
Well, one hopes that he is a beacon of light to the Catholics. The only way to judge them is in their works. In LA, at least, the catholics do great works. Working with the poor, the disenfrancised and keeping hope alive. I wish him allthe best.
But really. An ex-Nazi?