Dear Concerned Citizen,

April 19, 2005
 
Less than an hour after white smoke billowed out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez emerged to say, "I announce to you with great joy ... we have a Pope."  While thousands cheered in St. Peter's Square the curtains parted and the man who entered the conclave as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, emerged as Pope Benedict XVI.  Ratzinger, who served as Pope John Paul II's chief theological advisor for 20 years, is the 265th pope selected to lead the Catholic Church's 1.1 billion followers. Ratzinger's election made headlines around the world.
 
 
 
 
 
  

Responses to: Hollywood's New Name

My Wife and I watched Revelations. It was very off beat and as always it's the Catholic collared people who are the "religious" people. I have nothing against Catholics, it's just they always seem to be the "religious" people in these movies and TV shows. There also is always the skeptic that becomes involved some how. The mini-series might get viewers on curiosity, but those who are unchurched will get the same old' story and misrepresentation. The producers and directors should get people who really are followers of Christ and get their input. It's always some off-beat theologian that might be a non-Christian doubter or someone who does not give a rip about God, but has opinions about Him. It's sad it seems that most movies made by those who truly believe are cheesy or unknown and don't get noticed. Left-Behind was horrible and this mini-series already is better produced and has better actors. It's irritating and needs to change. - D. R.

Let us not be too quick to welcome a Hollywood program that is supposedly portraying something related to the book of Revelations. Since dedicated believers differ so greatly in their interpretation of this book, why would we think that someone commercially motivated would present it in a way that is pleasing to God? Mel Gibson's effort made big $ and therefore caught the attention of the entertainment industry. Is that really a good thing? Is mass popularity your measure of the value of a message? That was never what Jesus pursued. Why should we? - S. S.

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