Is you trolling, or is you suggesting that critical thinking and analysis is common to both?

So atheists and agnostics can't think for themselves either? Hmmm...

I was raised Catholic but I'm pretty much atheist these days and kind of vague on the details. However by my vague recollection the Pope is essentially standing in for Jesus and kind of a direct conduit for God's instruction. I guess as the main figure head he pretty much leads the way so I guess it's exciting for reformists to get their hopes up for a new era of enlightenment. I don't see the Catholic church as being able to reconcile much with modern values though. Jesuits are pretty cool on the street level but still have to toe the party line.

i think the peaks and valleys of attention and media coverage regarding the papacy revolve largely around what the pope does. the roman catholic church is a major player on the worldwide cultural stage and also in world politics. some popes do genuinely good things (kinda like princess diana did) (and we haven't seen one of these in a real f*cking long time) and those ones will get more coverage. some popes do really nasty sh*t though, and they'll get a lot of attention on the internet but slim to none in mainstream media. it's bad for business, and the church has got connections in the media. so, every time a new one is instated the people who feel the pope should guide them experience a sort of resurgence in terms of a unified effort to be divine (or something) in light of the fact that this new one stands a chance of not being a total piece of sh*t like the last one. technically, the church symbolizes something good, so i think its followers (and maybe some who aren't followers, if for no other reason than acknowledging the sheer power of the vatican and it's potential to do good) just get excited when a new door opens for "man to do right by god."

2 pennies in.

Sometimes I wish I knew if you were a Christian Conservative, a Non-denominational Consevative or somebody who likes to be different and edgy, sometimes funny, and on a rare occassion very insightful. :)

I don't know about the division line between Atheists and Theist. They're both human. Everybody follows something.

He trolls only.

He's an atheist I believe. He's just a misanthrope who doesn't like anybody, whether they agree with him or not.

Speak you like Yoda, read it should "He only trolls" be.

Pope
 

He is the head of an institution that runs the biggest thought control scam in the history of man, where everybody that follows has to mindlessly repeat rituals and hear interpretations of a text that has been modified ever since it was written, without paying attention to how interest of nations move behind it.
Not a big deal, its just the modern representation of the impetus of an idea started long ago. Has a lot of people to follow it, and will probably end up killing us all.

well, its just my look on it.

I am Pope, taker of little boy virginity.