Interesting Links for 19-12-2013

[andrewducker]

• Bank of England switches to plastic notes with Churchill fiver
  (tags: money plastic uk )
• Earning a PhD by studying a theory that we know is wrong
  (tags: science physics )
• Where Are the American Evangelicals Going?
  (tags: christianity usa religion demographics )
• What do UKIP's poll figures actually mean?
  (tags: ukip politics uk )
• Internet

Comments

[momentsmusicaux]

I rather like the new pope!

[a_pawson]

I don't know much about the new pope, but the internet seems to have stopped being outraged by his announcements on a regular basis, so I assume he is better than the last one.

[alitheapipkin]

He appears to be more concerned with helping the poor than obsessing about people's sexual practices... He may be that very rare beast, a religious leader who isn't a hypocrite.

[theweaselking]

His announcements have been less offensive and not horrible.

His actions, meanwhile, are still horrible. He hasn't taken even baby steps towards *actually* correcting all the things wrong with the Catholic church's worldwide practices.

Still. He keeps *saying* all of the things the church does is wrong. Maybe he'll start doing, eventually.

[danieldwilliam]

I have some sympathy for his slow approach.

Assuming he is sincere he is essentially trying to change the culture of one of the world largest and oldest organisations against a background where predecessors have been at risk of assassination.

He has the rest of his life to change the Catholic church.

[theweaselking]

Sure.

And in the mean time, he's getting praised for TALKING a good game as if he was PLAYING a good game. While continuing to play a bad one.

[danieldwilliam]

I think talking about the changes he would like to make is important part of making those changes.

Due to his position his words, just in themselves, have significant influence both on individual behaviour and also as a signal about which way the wind is blowing.

[apostle_of_eris]

So far, what he's been saying is outstanding.
His personal conduct has been exemplary.
He hasn't really (publicly) confronted the real, massive institutional problems. In fairness, changing the church makes turning an aircraft carrier look like a bootlegger's turn.
So I'm withholding judgement. He has already slapped down a bishop who was living like a prince. I forget the exact phrasing, but he's announced a commission to go into the whole child abuse thing; we'll see how that goes!
If it does turn out that they elected the second Christian Pope in less than a century, I will laugh myself silly, weakly get up off the floor, and do it again.