Tuesday, April 19, 2005

Democracy in the Vatican

I know I might ruffle a few feathers with this post about the Vatican and conclave currently in progress to choose a new pope. But to hell with it.

So what the fuss is this all about? Democracy! We have no idea what is going on inside the Sistine Chapel. The secrecy imposed by the Vatican in electing a new leader probably rivals that of North Korea. Even the ballots are burnt after every second vote.

While the World moves towards a more democratic place with the system of popular voting, the Vatican which used to have the people of Rome having a say on the election of the pope, has moved backwards in time, now only restricted to a hundred or so cardinals (of whom none are woman).

Why as a non-religious person am I making my opinion heard? Well my two pence is based on certain illegal (and forthcoming) wars which was designed to bring democracy to those sovereign countries. Why is the Vatican, as a sovereign country in its own right hasn't yet incurred the wrath of a supposed democracy imposer from a certain warring nation of the West?

2 comments:

Kat said...

I'm always intrigued by the secrecy behind the whole selection process. How would I love to be a fly on the wall inside the Vatican now.

I suppose century old rituals are hard to break away from. Maybe when/if America has her first African/American president. Heh. Fat chance.

Jon Choo said...

Rituals should move on with the time...I think fundamentalist Islamist have 'rituals' too but it is unacceptable in this day and time.

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