Thursday, March 14, 2013

Another Aged One

The cardinals have just picked a new pope--76 year old pope francis. In most organizations it wouldn't be acceptable to choose someone past retirement age for the top position.  There seems little point in going through the trouble of a conclave if the outcome ensures the process will have to be repeated rather soon....The catholic church, however, has no choice. It has become a gerontocracy. Not surprisingly, an archaic belief is upheld by men of the past. Within a few decades, only a handful of the present adherants will remain. They'll be replaced by a whole new order.