Funny how everyone thinks everything is subject to public opinion. Reading the comments on the BBC website you'd think that Pope Selection should have something to do with "what the people want" -- regardless of whether they're Catholic or not, even.
When you're trying to teach right from wrong, you don't take a poll to see what people want to be right and what they want to be wrong. One guy got it right, at least. The church is not a democracy. All these people seem to be upset that the new Pope is (*gasp!*) -- Catholic!
If you get to vote on what you (and, by concensus "dogma" -- others) believe, why have a church?
Frankly, I believe the entire planet has shifted too far to the Left and a good, solid right-anchor or two is called for if only to slow that down. Even if it is to the right of ME. (I KNOW, because 51% of those polled said that's what I should believe so that's what I believe!)
[update] Rottie has a good post on it.
Remember, popular vote isn't a test of right or wrong, either. There were times and places where the popular vote would have been FOR slavery, or FOR stoning adulterers, even human sacrifice.
Not that the church has always been on the right side of things throughout history (authority is so tempting to abuse), but putting such faith in determining right and wrong by popular vote ... that's mob rule. Not very kind to minorities, historically speaking.
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