Pope Nation

Suddenly we've become a Pope nation....And blog world has been caught up in a flurry of Pope ponderings. The commentary ranges from presenting the Pope as antiChrist to worshiping the Pope as Vicar of Christ. One blogger laments that our Christian Colleges aren't flying their flags at half-staff in honor of the Pope's passing. Everyone's welcome to their opinions on the matter, and I guess I'm just chiming in with my own. I see no need to degrade the Pope nor charge him with crimes against the Kingdom. He was not evil incarnate. I disagree with many Catholic teachings. That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. But I disagree with a lot of people. I even find a lot of fault in John Dobbs. (Gasp!) I have expressed my concern and sympathy to my Catholic friends. I know this is a sad time for them, and yet a hopeful time as a new Pope is selected. At the same time... I also see no need to uplift the Pope as a saint to be honored. He did accomplish some good things in his life. He did take a stand for good values and he did speak to the moral crisis of our times. He has called for peace in the world. I'm glad he did. I'm thankful for his followers who promoted these good things. But to be so honored...So exalted...So powerful (and to claim infallibility)I do not think this is the place of any man. While the Pope has been adored by most Catholics, I've been caught by surprise at the way that non-Catholics are behaving at his passing. Some seem to want to make this a test of true Spirituality. If you are truly spiritual, then you will mourn and exalt the Pope at this time because he was a spiritual leader. Exaltation of the Pope has even become (for some) a test ... and, specifically, a startling accusation against churches of Christ! In the minds of some bloggers we ought to be in unison with the Catholic church in grieving for His death. If we are not, then we are truly being the isolationist exclusive sectarian people that they always thought we were. Some are suddenly enraptured with the Pope. Before his sickness and death they were not referring to the Pope as a great man, or quoting him, or following his edicts! So why is there all of this interest now? Are we really being dragged around by the ears by our culture in such a profound way? When the Dali Lama passes away ... shall we mourn and exalt him in such a way? Or Jerry Fallwell? I think we can look for similar mourning when Billy Graham passes away. I do not say these things sarcastically, please do not read that into these statements. I am questioning WHY we feel the need to turn these people (ordinary humans who have done extrordinary things...but humans) into heroes. Is it that we somehow need them to be our heroes? Are we afraid that Catholics will look down on us if we do not mourn the passing of their leader? Have we assigned our hopes and dreams to these people that we can see, hear, read, in some way touch? I'm not questioning anyone's allegiance to Christ, but shouldn't Jesus the be the sole recipient of this kind of adoration? To be honest when I think of the Pope I usually think of all of the structures and formality and false teachings that were perpetuated (rather than corrected) during his reign. That's just me I guess. So I'm a bit taken aback by my brothers and sisters who have had a sudden swooning over his passing. I think there is great value in recognizing cultural icons and trends. But it is something else to have our hearts so captured by them that we find ourselves offering praise to one with whom we have very little in common, as we understand the Scriptures. God will be the faithful and righteous judge of the Pope's eternity, I'm not interested in making pronouncements on that matter. But I am interested in what has turned us into a Pope Nation. Your thoughts?