Talking About the Pope (Again)
Well, I crossed the line into Papal discussion a few days ago, so I may as well go the whole hog and point to comments over at Cyborg Democracy:
On life extension and anti-aging: "Disposing of death is in reality the most radical way of disposing of life."
Glee. I look forward to seeing the justifications underlying that bizarre remark - not that this position is really any different from that held by the previous Pope. Although it has to be said, I'd take these views with more than a grain of salt if their holders didn't tend to cling so tenaciously to life using the best that modern medicine and wealth can buy. The glorification of suffering and death that is so prominently displayed in the Western Christian tradition is, at root, rank hypocrisy. It's all fine and well when it's someone else's suffering and death - but you won't catch a Pope refusing to prolong his own life with advanced medicine.
Fortunately, progress towards better medicine, greater control over our bodies and regenerative cures for age-related conditions seems to be happening despite the destructive wishes of the Vatican and other like-minded people. It would go faster if they would just make their own choices for themselves and stop trying to force the dire consequences of their worldview down our throats.