Here are a few things I'd like to talk about for the moment:
1.) Mr. Hugo Mendez' (of Dies Domini) has linked to the first part of the series in his paper entitled, “Is the Pope God?" Correcting Popular Claims of Papal Blasphemy (very informative and more thoroughly well-written than my rantings!). So, if you're reading, Mr. Mendez, a tip of the hat to you. :)
2.) I did a Google search of the phrase "Lord God the Pope" (Yep, I lurk out often). As expected, many of the links go to sites or books where the red herring is repeated ad infinitum, but interestingly enough, when the site links to more sane articles, the words "Lord" and "God" are not even applied to the Pope; or, if a Pope's dialogue is recorded, he does not even apply the titles to himself. And some people still buy this. Go figure.
3.) Why the Pope? Why is he singled out as one claiming to be God? So far, I've never heard of "Lord God the Patriarch" - Patriarchs are, after all, the highest-ranking bishops in Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy (the Pope himself was originally considered to be the Patriarch of the See of Rome)...;)
Finally, I'm still surprised that there aren't any complaints how "Lord God the Pope" is so chauvinistic/politically incorrect and suggest instead "Lady Goddess the Mama (Pope after all is from papa, father)" or "Creator Deity the High-leader".
Or just do away with the title: "Lord God" suggests that God is a male - another one of those efforts by the patriarchal society to keep women down. And what's up with "Pope"? Why is it that those who occupy the highest positions are all men? In fact, why is there a hierarchy in the first place? It's so unfair and unequal, I say. I therefore suggest that "Lord God the Pope" be abandoned as it reeks of hierarchism, inequality, and ignorance: we all have God within us do we not?
If anybody makes a complaint I shall throw "Judge ye not" in their direction.
*For the humor impaired: the latter half of no. 3 is all tongue-in-cheek. ;)
