If you are not Catholic why do you care anything about the Pope?

[Cleita]

96. He does not have that kind of power over the majority of his followers.

Most lay Catholics, those who could be industrialists or politicians, don't follow every letter of Catholic canon nor listen to the Bishops and Cardinals that much. This is not the middle ages. The lockstep following of doctrine within the Church is with the clergy and those who have taken religious orders or the cloth, and they do not have armies, navies or nukes. They are often lucky enough to have a donated SUV or bus to get around in. I went to Catholic school through college and lived in the dorms through high school and college. We lived very close to the cloistered nuns and brothers. I never saw a gun or anything that was a weapon, and little that could be used as a weapon. No Catholic order has had a military intent since the Crusades and the demise of the Knight Templars. I find your paranoia misplaced. I am more worried about the evangelical protestants who are really getting aggressive and bold lately. I find they are meddling too much into our government and trying to blur the separation of Church and State with all the abortion laws and other things they are getting away with.