The Popes, like Jesus, are conceived by their mothers through the over-
shadowing of the Holy Ghost. All Popes are a certain species of man-gods,
for the purpose of being able to conduct the functions of mediator between
God and mankind. All powers in Heaven, as well as on earth, are given to
them.
-- Pope Steven V (885-891)
We may not be able to persuade Hindus that Jesus and not Vishnu should
govern their spiritual horizo or Moslems that Lord Buddha is at the
center of their spiritual universe, nor Hebrews that Mohammed is a major
prophet, nor Christians that Shinto best expresses their spiritual
concerns, to say nothing of the fact that we may not be able to get
Christians to agree among themselves about their relationship to God....
We may not be able to persuade Hindus that Jesus and not Vishnu should govern
their spiritual horizo or Moslems that Lord Buddha is at the center of
their spiritual universe, nor Hebrews that Mohammed is a major prohpet, nor
Christians that Shinto best expresses their spiritual concerns, to say
nothing of the fact that we may not be able to get Christians to agree among
themselves about their relationship to God....