There are 3 things which the British media are focussing on at the moment - the Pope's death, the Royal Wedding and the forthcoming general election. Frankly the only one I'm interested in is the election and the other two are gaining most of the air time. I think reporting of the Pope's death has been completely over the top in a non-catholic country. I'm sure he was a very devout man but he isn't the head of our church and yet we've been subjected to hours and hours of reporting from Rome over several days. Why?

I do understand your feeling as to the enormous media stress concerning the Pope's death. But let'us forget for once that we are facing the figure of the highest personnality in the cathollic world but just the figure of a man. An immense figure who has done a lot for mankind. He has free Poland from the communism world,(ths is an example), he has allowed christians people living in eastern countries to have finally the possibility to pray and recover the faith so long prohibited. Just consider the man Jean Paul II and not the Pope. This is , according to me, the reasons why we must accept the worldwilde respect to that man. (Do forgive my english but I am french....).

All the deliberation about who will be the next Pope.
It's important for the world in general, especially the billion Catholics, but to be honest I don't see why it took up so much of this morning's Today programme! there are surely more important issues that impact directly onto the lives of people living in Britain.

and we're only a week in!
The back-biting and ... has already started, we've got another month of this to go...

I totally agree with Saffron1. The majority of the British people are not Catholic yet this morning we were subjected to three hours (Yes, I know I can always turn it off) of fawning dirge from commentators and Latin blurb. The so-called dignitaries were obviously bored to death - one wonders what would have happened to them if it had rained, sadly it didn't - and frankly I am left wondering why they bothered to attend unless they were dragged along by their wives, a la Tony Blair, or were hoping to get their pictures in 'Hello' magazine along with big boobed women!

This Pope was ARCHAIC in his views towards women (though hypocritical enough to preach silly sermons to them about their 'value' in society). He was TOTALLY OPPOSED to contraception, abortion and women playing any part (other than that of fund raisers and skivvies)in the Catholic Church. He was also intollerant of homosexuals - whilst ignoring paedophile priests and allowing their misdemeanours to be swept under the carpet.

One can only hope there is a Borgia or Medici ready to step into his shoes.

I also don't understand why the funeral is to go out tonight in a prime-time evening slot.
re: the digintaries, the royal wedding is equally boring, but surely should take priority over sending the country's leaders off to Rome.
Don't get me started on the Pope's views on women, they are totally inappropriate for a religious leader in the 21st century.
But on the other hand, I recently learnt that he did lots of diplomatic work during the cold war and has intervened on behalf of Palestine in the Middle East. However, I don't think this is enough to counteract his stone age views in other areas.
Apparently whoever is lined up to take over is even more conservative.

When there are one or two news stories dominating like this I always wonder what else is going on that hasn't been reported. Really important stuff could happen that we wouldn't even know about, all over the world.

I know, it's boring!I think the whole Pope thing has been blown out of all proportion, I'm sure he was a great man (thank you Daninos, I didn't know any of that stuff before you put in the other Pope thread!) but it doesn't really affect us in the same way it does other european countries.