Times Person of the Year..... The Pope

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**Easy E**

.....followed my Edward Snowden.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-leadership/wp/2013/12/11/time-magazine-names-pope-francis-the-person-of-the-year/

The red border of Time magazine will frame Pope Francis as its 2013 Person of the Year, the magazine announced Wednesday morning. By the judgment of Time’s editorial staff, the pope — elected earlier this year after a surprise resignation by predecessor Pope Benedict XVI — was the most influential global newsmaker of the past 12 months. Earlier this week, Time narrowed the finalists down to 10, then five. Pope Francis ultimately won out over NSA leaker Edward Snowden, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Texas senator Ted Cruz and gay rights activist Edith Windsor.

“[W]hat makes this Pope so important is the speed with which he has captured the imaginations of millions who had given up on hoping for the church at all,” Howard Chua-Eoan and Elizabeth Dias write in the cover story. “In a matter of months, Francis has elevated the healing mission of the church.”

The magazine first released such a cover in 1927 under the name “Man of the Year,” and conferred the title on Charles Lindbergh for his solo transatlantic flight. Since then, the annual covers have featured global peacemakers, U.S. presidents, tech billionaires, dictators and more amorphous concepts, such as “the protester” and “the endangered Earth.” The editors’ intention is not to praise the figures selected but to acknowledge their influence in shaping the news and history of the outgoing year. (Hence the selection of Adolf Hitler for the cover in 1938.)

Francis, of course, has made lots of news in 2013. After Benedict announced his resignation in February — the first pope to do so in 600 years — the Catholic Church elected Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, ending the long line of European popes. Since then, Pope Francis has shaped the global conversation on religion by showing an openness to homosexuality and women’s leadership within the church, as well as by placing an emphasis on reforming the Vatican’s finances while addressing inequality and poverty around the world.

This makes him the third pope to appear as Time’s Person of the Year. Pope John Paul II made the cover in 1994, and Pope John XXIII was chosen in 1962. His public acts of humility, from washing the feet of criminals to embracing a disfigured man, have gone viral online and have quickly reshaped many believers’, as well as non-believers’, view of the Catholic Church.

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 92 percent of Catholics and 62 percent of non-Catholics view Francis favorably — a significant jump in popularity over his predecessor and the highest favorability rating the Catholic Church has seen in a decade.

**Sasori**

Excellent choice for number 1.

won out over NSA leaker Edward Snowden, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Texas senator Ted Cruz and gay rights activist Edith Windsor.

These choices however, baffle me.

**Alfndrate**

The first and last one doesn't really baffle me, Edith Windsor fought against DOMA, as it stands right now, Snowden is an influential person (something that this list used to stand for

) because of the fact that whether you think he's a traitor or not, he exposed how much governments are actually watching their people. Just from a pop culture point of view, think of how many jokes, memes, etc... we have about the NSA watching us do things right now, that we wouldn't know if Snowden hadn't leaked what he did.

I'm not saying he's good or bad for doing this, but he has influenced the events of 2013 with his actions.

I do agree, excellent choice for number 1 though.

**KalashnikovMarine**

El Papa is a good choice, Snowden wouldn't be bad either. But al-Assad? Da fuq?

**Manchu**

The "person of the year" story isn't about how wonderful a person is but how much people have been talking about them. I'm sure Miley Cyrus was also a contender.

**Alfndrate**

Manchu wrote:
The "person of the year" story isn't about how wonderful a person is but how much people have been talking about them. I'm sure Miley Cyrus was also a contender.

Indeed, but that was only because of 4chan and their ilk trying to get her to the top of the public poll, of which she only made like third on that list. Ultimately it's up to Time to determine who truly wins.

**-Shrike-**

Edith Windsor is the only one I haven't heard about. All the others make sense, especially 1 & 2.

**curran12**

Fully agree with the choice for the winner on this one.

**TheMeanDM**

This new Pope....I like him.

I love how he is taking action toward "excesses" in the church....simple wooden chair vs. golden throne. Simple cross vs extravagant bejeweled gold cross. As well as others. Also love suspending that crazy bishop who spent millions on his personal "pad".

I also like many of the things he is saying about social issues and trying to push forward. I believe he is trying to make people think...and to love one another as Jesus loved.

He is really making me rethink my faith due to how encouraging he is.

**Cheesecat**

Manchu wrote:
The "person of the year" story isn't about how wonderful a person is but how much people have been talking about them. I'm sure Miley Cyrus was also a contender.

Yeah Hitler and Stalin have both made Person of the Year before so Manchu's right.

**Ouze**

Cheesecat wrote:
Yeah Hitler and Stalin have both made Person of the Year before so Manchu's right.

OBL got jerked for the 2001 issue, you ask me.

**Bromsy**

Ouze wrote:
Cheesecat wrote:
Yeah Hitler and Stalin have both made Person of the Year before so Manchu's right.

OBL got jerked for the 2001 issue, you ask me.

Lots of people get jerked for every issue.

.... that might be the most philosophical thing I've ever said.

**Easy E**

Bromsy wrote:
Ouze wrote:
Cheesecat wrote:
Yeah Hitler and Stalin have both made Person of the Year before so Manchu's right.

OBL got jerked for the 2001 issue, you ask me.

Lots of people get jerked for every issue.

.... that might be the most philosophical thing I've ever said.

What magazine are we talking about again?

**Alfndrate**

Easy E wrote:
Bromsy wrote:
Ouze wrote:
Cheesecat wrote:
Yeah Hitler and Stalin have both made Person of the Year before so Manchu's right.

OBL got jerked for the 2001 issue, you ask me.

Lots of people get jerked for every issue.

.... that might be the most philosophical thing I've ever said.

What magazine are we talking about again?

Jugs

**timetowaste85**

Good call on the pope. I wonder if he's ever left his followers behind and gone joy-riding in the pope mobile. He seems very enthusiastic about things and is a good shakeup for the church. Glad to see things moving forward with him.

**Alexzandvar**

I'm glad they didn't pick Snowden, filthy traitor deserves nothing more than to be utterly forgotten.

And if you think Im trolling, I'm not. His actions give government contractors everywhere a bad name and hes made life harder for a lot of friends of mine working for the government.

I hope we eventually get him and give him the firing squad he deserves

**gunslingerpro**

A bit surprised Putin didn't make a higher run on the list.

**-Shrike-**

Alexzandvar wrote:
I'm glad they didn't pick Snowden, filthy traitor deserves nothing more than to be utterly forgotten.

And if you think Im trolling, I'm not. His actions give government contractors everywhere a bad name and hes made life harder for a lot of friends of mine working for the government.

I hope we eventually get him and give him the firing squad he deserves

How has he given government contractors a bad name?

**daedalus**

Alexzandvar wrote:
I'm glad they didn't pick Snowden, filthy traitor deserves nothing more than to be utterly forgotten.

And if you think Im trolling, I'm not. His actions give government contractors everywhere a bad name and hes made life harder for a lot of friends of mine working for the government.

I hope we eventually get him and give him the firing squad he deserves

Yeah, he really gave contractors a bad name. Yup. No one ever thought lowly of government contractors before.

Good show on the fierce nationalism though.

**BattleCapIronblood**

Like many on this thread and online, I like this new pope. Seeing how his approach to controversial issues is open minded and outside the box, it allows for people to follow his example and be more tolerant.
This man popes like a boss.

**jamesk1973**

I like the Pope also.

Not sure about his views on capitalism though.

Snowden is interesting too.

Was the Syrian president recommended because he gassed the rebels?

Never heard of Windsor. Of course, I didn't know we were denying any rights to the gays either.