Rope-a-Pope

In the few conversations I've had about my interest in all things Catholic, I've noticed most people tend to have strong reactions to the pope (most of you long-time Catholics are rolling your eyes and mentally saying to me "no ____ Sherlock!").  It is understandable; the pope seems like such a “different” type of leader compared to Protestant pastors and speakers and musicians.  There are of course many rumors about Popes: rumors that they cannot sin, rumors that they are “worth more to God” than other people, rumors that they can invent doctrines and add books to the Bible, rumors that every Catholic has to pray to the pope and that then the pope delivers those prayers to God and on and on and on.  And on top of all that, the current pope sure looks an awful lot like the evil Sith Lord, Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars. I’m happy to say that those rumors are simply that… rumors  (although Pope Benedict does look like the Emperor, I'll give you that one).