Do you think the Vatican will still be around in 100 years?

[RyanEC]

I watched a hypothetical future video prediction video on YouTube that touched on the idea that atheism will rise and the Vatican will lose its sovereignty to a more irreligious Europe.

This could be possible because the west is becoming more secular and the Catholic Church is criticized more in more for things they can no longer cover up about child abuse and corruption.

not saying I would support this it’s just interesting to ponder.

[NamerOfStars]

The... last... Pope?

You know, I'd like to think I can respect people whose religions are more secular, but accepting THAT kind of nonsense would require so much ignorance of history AND psychology AND sociology... there's just no way it couldn't be deliberate.

In brief: the Papacy has been forced from Rome before. Multiple times, in fact. Christianity as a whole began its life as a brutally persecuted (and prosecuted) Jewish apocalypse cult that rules sought to scourge from almost every last country it spread to. Catholicism alone has a billion and a half adherents; not only more than every other sect of Christianity combined, but more than any other entire religion except Islam (which it's only a hundred million or so short of). It's also growing in every part of the world except Europe. The idea of it becoming irrelevant is... very misguided, at best.

If the Italian government tries to violate the Lateran treaty (again), it would not only be risking a war, anything it could hope to accomplish would be undone by its successors (who, this being Italy, would not be long in coming). The idea of the UN getting involved is likewise ludicrous; it's not controlled by a handful of nations in Europe.

Nor is scandal going to motivate such action. While the accusations are the troubling, and the silencing of them outright horrifying, you need to keep a sense of perspective here: more allegations of sexual assault are in the juvenile (just the juvenile) prison system in the United States alone EVERY SINGLE YEAR than have been made against the worldwide Catholic Church in its entire 2,000-year history. I don't see the UN forcing prison reform on the US.

[BCRanger10]

It will.

I don't see the political tide turning against the Church anytime soon, even with all its problems. Many right-wing leaders and parties in Europe have been elected and many of them at least see the Catholic Church as an ally. Political imposition is certainly possible, but we'll see. I think this is also partly why there may possibly be a more conservative pope after Francis.

As for the numbers of Catholics, that's not a sure bet against the Vatican either. Traditional and conservative practicing Catholics tend to have more children, so it's a matter of time before secularists and liberals are outbred.

[RyanEC]

I don’t support the idea merely just a pondering of what could happen.

I have more respect for Catholics then I do for evangelical or Pentecostal fundamentalists.

In Europe the birth rate needs to rise but just because a devout Catholic has many children doesn’t mean they will all follow.

I follow a French conservative activity who is one of ten children but says “Catholicism no longer convinces.”

[BCRanger10]

"I have more respect for Catholics then I do for evangelical or Pentecostal fundamentalists." If I may ask (not that I have a problem with that; I don't, far from it in fact), why?

While you may be correct that more children doesn't necessarily mean that they will continue practicing the Faith, there will still be a greater likelihood of more faithful Catholics. Pope Benedict XVI said decades ago that there may be a time when the Church is smaller, but holier and more well-formed. That can only result in Catholics knowing their faith more and having good devotional practices that they will hand on.

[RyanEC]

Evangelicals and Pentecostals seem to not respect ritual and intellectualism as much as Catholics.

There were no great Protestant “great fathers of the early church” like origin Alexandria and Gregory of Nyssa.

Catholics are more pro science and more likely to not push creationism and less likely to be fundamentalists.

And they mostly don’t allow for a hopeful Universalist position like Catholics allow for which I still favor.

[jennifer_bloom]

I believe centralized religion leads to atheism because it shuts down independent inquiry and knowledge pursuit. To preserve generations of believers in a righteous or reasonable state, there has to be freedom in exploration, freedom of thought, and diversity of spiritual talent and expression. An example of this is how non traditional churches are growing while traditional churches are declining.

[Siri137]

The 'West' isn't the whole world you know. In Africa Christianity, including Catholicism, is rapidly growing, and the same is happening in Asia and Latin America. Many Muslims are converting to Christianity as well, so if these trends continue it will be the atheists who will be left out and behind.

[RyanEC]

The Vatican is in Europe.

[Siri137]

Yes, I know that. My point was that Christianity isn't dying, which is the reason given by the asker of the question for believing that the Vatican may disappear within the next century.

[hahahmm]

Atheism will not rise. On the contrary, 100% of humanity will know without a doubt that the spiritual world exists and that this world was created by God. As we get closer to the end it will become harder and harder to deny that God exists. But just as there were other gods & religions controlling empires in the old days that will become true in an obvious way again too. The Vatican won't be around as you know it in 5-8 years.

[Curmudgeon]

Arguably, Pope Francis is blowing up The Church. It will be interesting to see what comes out of the ashes:

https://youtu.be/INbaKwaIjRk?si=b9OEKsGF4qKtTm_1

[Siri137]

The worst Pope in the entire history of the Church!

[Curmudgeon]

@Siri137 Yep, and the internet commentator "Argent" explains it well. Why even have a Church if it stands for nothing? Protestantism emerged for a reason...

[DarkWinterNights]

It’s debatable if it will still be around in its current form. I think it will still exist and be a religious site of some sort. I don’t think Atheism is going to grow that significantly though. Religious people are still having on average far more children than secularists. And with the massive migrations into Europe and the US that’s going to shift the culture pretty hard within the next 2-3 decades.

[goaded]

It would make an amazing museum. Unlike certain religious groups, atheists won't be interested in blowing it up or burning it down.

[AviatorTom]

Over the centuries, the Catholic Church has changed, yet it has always existed. I don't think the Vatican will disappear anytime soon, although its role in the Church may diminish.

[exitseven]

Yes, and it will be bigger than ever. Society will have eroded so much that the only way to survive is to embrace religion again.

[Dargil]

I do. Once Frank retires and they elect a Trumpesque Pope, The Church will begin to recover as it did under JP3.

[JacobJordan]

Given the amount of money, power and influence wielded by the Vatican they border on nations level of power.

[KrakenAttackin]

The Vatican is a huge bank as well as the seat of Catholicism. You can bet your ass that money will keep the Vatican around.

[Anonymous]

Physically sure

Practically absolutely not... humanity won't be around in 100 years

[Tomisworthless]

Yes why are you against Christs Church

[RyanEC]

I’m against child molesters and those who protect them and hide their crimes.

I’m not anti Catholic only anti religious fundamentalist nut jobs who use children for sick pleasure.

[Tomisworthless]

Yeah see we are all sinners and not all catholic priests are pedophiles but given they aren’t married and probably celibate their sexual urges come out towards the ones that are most innocent and the ones they spend a lot of time around. Plenty of these fake Christian denominations around the US that are guilty of sin themselves yet preach Grace grace grace

[Anonymous]

The Vatican won't lose its sovereignty.

[Anonymous]

If mankind is still around, yes.

[Bella2423]

I hope not. Useless

[KostasKouvalis]

Yeah, I've been to the Vatican and it's basically a private estate. I don't know how on earth it's recognized as an official country

[KostasKouvalis]

Who knows?

[Roudyrebel8]

Yes I do