If the Pope is merely man's creation, having no religous significance; then this bickering is nothing more than a play over politics and the power that goes along with it.
I don't think that some of these Cardinals have anything more in mind, than their own personal glorification.
"By their fruits, ye will know them" - abridged from Matthew 7:16. But more importantly verse 17 reads: "Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit."
Not a silly question, but the answer is, "No." If the pope were, simply, "God's voice on earth," he would be a kind of all-purpose oracle, even a kind of "medium," robot, or radio receiver --- which he is not.
To get a fuller idea of what Catholic doctrine says about the pope and the general question of authority in the Church, I recommend these links to Catholic Answers.
Briefly, all of what we know about Christ comes from the evangelists and the Apostles; and all of what we know of the Apostles' teachings is found in the New Testament and in the teachings of their immediate disciples and successors, who are known as the Fathers of the Church.
The pope, as successor to the Apostle Peter, has the special ministry of confirming or strengthening his brethren (Luke 22:32), and that's what the pope basically does: he strives to guarantee the faithful transmission of the Faith as it was handed down by the Apostles. He is the chief shepherd (john 21:17), feeding the sheep with these ancient and timeless truths (not his own inventions!); he is not a fount of new revelation.
No, the Pope is considered the Vicar of Christ, meaning virtually nothing more than the bureaucrat in charge. A parish vicar is somebody who is filling in for the imporant person, be he the pastor or the bishop. So the Pope is sort of filling in and running things, as Peter seems to have done among the Apostles.
On rare occasions, the Pope will make a statement that is considered infallible. But it can only be so if it is part of Catholic doctrine from the beginnings - for example, the infallible statement about the Immaculate Conception (that Our Lady was conceived not subject to the stain of original sin) had been believed for centuries in many different environments before it was proclaimed by the Pope. So he can't simply jump up and announce that he had an idea and it's now doctrine!
But I think you're right, these cardinals get very obsessed with themselves, and the struggle between the Pope and the bishops and cardinals goes way, way back. Sometimes for the good, sometimes not. But Christ has given us His promise, and the Church survive in spite of us all.
Hodar
Since Apr 12, 2000
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Conservative, abrupt, and logical. I hold religion to be a deeply personal issue, and never a public one. Those who would force their religion, faith or superstitions upon the public, are to be more feared than terrorists at large. For terrorists know they are doing evil to obtain their ends. Religious fanatics, on the other hand, believe that their actions are inherently 'good', even as they trample the rights, dignity and lives of those they wish to 'save'.
I have little use for the self-religious. If you cannot defend an idea without resorting to religion, and/or your interpretation of scriptures; you are a either simply stupid or gullible, either way, devoid of individual thought. For each of us has our own religion, and interpretations; Buddhist, Muslim, Atheist, Christian, Jewish, Wicca and Satanic are all equal under the laws of the land. Logic is the only common trade piece."