Question 3: Why was Pope Francis’s funeral so grand and respected globally? If there’s no celestial power behind it, how do we explain this?
This is a heartfelt observation. When a spiritual leader like Pope Francis passes away, it’s natural to feel moved by the outpouring of respect.
Most religions encourage doing good, spreading love, and caring for others. When leaders embody these values, they naturally touch many lives.
- For example, Mother Teresa also inspired the world through her compassion and service—people from all backgrounds respected her.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in his book “Beyond Religion,” explains that even outside formal religious frameworks, kindness, compassion, and ethical behaviour are universal values. When someone practises these deeply, people from all walks of life are drawn to their presence.
So such events may not be proof of a celestial power, but rather a sign of how much human hearts respond to love and goodness.
In Buddhism, compassion is also central.
- But the Buddha taught us to go one step further: combine compassion with wisdom.
- For example, we are not just kind because it feels good—we also learn to understand deeply what causes suffering and how to truly help others.