Well, it's good to know people are free thinking. I'm glad to hear people would trust their own conscience before blindly following a leader of any type (I'm glad we have the option, too! Thank you men and women of the armed forces past and present). People as a whole need leaders, I think. At least someone to uphold the standards and laws so things don't get out of hand, whether a leader is some tribal cheif or president of the US. The church is there to guide people like Blackdog said. Maybe to help people who are on the fence or don't know what to do in times of hardship or something. Also, the pope has a much bigger role in world politics than I realized when I was younger.