This week the Vatican's debacle in rehabilitating a Holocaust-denying bishop took a political turn when Chancellor Angela Merkel publicly rebuked the German Pope:
"This should not be allowed to pass without consequences," Mrs Merkel said at a news conference in Berlin.
"This is not just a matter, in my opinion, for the Christian, Catholic and Jewish communities in Germany but the Pope and the Vatican should clarify unambiguously that there can be no denial," she said.
The outcry from conservative circles in Germany was immediate, begiining with the Pope's brother, who called critics of Benedict XVI "stupid and ill-informed". And on the Web site kath.net Professor Dr. Hubert Windisch declared that German Catholics could no longer vote for Angela Merkel:
Frau Merkel hat sich am 3. Februar 2009 als Anti-Papst-Kanzlerin erwiesen. Für deutsche Katholiken ist sie nicht mehr wählbar. (On February 3, 2009 Mrs. Merkel showed that she is the anti-Pope chancellor. German Catholics can no longer vote for her.)
Meanwhile the far right-wing paper Junge Freiheit complains that Holocaust denial is a crime (in Germany) while blasphemy is completely tolerated. This is also reflected in the hated principles of the European Union which makes no reference to God but makes Holocaust denial a crime throughout Europe. But the Pope, according to the neo-fascist weekly, was not endorsing the views of Bishop Richard Williamson, but rather simply welcoming a sinner back into Church:
Die Rücknahme der Exkommunikation bedeutet keine Anerkennung der Bischofsämter der Piusbrüder, wie irrtümlich angenommen, sondern lediglich die Gnade der Rückkehr in den Kreis der einfachen katholischen Gläubigen, die zum Empfang der Sakramente berechtigt sind: seien sie Papst, Priester, Mörder – oder Holocaust-Leugner. Denn nach christlichem Verständnis sind sie alle Sünder und können eine Vergebung erlangen, die diese Welt nicht bereithält. (The rescinding of the ex-communication does not indicate a recognition of the authority o f Society of Pius X as has been mistakenly believed, but is rather blessing the return to fold of simple Catholic worshipers who are entitled to receive the sacrements: whether Pope, priest or murderer - or Holocaust-denier. For in the Christian faith they are all sinners and achieve a forgiveness denied to them in this world.)
Problem is, some sinners are more welcome than others. Pope Benedict seems determined to extend a welcoming embrace to any ultra-conservative group that would reverse the course of the Second Vatican Council, while banning any critics from the left who would extend and accelerate those reforms. Case and point: Eugen Drewermann, who yesterday spoke out against those who presented God as a "vendor of barbed wire" ("Lieferant von Stacheldraht“).
Hmm. Very strange. Why bother to make "Holocaust denial" a crime? Deniers can deny away, but the truth remains what it is.
Posted by: hattie | February 06, 2009 at 05:45 PM