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Saturday, February 7, 2009

The Holocaust-denying Priest


Richard Williamson


One of my co-respondents, who often takes issue with my points, has challenged me to write about anti-Semitism that comes from non-Muslims-specifically Christians. That is a fair point, even though the article he was responding to was a report on anti-Semitism being stirred up in Venezuela by Hugo Chavez. Nonetheless, my critic has pointed out the case of a former Catholic Bishop who has come into conflict with the Vatican over his denial of the Holocaust.

Today I read in the media that German priests have demanded that ex-Bishop Richard Williamson, a British priest living in Argentina, be expelled from the Church after he has continued to make public statements denying the Holocaust. Williamson, who only recently was re-instated by Pope Benedict XVI, has caused a furor within the Church with his continuing comments.

Leaving aside the American argument of free speech (in certain European countries, Holocaust denial is a crime), this is something the Catholic Church does not need. Already in a crisis because of the modern scandals like the Vatican Bank scandal of the 1980s and the pedophilia issue, the Church does not need old memories of its relationship with Nazi Germany brought back up.

After Hitler took power in Germany in 1933 and began consolidating private organizations, such as youth groups, into government/party control, the Church, concerned over its continued ability to function in Germany, entered into a Concordat with Hitler by which the Church could continue to carry out its activities in exchange for exiting the political arena. As a result the Center Party, which was a Catholic political party was dissolved. In return, the Nazis abrogated the agreement before the ink was dry as they proceeded to harass the Catholic Church as much as the Protestant Churches.

In the ensuing years, the role and activity of the Vatican in speaking out against Germany's excesses, especially during the war when Rome was occupied, was a mixed bag at best. At war's end, many Nazi war criminals managed to get out of Germany and flee Europe using a pipeline assisted by some churches and priests.

Now comes some knucklehead priest who most recently has refused to take back his words and will "recant only if he can find the proof". (Does anyone have a flashlight?)

Apparently, the man is not well read for there are hundreds of thousands of books available he could read. He could also view the old films of what the Allies found when they reached the camps. Even I could describe what I saw when I visited Auschwitz in 1995. I walked among the ruins of the gas chamber and crematoria. I have also visited Buchenwald, Dachau and Sachsenhausen (though they were not actually killing camps for the Final Solution).

Better yet, Williamson could simply ask the Germans themselves. Germany, since the 1960s, has come to terms with its crimes, acknowledges them, commemorates the victims and educates its youth as to what happened so that it might never happen again.

Now comes this knucklehead who calls himself a priest and brings discredit to his Church. What should be done? Far be it from this Protestant to tell the Church what to do about anything. Words do indeed have consequences, however. Williamson's continued presence as a priest in the Catholic Church can only bring further embarrassment.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree: there are numerous books Bishop Williamson could read - for exampels those by Arthur Butz, Germar Rudolf, Jurgen Graf, Carlo Mattogno, Paul Rassinier, Robert Faurisson, David Hoggan, Roger Garaudy, Fred Leuchter, Carlos Porter, Udo Walendy, Mark Weber, Ernst Zundel, not to mention the utube videos David Cole at Auschwitz and One Third of the Holocaust (this is just a small list).

Then, as alternative, the chruch might consider getting rid of the German bishops instead. There are many solutions to this problem, don't you thuink?

Lance Christian Johnson said...

This is further evidence why the term "man of God" shouldn't automatically earn a person a certain level of respect. While what this guy says is far more morally reprehensible, I put him in the same boat that I put guys like Jeremiah Wright, Rick Warren, Ted Haggard, Pat Robertson, Louis Farakhan, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Basically, being a "man of God" simply means that they've studied up on religious matters, yet they often use that as a platform to speak about things that they know absolutely nothing about. Their standards for "proof" are dubious at best, because let's face it, they're all selling something that relies on faith and not proof.

Are there "Men of God" who are worthy of respect? Absolutely. But it's their words and actions that make them worthy of that. Their title shouldn't carry any more weight than an astrologer's does.

Gary Fouse said...

Anonymous,

Not having heard of any of the names you list, I googled three of them-all Holocaust deniers, so I went no further. I assume you are also a Holocaust denier. If so, I see why you signed your name as "anonymous". Smart move,

Gary Fouse said...

Lance,

In spite of the recent controversy about Rick Warren, I don't see why you added his name with the others. I have attended a couple of his sermons, and I don't see why a man who is doing a lot of good is being so demonized simply because he is against gay marriage.

Lance Christian Johnson said...

I'll refresh your memory. It's not just that he's against gay marriage (which I personally believe is a big deal, but let's let that pass) it's that he doesn't allow openly gay people into his church, and he supports programs that try to "cure" gay people.

Every time I've heard him speak, he's gone on about all sorts of stuff where he clearly doesn't know what he's talking about. I saw an interview with him on Larry King where he talked about evolution, and it was obvious that he doesn't even know the first thing about it.

I also happen to not like him because he spews a bunch of feel-good pablum with the intellectual depth of a Bazooka Joe comic.

Regarding "Anonymous", the Holocaust deniers are definitely out there. I once received an email from some nutbar when I had that website about my grandfather. He had a link to some Holocaust denying site of his. It would be funny if they weren't serious. (For something that's easier to laugh at - check out the flat-Earth society, as they're serious as well.)

It just goes to show that it's not always the case that every argument has two sides of equal merit. Sometimes, one side is just plain wrong. (Like people who think that gays can be "cured" - namely, Rick Warren.)

Anonymous said...

Interesting coment on http://truerestoration.blogspot.com/2009/02/true-holocaust.html

Read especially the comment by Straightalker entitled 'Truth omes in many sauces'

Lance Christian Johnson said...

Geez. I just looked at the link that Anonymous posted. It reminds me of the same bassackward logic of "creation scientists".

Gary Fouse said...

Lance,

I just took a quick look at this comment and its attachment. I need to look at it again. All I know is that I know my history, I have been to Auschwitz, and I know what the truth is.

Anonymous said...

Gary Fouse,

You've been to Auschwitz, and I know what the truth is. Well, so has an extremely courageous Jewsh lad, David Cole, AND he made a video AND he also knows what the truth is.

Check out the video on
YouTube under 'Cole at Auschwitz'

Anonymous said...

Let the priest support homosexuality - this is acceptable. Let him agree with the Jewish slaughter of human beings in Gaza, or in Iraq Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iran - who are we to judge him? Let him deny every part of the Nicene Creed and deny the very existence of God - and be regarded as a modernistic, free-thinking priest, an encourageable rascal who regularly appears on TV programmes as among the first to be consulted on 'matters of faith'. "What a guy!"

BUT: Should the priest ask, in the mildest way:
"Are you sure that this building was a gas chamber? Where's your evidence for this?"
Then the armoured legions of the pope will march against you, shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish inquisition, the millions of unthinking rabble driven before them, pitchfork and cudgels in hand, screaming their holiest hatred, fired by their most sacred blood-lust, as they pile up the tinder for the auto da fe.

For nowadays there is but one permitted faith, one universal religion- Holocaustianity.
The formerly 'Christian' churches have exorcised Jesus Christ. As ALL the church leaders have avowed, the ONLY essential stipulation for membership of the church is one's unquestioning belief - faith - in and assertion of the Holy Holocaust. The unforgivable, excommunicable sin is now heresy - infidelity to the only remaining tenet of the church- the magic '6M'.

Gary Fouse said...

To Anonymous,

I am posting your comments to show how ignorant you are. Frankly, reading the words of you conspiracy nuts is fun. First, I got mail from the 9-11 truthers, now you. Next it will be the Flat Earth Society.

Lance Christian Johnson said...

Well said, Gary. Some people you just can't argue with - especially when they're suffering from a delusional persecution complex.

Gary Fouse said...

Lance,

Most of these people don't really believ what they are putting out. It's that they have an agenda, and this is a way of furthering it.