Pope rehabilitates Holocaust denier

[12th Doctor]

Belief in the holocaust is not an issue of doctrine.  The only reason someone can and ought to be excommunicated is for doctrinal issues.

[12th Doctor]

The best part about this issue is that the fact that he is a  Holocaust Denier is completely incidental.  It had nothing to do with the reason behind the excommunication.  The reason they were excommunicated was because of extreme anti-Vatican II views.  He recanted and was allowed back in.

You have to want it to think this is some endorsement of his non-religious views on the Holocaust, and, of course, plenty of people do want it.

Just like idiot stick above me wants the Pope to be a Nazi even though all records indicate that his participation in the Hitler Youth and the Germany army was unenthusiastic, and came about because he was forced into it.

That is disgusting, as much so as this guys views, but you aren't going to hear anyone complaining about that.

[12th Doctor]

Another example of how the current Pope is a very poor communicator.

There were dogmatic reasons for rehabilitation. However there is no denying holocaust deniers are odious individuals. However the Pope and the Vatican just 'say' rather than explain.

So we end up with furore over Islam, Pope Pius, Spanish clerical fascists, gender theory and numerous other pronouncements.

I'll agree with that, but let me ask you, if he had gone out and given this long explanation, would anyone have cared?  Would they be saying anything different?

[12th Doctor]

So we end up with furore over Pope Pius, Spanish clerical fascists.

I don't think that's ever going to go away with "better communication".

Utterly amazing how Pius XII went from one of the world's great heroes in the 40's and 50's to this horrible, Jew killing, friend of Hitler.  Hitler certainly didn't see Pius as a friend, but if ultraliberal intellectuals want to start to rumor that Pius was Hitler's ally, in order to discreadit his opposition to communism, why not... and why shouldn't the world believe the lie, right?

[12th Doctor]

So we end up with furore over Pope Pius, Spanish clerical fascists.

I don't think that's ever going to go away with "better communication".

Utterly amazing how Pius XII went from one of the world's great heroes in the 40's and 50's to this horrible, Jew killing, friend of Hitler.  Hitler certainly didn't see Pius as a friend, but if ultraliberal intellectuals want to start to rumor that Pius was Hitler's ally, in order to discreadit his opposition to communism, why not... and why shouldn't the world believe the lie, right?

Don't oversimplify things. Cheapening the concern that some have over the canonization of Pius is not appropriate. Pius X and his Vatican before and during WWII is a complicated and often contradictory matter

Well, it would be a complicated matter indeed, since Pius X died 30 years before the war.

That being said, you think I am over-simplifying things and not the anti-Catholics who have made quite a bit of hay out of Pius XII supposed approval of Hitler?

What is even better is that Pius XI gets tarred with the pro-Hitler brush now, too, when he did, in fact, speak out very clearly against the Nazis.

[12th Doctor]

I don't have time to address everything that is wrong with what the two of you have said, in any detailed way, at this precise moment, but let me assure you, I will be back here to do so.

I'll just leave you with the old adage:

Nothing is so false as modern history.

[12th Doctor]

I finally looked this Williamson guy up and it seems that the Holocaust denial thing is just one aspect about him.

Wikipedia claims that he called Jews "enemies of Christ" and believes that the Protocols of the Elders of Zion are authentic. He also opposes the wearing of trousers by women and thinks that women shouldn't be attending universities. In addition, he claims that 9/11 was staged by the U.S. government.

If all of those allegations are true I'd classify him as a christian fundamentialist and conspiracy theory nut. The denial of a Holocaust is also some form of conspiracy theory, so it probably fits. He's a cross between Pat Robertson, Lyndon LaRouche, and Ernst Zündel.

All views he is perfectly welcome to.  I wonder, why is it that the same people who always complain that the Catholic Church is too involved in trying to control people's thought, are now also the same people who are chastising the Church for allowing someone back in, whoholds unpopular views?

Perhaps some hypocrisy there.  One would would think that if someone was opposed to the Catholic Church for not being a "big tent" Church and accepting all points of view (like a good modern church should), would then be happy to see this man readmitted to the flock.

Of course, people who degrade the Church have never really quite seemed to grasp that the Church doesn't really care about modern social trends; and that is why they truly dislike it.  Because the Pope is not on talk shows, acquiescing to ever new cultural and theological fade that comes around... and really, its more cultural, because most people who oppose the Church haven't the slightest idea what it actually teaches.

And, once again, people have taken something that is really about theology, and made it into something about social norms.  This is yet another excuse for people to point at how "out of touch" the Church is with society. 

[12th Doctor]

I'm coming back to this tomorrow, BTW.  Finally time to do something I enjoy for a moment.