Jewish Scene
Vatican: Holocaust denier must recant
AP
Published: 04.02.09, 20:36
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18 Talkbacks for this article
1. Holocaust Denial
Justice   (02.04.09)
This is a message to istanbul that they must summon the moral courage to admit the massacres and forced marched deaths of the armenian christians a betrayal of the moral humanitarian aim to avoid civilian casualties in war .
2. Either the pope is stupid or a liar
Gee ,   Zikron Yaakov   (02.04.09)
Now we should ask the vatican which one it is. Is he really that stupid, since the rest of the world knew of this? Or is he lying? Either case is equally as bad.
3. Merkel is righteous...and this is a good start...
Andy ,   ramat hasharon   (02.04.09)
In repairing the damage that has been done. I'm glad Ratzinger issued this statement.
4. Why should he repudiate his position?
Steve   (02.04.09)
Williamson believes in the accuracy of his position. He has an 'expert' witness who claims no Jews were murdered in any gas chambers. Williamson's witness claimed to be an engineer, though he has no degree in or training in engineering. Why should Williamson be made to recant? Won't any repudiation of his conspiracy theory be an empty one? The point is, after Pope Benedict reinstated this Holocaust-denying Bishop, he has known for many days about his Holocaust-denying position. Only when the outcry became intense, is the pope now demanding that the Bishop recant something he believes deeply about the perfidious Jews whom he believes are exploiting the Holocaust for some nefarious and evil purpose. Perhaps this is why he rejects the Vatican II reforms. He likely believes the Jews murdered his god and he will not forgive the Jews then or now for this terrible crime. What purpose would be served by forcing him to recant?
5. Recants? WHAT does that..
TheWatchman777 ,   Usa   (02.04.09)
mean? Is he also having a change of heart and NOW believes that the Holocaust really DID take place? Quick answer, NOT! When he recants, he gets reinstated and back in the good graces of the pope and the Vatican. Will THIS change his HEART? Here again, NOT! You CANNOT force people to change by protest or legislation, THEY have to see the NEED to change and NOT just because they want re-instated. Israel, WHO cares WHAT these people think? You KNOW the truth and that's all that mat-ters. Speaking of mat-ters, let the "mad hatters," get it, they wear funny hats, oh well, (play on words lol) think WHAT they want. You owe them NOTHING!!
6. Finally, Chancellor Merkel has said and done something that
Rivkah   (02.04.09)
makes me feel less alarmed by her. Even Pope Benedict XVI listened to her.
7. mister pope, you Vipers
dennis ,   us   (02.04.09)
history of who you and your cultists are speaks plainly from the 600 years of papal persecution in which if it wern't for military powers, you would still be doing. Thats who you ARE! Plain and simple...
8. Pope didn't know
Joe ,   Israel   (02.04.09)
Sounds like a snow job.
9. Merkel behaved like a governess
Ferd   (02.04.09)
it was clear that the Vatican would give out such a statement, of course to determine the procedure how to reintegrate the Pius brethrenship but also especially due to the in-acceptable and saddening remarks by that non-catholic bishop, some days sooner or later, this has absolutely nothing to do with the inappropriate behaviour of chancellor Merkel. And to those self-righteous people who claim the pope would be a liar, I say: The pope knows the ten commandments, if he lied, he would have to leave his papacy. But I am firmly convinced he didn't.
10. WHERE DID HE BUY HIS KIPA?
..............DACON9   (02.05.09)
I CAN SELL IT TO HIM WHOLESALE . not the cross a JEW is forbidden to make articles to be used for other gods . same as Abaraham breaking the idols in his fathers tent.
11. pope's speech in Auschwitz
Ferd   (02.05.09)
A worthwile read is the pope's speech the pope held 2006 in Auschwitz: "To speak in this place of horror, in this place where unprecedented mass crimes were committed against God and man, is almost impossible - and it is particularly difficult and troubling for a Christian, for a Pope from Germany. In a place like this, words fail; in the end, there can only be a dread silence - a silence which is itself a heartfelt cry to God: Why, Lord, did you remain silent? How could you tolerate all this? In silence, then, we bow our heads before the endless line of those who suffered and were put to death here; yet our silence becomes in turn a plea for forgiveness and reconciliation, a plea to the living God never to let this happen again." http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/pope-benedict-auschwitz.htm
12. #4 - answer
P ,   Philadelphia   (02.05.09)
This bishop was apparently part of a splinter group of ultraconservative Catholics that rejected Vatican II (a summit where a number of issues of modern Catholic theology were resolved and the church aimed towards better relations with non-catholic faiths). By requiring recantation, he's aiming to force them as a group either to acknowledge Shoah and respect for other peoples or to have no authority to act as Catholic. Not being Christian, it's none of my business as to why they were excommunicated in the first place, or what it means to have let them back in, but this is at least a positive step relative to the state of affairs we were recently in. Denial or minimalisation of the horrors of Shoah are not necessarily racist in theory, but in practice, particularly when tolerated in an institution, they cannot fail to be. Attempts to rehabilitate the darkest moments of human history (and there are many) alarm anyone paying attention.
13. According 2 Catholic dogma if he does recant he must be
excommunicated!   (02.05.09)
14. Fully rehabilitation
therapy ,   Israel   (02.05.09)
Swedish are starting to b fashionably shoe throwers , why instead of being fully admitted - which would be not only an insult but dangerous- a case of a stupid ignorant guy with iniciative- why not some throwing shoes over him instead- plus kicking of course if shoes cant get of
15. Bishop Must Recant
josef szmuda ,   los angeles usa   (02.05.09)
Will somebody tell this putz, who calls himself a bishop, how many hundreds of thousands of CHRISTIANS were annihilated in the camps. josef szmuda
16. A Bad Man.
The 11th Man ,   London   (02.05.09)
17. normal way for vatican's jews hater ...
avi   (02.05.09)
http://shofar-ierushalaim.blogspot.com/2008/12/if-you-knew-me-you-would-leave.html
18. #15 has a point 12 million people were murdered in Nazi Oven
(02.06.09)
6 million Jews and 6 million other people including good Catholics, good Lutherans, good communists, good Gypsies and good homosexuals! The Bishop must recant and if he doesn't the Catholic Church must excommunicate him!
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