Wednesday, January 28, 2009

VIDEO: Pope Benedict Condemns the Holocaust

In the wake of lifting of the excomunication on Holocaust denier Bishop Richard Williamson, the Vatican has its YouTube to good use and posted a video of Pope Benedict condemning the Holocaust, to remind those in and outside the Church of the horror of the Shoah.

Unfortunately, it won't allow embed. Which strikes me as weird.

In any case. Here's the link.

And many people share the sentiments of Elan Steinburg:

The American Gathering of Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants said the Vatican's attempts to reject Williamson's views were necessary but insufficient. The group's vice president, Elan Steinberg, urged the Vatican to further address what he called its "moral failure" in rehabilitating Williamson.

"At a minimum, the Vatican should now demand that Williamson repudiate his heinous views," Steinberg said.


People think the Pope can tell anyone what to believe on any subject.

It doesn't work that way.

On issues that do not explicitly or implicitly relate to Divine Revelation, Catholics are not bound to any one opinion.

You can believe global warming is a problem. Or not.

You can believe in small government. Or big government.

You can believe in taxpayer-funded health care. Or not.

And so forth.

The pope doesn't have any authority to change Williamson's opinion on history.

The SSPX has already said it has prohibited him from speaking on these matters.

But I don't think the media or the critics really want to understand the situation. What's a little truth when you can sling mud at the opposition.