The Horror of Holocaust Denial !!

 On 24th January 2009,  Pope Benedict XVI lifted the ex-communication of  Bishop Richard Williamson, an infamous holocaust denier. His statements in the Youtube  interview below include that ..... "Not one Jew was killed in a Gas Chamber!".

With this action, the Vatican has done far more than set back Vatican/Jewish relations. It has made itself look like it is living in the darkest of ages.  Pope Benedict XVI has reinstated as a bishop a man who both denies the Holocaust and also suggests that 9/11 was an American plot. He has done so, it is reported, in order to strengthen relations with a renegade segment of the Catholic Church. This is one of those inexplicable moves that has left many people asking "Have they no decency?" A more basic and, possibly even more appropriate question would be. "Have they no common sense or compassion?"

A number of commentators have observed that this will 'complicate' Vatican-Jewish relations and will make it more difficult for Israel and the Vatican to come to an agreement about a papal visit or access to historic sites.  All this may be true, but that is an exceptionally narrow way of looking at the implications of this move. Simply put, it makes the Vatican look as if it is once again living in the most unenlightened of ages. And that is a kindness of description.

Holocaust denial is an explicit form of Anti-Semitism!  It has no purpose but to inculcate contempt for Jews. According to deniers, Jews use the Holocaust to win the world's sympathy and, in the course of so doing, win reparations from Germany and political support for Israel. Such a charge, based as it is on the imagery of money and political manipulation, hearkens back to traditional anti-semitic stereotypes. Why a pope would want to give support to such a movement is baffling. More baffling, however, is why a pope would want to associate the Vatican with someone who preaches lies and manipulations of history.

Holocaust Deniers have no independent proof on which to rely because there is none. Falsification is their watchword. The Vatican has associated itself with a whole body of lies and I do intend to explore this question in some depth in another blog .... Various popes, most especially Pius XII are also associated with Holocaust Denial!   Remember, that the very first Holocaust deniers were the Nazis themselves. As it became increasingly obvious that the war was not going well, Himmler instructed his camp commandants to destroy records, crematoria and other sign of mass destruction of human beings. He was especially adamant with regard to those Jews still alive who could testify regarding their experiences in the camps. In April, 1945, he signed an official order (which still exists in his own handwriting) that the camps would not be surrendered and that no prisoner should  "fall into the hands of the enemies alive."  Apparently Himmler knew that the ‘Final Solution’ would be viewed as a moral outrage by the rest of the world.

But the reinstated bishop does not just deny the Holocaust. He also claims 9/11 was staged by America as a pretext to invade Afghanistan. The linkage between the two sets of denial is, of course, not happenstance. Basic to 9/11 denial is the charge that four thousand Jewish workers in the World Trade Centre were warned to stay home that day. In itself this verges on the ridiculous and doesn‘t merit discussion.  In fact, about 500 Jews were among the victims.  That is over 15% of the total, a number consistent with the Jewish population of the New York metropolitan area.   Moreover, how could so many people be told anything and thousands more not hear about it?

In short, both these claims are not just malicious forms of ANTISEMITISM,  but they are completely illogical. They would be laughable were it not for the tragedies they address. In embracing Bishop Williamson the Vatican has done far more than set back Vatican/Jewish relations. It has made itself look like it is living in the darkest of ages.   One awaits a pronouncement that it is heresy to believe that the earth revolves around the sun, .....  Oh, wait a minute.  didn't the Vatican already do that??  

And don't  forget that Pope Benedict’s  previous job was in an office entitled the 'Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith'.   In 1908, Pope Saint Pius X  had renamed the organisation ... it became the "Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office". This in its turn became the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 1965 under the tenure of  a certain Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger,  which name continues to this day.^[update]  Prior to the twentieth century this office was called the 'Holy Inquisition' ....  preparation for popeship??

Oh! Remember too, that during WWII Pope Benedict could be found Marching to strains of 'Deutschland Uber Alles' whilst swelling the ranks of Hitler Youth.  A mere Holocaust Denier has nothing on that!!   What else would you expect from a such Good  'German Shepherd' whose nickname just happens to be 'G-d's Rothweiller' ????
 
PLEASE WATCH THIS SICKENING VIDEO ....  THE HORROR OF HOLOCAUST DENIAL!!