Author Daniel Jonah Goldhagen presents an article which compares and contrasts the similarities between Pope Benedict XVI and Nazi Germany. Not knowing where Goldhagen is coming from to write such a random article, I read further into the article. As a young boy of 14, Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict) joined the Hitler Youth. This was his own choice as he was raised in an anti-Nazi family. Through the war Ratzinger served in the military. With such involvement in the Nazi party, how is it that Ratzinger never saw the horrors of the Nazis themsevlves? Did he see the atrocities and look away? To answer these questions, I read on to his later life as Pope Benedict XVI.
In a speech to the people, he talked of an "imperial church" and talks of "other religions as not being true religions or paths of salvation." With these two thoughts alone, it is clear there is some similarity between the Nazi way of thinking and the Pope's. However, one cannot even begin to believe that the Pope's closed mind toward religion is anywhere near as irrational as the Nazi's closed mind toward race and people (which led to exterminations). There might be some connection on some small scale, but in no way at all is the Pope going to act like a Nazi.
Goldhagen made this analogy to show that there could be some connection between Nazi Germany and its ways and Pope Benedict XVI. This analogy is not reinforced however. The reference made to the Pope's hope of an imperial church is construed to look like the Nazi hope for the extermination of people not of Aryan descent. These two might be similar in that they are trying to unify something. The way in which this objective is to be reached is completely different in both cases however.
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Goldhagen definitely creates an interesting argument. While Hitler and the Pope are by no means similar people, their ideals do have similarities. No sane person, however, could believe that the extermination of millions of people could benefit mankind, while many people do look at religion as one of the pros of humanity. Have you considered Goldhagen's essay in terms of the Pope's critical thinking or are you planning on using it in a different way?
ReplyDeleteits certainly an intriguing article. but i dont believe it holds much merit considering the church allows anyone to be a believer and not just blond blue eyed germans.
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