There is one more argument that is sometimes made about the Catholic Church being responsible for the Holocaust. Although the Vatican never called for and even opposed extermination, doesn’t the participation of individual Catholics make the Church at least partly responsible.
It’s a fair question, but the answer is no. Most of the members of the German government and the SS would have been baptized. Now, the majority of people in Germany at that time were baptized into either the Catholic or Protestant Church. However, just because one is baptized, doesn’t mean that they’re following the faith. In looking at Hitler, his inner circle, and most of the SS and other party members, there is no evidence of high religiosity. Sure, Hitler used the word God occasionally in a speech but so did Thomas Jefferson and no educated person will accuse Jefferson of religiosity.
However, it’s also unreasonable to think that there were no practicing Catholics in the Nazi Party or the SS. They existed for sure due to the Nazi Party not being an official atheist party and millions of Catholics living in Germany. It’s also reasonable to assume that some of these participated directly in the mass murder of Jews. Shame on them, but does this make the Church responsible? Kertzer admits that the Vatican opposed the Mass murder of Jews and always did. See my last post for the quotes.
Let’s use an analogy here. The entire population of Jews in Canada and America is about six million. If you go ask these Jews if they’ve eaten pork, most are going to say yes. Now, with the exception of a few extremely ignorant ones, they’re going to know that Judaism condemns the eating of pork. This comes straight from Leviticus 11.
Who do we blame for this? Do we blame Judaism? Do we blame the Torah? Do we blame the Rabbi? Absolutely not since they all condemn the eating of pork. These Jews knowingly chose to go against their religion when they decided to eat pork. Now, we don’t blame Judaism for this just as we don’t blame the Church for the holocaust since it opposed it. Individual people go against their religion all the time. It’s not the fault of the religion but of the person.
I think that it’s time for the Jews to stop trying to blame the Catholic Church for the holocaust. I don’t want to speak for the Protestants. I don’t think they’re responsible either but I will let them defend themselves as historically they took a different approach to the Jews than the Catholic Church did. I think that saying the Church has to take some responsibility for the holocaust is a blood libel. A blood libel far worse than any Jew was ever accused of in medieval Europe.
you say we shouldn’t say the holocaust was a catholic affair and then title the post with the words “Jewish charge”. Sure some Jews blame Catholicism for the holocaust, but not all and its the same with Catholics being involved in in it, but not all as you say in this post.
Hi Norcal,
It’s a Jewish charge but not all Jews make this charge. When someone says that the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, that doesn’t mean that all Japanese participated in it or even supported it.
God Bless,
Allan
That’s what I’m saying, but by the same logic one could call the holocaust a Catholic affair or whatever because Catholics (in name only or otherwise) were involved to a large extent. Non Catholics were involved as well and many non Jews blame Catholicism (Christianity in general) for the Holocaust.
I guess the only difference is there’s more of an ethnic identity associated with Judaism as opposed to Catholicism.
I disagree because they weren’t involved to a “large extent”. The party wasn’t officially atheist but it wasn’t known for it’s faith.