Sunday, May 28, 2006

A German Pope at Auschwitz

I hated Cardinal Ratzinger. Every time I thought I could reconcile being Gay and Catholic, his Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith would say something horrible and untrue about gay people.

But EWTN is showing Benedict XVI at Auschwitz. Perhaps he is just acting, but he looks stunned, almost unable to cope with what his nation did to Jews and Poles. [Forget his ear;ly Hitler Youth membersship - he was too young to blame for that.]

Perhaps I am being too optimistic here, but great power often leads to new insight (that's why Republican presidents keep ending up with liberal Supreme Court Justices). Will Benedict realize that gays, JWs, and communists also got destroyed by totalitarianism. Will he realize the "unity of life" (an OPUS DEI mantra) is not a goal for individuals or society. That variety and difference is what makes people creative. He looks shocked enough, that I hope so.

Would it not be odd if Ratzinger turns out to be a new John XXIII.

2 comments:

Another Damned Medievalist said...

Odd, perhaps. But odd things can be good.

Anonymous said...

Anybody with a bit of history knows that becoming Pope can do things to you.