[Choux]

BERLIN — A bishop who faces a Vatican demand to recant his denial of the Holocaust said he would correct himself if he is satisfied by the **evidence**, but insisted that examining it "will take time," a German magazine reported Saturday.

Richard Williamson is one of four bishops from the ultraconservative Society of St. Pius X whose excommunication was lifted by the Vatican last month. The decision sparked outrage because Williamson had said in a television interview he did not believe any Jews were gassed during the Holocaust.

On Wednesday, the Vatican demanded that Williamson recant his denial before he can be admitted as a bishop into the Roman Catholic Church.

Asterisks mine.
__________________________________

So, Williamson, despite all kinds of proof, needs evidence-proof that the Holocaust happened in the 1940's Germany, but *believes* wholeheartedly in an invisible, unproven Supernatural world.

Does anyone else besides me find this "man" a total wacko?

[Fr_Chuck]

Vatican make their own mess by lifting the excommunication of this group.
** I did not know they did and take your word they did. My last understanding that the group itself was not accepting Rome still.

As one who knows of this group, this is no surprise.

[tomder55]

It pains me to say this ,but if the Pope continues on this course, it would be better if he resigned.

The demand for a recant is too little too late . He never should've lifted the excommunication in the 1st place.

[templelane]

Out of interest, were they excommunicated because of these comments or something like them or for another reason?

[tomder55]

no

the Society of St Pius X (SSPX)is a reactionary group, founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre ,which opposes the changes in Vatican II .This was clearly schismatic. One of the issues they have with Vatican II is "Nostra Aetate" which repudiated the concept of collective Jewish guilt for Christ's death.

He was excommunicated because he was among 4 Bishops who were elevated to Bishop by Lefebve against the direct orders of Pope JPII .
These bishops would contine the work of the SSPX after Lefebvre's death .This was in 1988.

His comments about the Holocaust happened Nov. of last year and was aired on television last month.

His comments were "I believe there were no gas chambers." He also said no more than 300,000 Jews perished in Nazi concentration camps, rather than the 6 million accepted by most historians.

[Fr_Chuck]

They have never in the past even accepted the current POPE as valid, they taught that only their group was the real true catholic church. And that the only way they would ever go back was for the Church of Rome to repent and stop doing all the changes since Vactican II

[Choux]

Hello, back on track... why so eager to dismiss the holocaust carnage of which there is so much proof, but accept, without proof, the existence of GodAlmighty which is a Jewish myth??

Not very rational, is it"

[Choux]

UPDATE:

From Guardian website: "A Roman Catholic bishop who said he does not believe the Nazis murdered millions of Jewish people in gas chambers has been removed from his seminary.

Richard Williamsom caused outrage with his remarks, which surfaced shortly after the Vatican's decision to welcome him back into the Catholic church last week.

The Diarios y Noticias news agency reported today that the ultra-conservative Society of St Pius X was relieving the British-born Williamson of his post as the director of its seminary in La Reja, Argentina.

Williamson is reported to have claimed in a television interview last month that historical evidence was "hugely against six million having been deliberately gassed in gas chambers as a deliberate policy of Adolf Hitler... I believe there were no gas chambers"."

[tomder55]

why so eager to dismiss the holocaust carnage of which there is so much proof, but accept, without proof, the existence of GodAlmighty which is a Jewish myth??

I can't get into his mind . But to reject something where there is indisputable evidence is not rational.

However ,you can be rational and believe or not believe something that has no solid evidence one way or another . That is faith . I admit my belief in God is a matter of faith .I can offer no proof that would satisfy you. Is my belief rational ? I think so. Faith is not based totally without reason . I have seen people cured after their doctors have given up and all they had going for them is faith and prayer.So belief goes beyond scientific proof to personal experiences. Is it rational ? You betcha !

[Choux]

It is not rational... it is faith. Faith is the opposite of rationality.

The human mind is very powerful, and many folks cure themselves by positive thinking. :)(By the same token, many people make themselves sick from their thinking. Physicians estimate that around 80% of those they see in general practice are sick from their emotional thinking)

[tomder55]

Lol that's a rational scientific explanation?. that the human mind makes you sick and well ? I guess when doctors and the scientific community are elevated to god like status it is easy for them to say their unproven theories and beliefs are rational but mine aren't .

[Choux]

Depression is one emotional illness that can cause many physical symptoms, Tom. Huge numbers of Americans have depression and go to physicians for help.

*****SAVED LIVES:*****

Surgeons, Endocrinologists, Internists---Tens of Thousands, probably millions. Hundreds a day in American hospitals alone, TODAY.

GodAlmighty---zero.

:):):)

[tomder55]

Yeah I know ;and the scientists who for some reason feel threatened by religion are trying to come up with a *rational * reason why faith works so often . Lol

Today, more than 1200 studies have examined the relationship between religious activity and health, with more than half of the studies showing a significant positive connection. The results of this work and that of hundreds of other investigators around the world have begun a small revolution in medicine. In 1992 only three medical schools had courses on religion, spirituality, and medicine; today, in excess of 70 of the approximately 125 medical schools in the United States have such courses.

http://www.smcma.org/Bulletin/Bullet...lingPower.html

[Choux]

Sorry, no *verification*(that means independent proof) of GodAlmighty curing seriously ill people... verification by the hundreds of physicians saving lives by the hundreds EVERY DAY IN AMERICA.

[tomder55]

The hatred and contempt for men, women and children that was manifested in the Shoah was a crime against God and against humanity. This should be clear to everyone, especially to those standing in the tradition of the Holy Scriptures, according to which every human being is created in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:26-27). It is beyond question that any denial or minimization of this terrible crime is intolerable and altogether unacceptable. Recently, in a public audience, I reaffirmed that the Shoah must be "a warning for all against forgetfulness, denial or reductionism, because violence committed against one single human being is violence against all" (January 28, 2009).

This terrible chapter in our history must never be forgotten. Remembrance — it is rightly said — is memoria futuri, a warning to us for the future, and a summons to strive for reconciliation. To remember is to do everything in our power to prevent any recurrence of such a catastrophe within the human family by building bridges of lasting friendship. It is my fervent prayer that the memory of this appalling crime will strengthen our determination to heal the wounds that for too long have sullied relations between Christians and Jews. It is my heartfelt desire that the friendship we now enjoy will grow ever stronger, so that the Church's irrevocable commitment to respectful and harmonious relations with the people of the Covenant will bear fruit in abundance.

[Pope Benedict XVI, Audience to members of the Delegation of the "Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations" on February 12, 2009 ]
http://www.catholic.org/printer_frie...ection=Cathcom

[speechlesstx]

GodAlmighty---zero.

Glad you're in a position to keep score.

Speaking of irrational, how do you explain the irrational, outrageous anti-Semitism that's on the rise?

Add to that a recent poll of 3,500 adults in Austria, France, Hungary, Poland, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom showed "31 percent of adults polled blame Jews in the financial industry for the economic meltdown, while 58 percent of respondents admitted that their opinion of Jews has worsened due to their criticism of Israel."

In light of that, is this Bishop that far from the mainstream European thought?

[tomder55]

And Europe is the bastion of secularism.