Recently, The Washington Post posed a question in response to the news story of the Pope reinstating Catholic Bishop Richard Williamson followed by the revelation that this bishop denies the Holocaust. The question was: Is it better to challenge or ignore Holocaust deniers such as Catholic Bishop Richard Williamson and Iranian President Mahmoud Amadenijad? Why?
I began to consider this on two levels. At the basic level, I immediately say yes, it’s important to challenge these Holocaust deniers. If they are not publicly confronted, by our silence we are agreeing with their ignorance. On a deeper level, I feel that these men may have a hidden agenda and nothing anyone could say would change their mind. With all the proof from first-hand reports, photographs, news clips and accounts from Holocaust survivors, it is astounding that anyone can deny this tragic, historical event. This degree of ignorance causes me great sadness. Once again we see the part of our humanity that shuts the “other” out. As extreme as this horrible and ridiculous example is, it happens to most of us in more subtle ways. We close our hearts to others. We deny the realities of others. Perhaps instead of just challenging these men, we should challenge ourselves to look at where we deny reality as it truly is.
Rabbi Rami
Posted: 6/16/2010 5:10:48 PM |
Great post, Dr. Jennifer. I agree that there is no way to change these people''s minds. I''m not even certain all Holocaust deniers really believe their own BS. Think of the Turkish denial of the Armenian genocide. The US and Israel collude with Turkey on this for political reasons, not because they really think there was no Turkish slaughter of Armenians. Of course that may change as our relationship with Turkey changes. In any case, I think we are right to challenge Holocaust deniers if not to change their minds, then to keep others from forgetting the evil humans can do. |
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Ray
Posted: 6/16/2010 8:10:13 PM |
My uncle was a POW in WW2 and right after his release he saw many of the survivors of the holocaust being cared for. Even after being saved from those hellish conditions many were too weak to survive.
My uncle hated talking about this as it started his nightmares again, but he told me that the world needed to know and remember. |
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Ray
Posted: 6/17/2010 2:00:10 AM |
Another thought.
He does not believe in a well documented occurrence that happened 70years ago.
How much can you trust his belief in something from 2000 years ago that was not documented by anyone who personally witnessed it? |
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Dripable Service
Posted: 11/10/2011 5:50:51 PM |
What a truly incredible blog post!! |
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