Not mentioned is any instance of any sanction he received for doing anything other than participate loyally in the two organizations.
Also not mentioned are the future pope’s actual duties in the German Army. Did he ever actually fire a gun or cannon or missile or ack-ack at any Allied soldiers or airmen?
If so, did he ever hit one of them? Maybe kill a British or Canadian or American soldier? Or two, or three?
I grew up on stories of early Christian martyrs devoured by lions for refusing to place the pinch of salt. We were taught that death is not bad, sin is bad.
According to the AP article, the young Ratzinger couldn’t resist the Nazis in any way because there would have been negative consequences.
Now Ratzinger in his role as Pope is honoring the death of an Austrian man who was beheaded for refusing to join Hitler’s army. Here’s the Yahoo/AP lead, story here.
VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI approved recognition of martyrdom for an Austrian who was beheaded by the Nazis for refusing to serve in Hitler's army, a step toward possible sainthood.
This leaves young people with contradictory models. When faced with the requirement to join the army of a genocidal madman bent on world conquest, should one:
A) Refuse, like Franz Jaegerstaetter, and become headless, or
B) Comply, like Josef Ratzinger, and become Pope?
4 comments:
"Also not mentioned are the future pope’s actual duties in the German Army."
Actually they are... at least some of them. He helped with anti-aircraft batteries defending a jet fighter manufacturing plant and he helped to dig anti-tank ditches. It's probably doubtful that that's all he did, but whatever those other things are, we may never know.
"If so, did he ever hit one of them? Maybe kill a British or Canadian or American soldier? Or two, or three?"
I hope not.
"I grew up on stories of early Christian martyrs devoured by lions for refusing to place the pinch of salt. We were taught that death is not bad, sin is bad."
Agreed.
"According to the AP article, the young Ratzinger couldn’t resist the Nazis in any way because there would have been negative consequences."
This is almost surely true. Although his level of participation is questionable, it is almost impossible to tell what we would do when faced with a situation such as that. After all, the pope is only human.
"When faced with the requirement to join the army of a genocidal madman bent on world conquest, should one:
A) Refuse, like Franz Jaegerstaetter, and become headless, or
B) Comply, like Josef Ratzinger, and become Pope?"
I choose A.
~A
And I choose B. So I'm Satan, sue me.
Why does choosing B make you Satan?
~A
You never answered my question, by the way.
~A
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