In his article A German Lesson: the Fallacy of One True Path, Daniel Goldhagen brings Pope Benedict XVI’s ability to critically reflect on his past into question. Benedict himself was a small boy during the Nazi reign in Germany and, as Goldhagen mentions, at one point joined the Hitler youth. It is obvious that Pope Benedict had a first-hand view of what hate and intolerance can do to people and, moreover, the entire world as a whole. This is why Goldhagen questions Pope Benedict’s stance that Catholicism is the only true path to salvation. Goldhagen argues that Pope Benedict should not denounce other religions and that his “ecclesiastical totalitarianism” is far too similar to the Aryan race that Hitler promoted. As Goldhagen refutes in his closing lines, Pope Benedict is likely to argue that “his truth is the Truth,” however, this idea is what has driven many of the most despicable and horrid political regimes throughout history.
Personally, I think Goldhagen’s article is intended to drive home his point using a fairly shocking analogy. Any comparison to Hitler or the Nazi rule will immediately grab the attention of the reader. I do, however, also believe that Goldhagen’s argument has some merit. He is by no means comparing Benedict himself to Hitler or trying to present Benedict as a bad person. He is simply questioning Benedict’s views from an academic standpoint. Why did Benedict not use his personal experiences and involvement in one of the most horrific periods in recorded history to change the way the world thinks? Maybe there is no single path to salvation…
No comments:
Post a Comment