www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall THE MEDIA

After my walk at our mall this morning as I sat with my friends, I was informed that the news media has reported Pope Benedict was a member of the Hitler Youth in World War II, I asked if the media also reported the fact that during the Third Reich's last attempt to stop the Allied advance into Germany the military "forced" youths into military service and that I am sure I read that Pope Benedict escaped and if you were caught during that last stand off, you were shot on the spot by the Germans for desertion? I was greeted only with silence and I stated the media needs to report the "whole picture" and not just one part of it to try to sensationalize on the new Pope.

Evidently, this has been a particular problem with the British tabloids ("From Hitler Youth to Pope" in The Sun). Explainable, perhaps, by England's suffering at the hands of the Nazis during WWII, but more likely attributable to tabloid sensationalism. In any case, it's in poor taste and outrageous.

One of the panelists on this past Sunday's PBS-TV "McLaughlin Group" called this type of talk a cheap shot, particularly in light of the fact that Benedict's father was a police officer who quit his job in protest over the Nazis. Participation in the Hitler Youth was compulsory, and Benedict, who did not attend meetings, was able eventually to opt out because he was a minor seminarian.

Sounds as if anti-German bigotry is still alive and kicking in some parts of the world. It would be interesting to hear from some of our UK posters: How is the story of the new pope playing generally in the British media? Here in the States, it has received much attention, without (in my opinion) undue (and unfair) focus on Benedict's connection to the Third Reich, although the coverage has begun to fade. My sense is that the US is a much more "religious" (quote-unquote) country where there might be more interest in the story of a new pope, than the UK might be. I know, I'm generalizing....

Martin

The British papers are out for sensationalism. They have been stressing the Nazi connection to such an extent that Germany's 'Bild' newspaper complained about it, the editor writing an open letter to the entire British press. They have exhbitited the kind of intolerant bigotry they are trying to tar Benedict XVI with. Whilst they will say one or two things about the positive Jewish reaction to Benedict XVI they are always keen to try and pin the Nazi label on him. His membership is always described in the active rather than the passive, and its conviently glossed over that he was 14 when the law forced him to join the Hitler Youth and only 18 when it ended.

This country wreeks of secularism, its repulsive.

Myles,
Get out of the city once in a while to get to know how a true Englishman feels. Cities have always been portrayed in literature as being full of shallow, superficial people. In literature, a person returns to the country to reconnect with nature, God, and his true identity(the noble savage).

So very true. A good friend who travels extensively, has told me something similar. He says the European cities are just as pagan as some of ours - he maintains that some are more so. But go into the country and you find people of genuine faith.

Maybe you guys are right...

Hmm
Myles

True. Just like our 'blue state' cities and our 'red state' heartland.