Re: "Memory and Reconciliation" Exerpts[ref to "pagan"]
Searles

Wed Mar  8 19:30:51 2000
When I was growing up I learned to put myself into the other fellow's shoes to determine how it might seem.  If the phrase read:*p*'the Lutheran ideology that was Nazism, a Lutheran ideology animated by a merciless anti- Semitism'*p*or*p*'the European ideology that was Nazism, an European ideology animated by a merciless anti- Semitism'*p*or*p*'the Norse ideology that was Nazism, a Norse ideology animated by a merciless anti- Semitism'*p*or*p*'the white people's ideology that was Nazism, a white people's  ideology animated by a merciless anti- Semitism'*p**br*I'm wondering if it would read any better or have a different impact if these other terms were used?  What would be the reaction of the groups that were substitued for pagns? The word choice here is probably inadvertent.  I believe that they were attempting to be well-meaning but still have a kind of double standard in their consideration of what I term Pagan religion. *p*Intention is the finally measure of communication no matter how difficult the expression is to understand. In the final analysis, what the Church does and what it becomes are more important than a few slips of the tongue in word choice.*br*    *br*Searles*p*Beirdd wrote,*br*: In the document, the section "Christian and Jews" *br*: makes the following reference to paganism:*br*:*br*:  The Shoah was certainly the result of *br*: : the pagan ideology that was Nazism, a pagan ideology *br*: : animated by a merciless anti- Semitism that not only *br*: : despised the faith of the Jewish people, but also denied *br*: : their very human dignity. *br*:*br*: In its context, I would say that the word "pagan" *br*: is here used to refer not so much to "non-biblical *br*: religion" as to "god-less," which makes *br*: perfect sense when associated with the Nazis. The key here *br*: is the context. Previous Church documents and teachings have *br*: recognized the value of pagan religions and their *br*: manifestations of spirit, even as precursors to *br*: Christianity. Part of the problem is one of language. A *br*: god-less pagan ideology and a pagan faith based in the *br*: recognition of spirit and deity are two vastly different *br*: things, even in the teaching of the Catholic Church. Note *br*: that "pagan ideology" is not criticized, but the *br*: "pagan ideology that was Nazism" with its *br*: particularly anti-Semitic and therefore anti-human *br*: character.*br*:*br*: Still, I can understand that the passage is bound to make *br*: some of today's pagan cringe.*br*:*br*: --Beirdd*br*
Re: "Memory and Reconciliation" Exerpts[ref to "pagan"]
Beirdd
121
Wed Mar  8 18:25:36 2000