http://www.ewtn.com/library/issues/pius12gs.htm

THE GOOD SAMARITAN: JEWISH PRAISE FOR POPE PIUS XII
Dimitri Cavalli
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Inside the Vatican has given considerable space in its pages to coverage of the fierce debate over the wartime role of Pope Pius XII and his alleged “silence” in the face of the Nazi persecution of the Jews (see particularly our June 1997 and our October 1999 issues). We will continue to do so as long as the debate rages. The article we print here brings together a considerable amount of previously scattered evidence for how Jews during Pius’s lifetime viewed Pius’s conduct. Reading Cavalli’s piece, it is striking to see how different the general Jewish opinion of Pius XII was in the years during and immediately following the war from what it is today. This prompts a fundamental question: Were the Jews who praised and thanked Pius after the war all mistaken or insincere, or are the attacks on Pius today unfair?—The Editor

During World War II, many Jews around the world had the chance to observe Pope Pius XII’s conduct. They listened to his every word, and scrutinized his every action. Instead of seeing “Hitler’s Pope,” most Jews concluded that Pius XII’s public statements were directed against the Nazis, and that he and his subordinates in many Nazi-occupied and Axis countries were trying to save Jewish lives. The many extraordinary and eloquent tributes that the Pope once received from Jews show that the allegations that he was a Nazi collaborator and indifferent toward the extermination of Jews would have seem completely unjustified and unjust to those who closely following his career.

I strongly recommend a comprehensive review of the legal definition of war and the legal definition of murder. Where would we classify Ted Kennedy?

1. Among other religions, Islam and Judaism both mandate abortion if the mother’s health or life is at risk. Buddhism encourages examination on a case by case basis, but in principle sanctions abotion in the case of health risk to the mother or (interestingly) in the case of a fetus with severe mental incapacities. Among the five major world religions, only Hinduism and some branches of Christianity hold that abortion is always a sin. As for when life begins, Sikhism has no official answer, Judaism states that life begins at birth, Islam teaches that fetuses become human at 120 days, Buddhism teaches that the fetus becomes human when it is capable of consciousness, Unitarian Universalists believe life begins at birth, Wiccans believe life begins at birth, atheists are split on the issue–and this is all just scratching the surface of the variety of religions which do not believe that life begins at conception. Even several branches of Christianity–such as the U.S. Episcopal Church–no longer believe that life begins at conception. With all the variety of opinions, who’s to say which should preeminate?

2. Actually, I know a number of little kids who think like that. In any class at elementary school, you will find a number of children who simply don’t want to leave because they would rather spend more time with their friends. The same is true of children in day care. I was in day care for two hours a day until I was nine years old, and I loved it. All of my best friends were there, and I could play all sorts of group games I couldn’t at home. Not to mention that I liked all of the adults. Why wouldn’t I enjoy day care, exactly?

3. I’m afraid I don’t follow you. Why is this question relevant? However, no, my friends do not read this blog–most of them are liberals like myself, only less interested in debate with the “opposition”.

Are you sure you’re not the type of person who is good at ignoring anything which contradicts your entrenched beliefs? If so, I am very sorry for you.

As for Mr. King: I am curious, given your theory on choice, what your opinion is on abortion in cases of rape or incest.

How about this: Abortion is the woman’s right to choose control over her own body, only after she has demonstrated an incapacity to control her own body.

So why didn’t she “choose” control of her body the first time? Don’t you see? She ALREADY HAD THE CHOICE!

Brandon, may I suggest that your religious zeal is running away with you? The determination of when life begins has always been a religious/ethical question, with varied answers between religions. Many actually do teach that life begins at birth, and some (notably Judaism) actually mandate abortion under certain conditions. Do you really believe that the government should enforce your religious opinions over those of other groups, despite the fact that no one opinion stands out as being any more inherently sensible than the others? (Well, perhaps you shouldn’t answer that.) No one is forcing you to abort your potential children. You are free to live by your religious convictions while still allowing others to live by theirs.

I am sure your mother is a fine lady, and she certainly seems to have raised an intelligent and passionate son. However, my parents too raised successful children. I treasure the time I spent in day care, which never substituted for family time when my parents came home. The egalitarian nature of my parents’ relationship is something extraordinary to witness–because they truly did share child-rearing and housemaking duties, I have a stronger relationship with my father than most of my fellows who were mostly raised by their mothers despite their nominally two-parent homes. It seems odd to me that a man who clearly never attended day care or elementary school–am I correct in thinking you were homeschooled?–would be so disparaging of opportunities he knows little to nothing about. Simply because you were raised one way does not make that the best or only way to properly raise children. I know many women who would make terrible housemothers, and many men who would make abyssmal sole breadwinners. Family models are not one size fits all.