Homosexuals killed in Genocide

[OLIVEBUS]

On the day we remember the millions killed in concentration camps has the Catholic Church made any reference to the Homosexuals murdered

[Peter Pedant]

There is no doubt that homosexuals died in the concentration camps, but come on, O, compared to the Jews and Gypsies, there were miniscule numbers involved.

The Pink Paper had a bit on this a few years back, and as far as I recall, there is only one recorded original pink triangle on record as surviving. They originally thought there werent any. We arent talking Big (numbers) here.

[OLIVEBUS]

I  am not playing a numbers game . I am sure you agree any one life lost for what ever reason is an issue. I asked the question because of the churchs attitute to gay people

[bazwillrun]

No, does it need to ?

[hopalong]

What is your point?

[OLIVEBUS]

With the churchs discrimination towards gay people how far can that discrimination go not as far as murder but no equal rights

[jills]

I'm puzzled as to why anyone would give two hoots what an outdated, out of touch and utterly irrelevant organisation such as the Catholic Church would say about anything.  They've got their heads so far up their are-se that it's almost laughable, and the heads of said church clearly don't inhabit the 21st century earth that the rest of us do. If the Church acknowledged such deaths, would it make things any different for those who died/survived, or their families?  I have to say, I seriously doubt it.  I'm sure there must be plenty of Catholic homosexuals out there, so maybe one of them can answer your question, as I guess they may have reconciled this fact for themselves.

[Dom Tuk]

The point being that we have leaders of nations on this planet who make a big show of their links to the church (when it suits their purpose) and the obvious advantages it can accrue from the electorate. Now i am not sure if Tony frequents churches of the catholic faith but if the head of that church does not refer to the killings of a group of individuals due to their sexuality (known or suspected) then you have to wonder if it plays on their mind when future policy is being drawn. Future generations will write essays on the line used by Tony...'I will square it with my maker' (or something like that when referring to the war). What a defence!!!!

[ursula62]

Surely the whole point of the Auschwitz liberation anniversary was to remember ALL people who were incarcerated or killed there, not just one specific group?

It's fitting that most of the coverage is about the Jews who were there, because they were the majority of those imprisoned and killed. But the "Final Solution" also included ridding their world of the physically and mentally handicapped, Gypsies, mixed race people and homosexuals, as well as people who tried to help those groups.

[cheyenne]

I totally agee with ursula62.All those people who suffered are remembered.

[Octavius]

Of the 11 million people killed during the Holocaust, six million were Polish citizens. Three million were Polish Jews and another three million were Polish Christians and Catholics. Most of the remaining mortal victims were from other countries including Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Holland, France and even Germany.  It is estimated that between 5,000 to 15,000 homosexuals died in concentration camps.

Hitler wanted not only to conquer all of Europe, but Hitler also wanted to create a new religion and to replace Jesus Christ as a person to be worshipped. Hitler expected his followers to worship the Nazi ideology. Since Catholic priests and Christian pastors were often influential leaders in their community, they were sought out by the Nazis very early. Thousands of Catholic priests and Christian pastors were forced into concentration camps. A special barracks was set up at Dachau, the camp near Munich, Germany, for clergymen. A few survived; some were executed, but most were allowed to die slowly of starvation or disease.

Although it is not a numbers game.  As said above, many people of different groups were persecuted, why should the gay community be treated exceptionally.  All are human, all are equal.  Why should it matter whether the Roman Catholic Church (of which is my faith) gave them a special mention. 

[Octavius]

VATICAN CITY, JAN 27, 2005 (VIS) - Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, archbishop of Paris, read a Message from Pope John Paul today at a gathering of more than 30 world leaders to mark the 60th anniversary of the liberation of prisoners from the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland.

The Holy Father called what happened in Auschwitz "the tragic fruit of programmed hatred," and said we must remember the millions "who, through no fault of their own, bore inhuman sufferings and were annihilated in the gas chambers and crematoriums."

I think that that is all-encompassing. 

[bernardo]

I don't know why the other answerers are having such a long-winded argument about numbers or categories of people.  The answer to the question is "Yes it has".

[OLIVEBUS]

As a gay man although things have got better most of the established religions see us as second class citizens at best and with the politics of W  in the US and his bible belt views (or playing to that mindset) it is important whether 1 or 15000 gay people where murdered that they get the same recognition

[wee monkey]

Olivebus your question surely shows up your own personal bigotry. Why make reference to the Catholic Churchs attitude to homosexuals who were murdered? Are Islam and most protestant denominations attitudes towards homosexuality the same if not worse than the Catholic churches? Why not ask the same question of the other religious bodies? During WW2 people from many religious and political backrounds helped the nazis in their evil work. Are Catholic being made the new scapegoats?