Message to all Catholics of All About God

I am not sure if there are any Catholics here at all. However, I fell I own them an apology, because I remember having said things in  this forum about the Catholic Church that weren't very fair.

Anyway, I recently came across a very loving Catholic person who challenged me in the most gentle way on my opinions about the Catholic Church being an anti-Semitic and Nazi Sympathetic religion.

After a few back and forth 'arguments' I realized that I had to research the topic in order to sustain my views. I needed real concrete base to defend many of my accusations. That’s when I was presented, among other material, with two enlightening books that have changed my perspective entirely:

Hitler, the War and the Pope by R. Roychlak -

This book has about 600 pages packed with concrete evidence in an 'exquisitely organized courtroom-like' argumentation, “that brings to the table facts, not rhetoric, dates, not conjecture” and most importantly irrefutable evidence to the role the Catholic Church played in helping Jews during the dark times of Hitler's obsession. After this reading I could no longer keep on repeating the things that I had been told against Catholicism, but which I never really bothered to cross check to verify if they were true.

Then my heart was entirely melted by the reading of:

Jesus of Nazareth, by Pope Benedict XVI.

See Amazon reader's reviews here - Amazon's American Website

As you may verify for yourselves in the link above, the reviews by non-catholic Christians on this particular book are incredibly positive. This has been the best book I've ever read about Jesus. I feel in love with the way the Catholic leader conducted his assertion. It was clear to me not only the great love he has for Jesus as the Messiah and Saviour, but the wonderful REVERENCE he shows towards the Jewish faith.

Although this was not the focus of the book, somehow I was introduced for the first time to the Jewish roots of Catholicism, from the many similarities in the way Catholics worship to many other aspects of Christianity that take root in Judaism.

As a whole it was very, very moving to read it. I learned things about the old testament and my own Jewish heritage that I, as non-practicing Jew, did not know. Ratzinger’s approach was gentle, warm, very eloquent and full of theological teachings. In spite of being considered one of the greatest theologians alive, as I have been told, Benedict’s style was non-intimidating to the minds of those, who alike me, are not exactly bible scholars or Christianity experts.

I felt very warm and happy for Catholics and think they are lucky to have such a God-fearing and highly spiritual leader. Therefore, I want to say that I am truly SORRY for my prejudice and I hope and pray that others who have similar views to the ones I had will be given the gift and blessing to read these books at one point in their lives.

Thanks all and Shalom!