O'Reilly Attends Easter Services At Church Led by Ex-Nazi

The Huffington Post has learned that Bill O'Reilly -- who claims to love America -- spent Sunday at a "church" run by a former Hitler Youth named Joseph Alois Ratzinger. Ratzinger has gone to elaborate ends to hide this connection, including taking on the absurd pseudonym "Pope Benedict XVI." Which, even if it doesn't prove anything, certainly makes you think.

This shocking revelation comes only a week after Barack Obama admitted he attends a church formerly run by Jeremiah Wright, who talks smack about America, although probably less than Goebbels did.

This would all be holy water under the bridge, except for one disturbing and undeniable fact: Bill O'Reilly is a Roman Catholic, and Benedict "Joey Ratz" XVI worked for Hitler, as did Unity Mitford, whose baby sister was Jessica Mitford, who knew Maya Angelou, who knew Betty Shabazz, who was married to Malcolm X, who knew Louis Farrakhan.

Is there any place in our public discourse for men like Bill O'Reilly, who won't even repudiate their links to Louis Farrakhan? I'll give you the last word, and then cut you off in the middle of it: No there isn't.

--

I probably shouldn't say, "The Huffington Post has learned..." I don't speak for anyone but myself, and it's all I can handle, just doing that.

It might not seem like an important distinction, but for the last couple of weeks Bill O'Reilly's been accusing Arianna of running a "hate site" just based on the comments.

Which is like pretending you don't understand the difference between a newspaper and a blog, or a post and a comment, or The Great Gatsby and a copy of The Great Gatsby someone has written notes in.

No, Bill, F. Scott Fitzgerald didn't circle those words in ballpoint and write "water imagery!!!" in the margin. That was someone else.

--

I think it's too bad that we live in a climate when you can get in trouble for something someone else says, where not censoring someone is the same as agreeing with them. Obama and Jeremiah Wright. Wright and Farrakhan. Arianna and everyone who posts a comment on this site.

If we have to take down every comment that Bill O'Reilly might not understand it's going to get pretty quiet around here.

--

Ronald Kessler, who printed the first Wright quotes at Newsmax, had to pretend they were violently troubling. And that when he heard them, he was so shocked his shirtfront curled up out of his tuxedo, while his wife fainted. And then Nat Turner came back from the dead and killed everyone with a hoe.

No, not that last part. But even if it had happened, it wouldn't have been worse than the things Kessler had heard. Because what makes you a good American or a bad American doesn't depend on what you do. It depends on which blowhard you listen to. If you don't believe me, ask a Dittohead.

But, okay. That's the new rule: All that matters is what people say. So Obama made his speech about Wright last week, and someone asked Kessler what he thought of it, and he said:

"It was very eloquent, it was brilliant, but it's just words."

I swear I'm not making that up.

--

Hey, here's a funny quote I just found by Googling "O'Reilly" and "Catholic." (It's from a column O'Reilly wrote in 2003.)

"It is fairly easy to understand why France, Germany, China and Russia oppose removing Saddam Hussein by force; all of those countries are doing profitable business with Saddam, and all of them would like to see American power diminished. But Pope John Paul II is another matter... the Pope believes there are still options to war.

The problem with this argument is faith, pardon the pun. The Pope is putting his faith in a system of inspections that very well might fail. If that happens and even a portion of Saddam's unaccounted for 8,500 liters of anthrax are used against people, a worldwide catastrophe would ensue."

I wonder when that anthrax is going to turn up.

Maybe we should have listened to the guy who's infallible.

And I know it's not as simple as that. But that's the difference between the Pope and Bill O'Reilly: The Pope is only infallible ex cathedra. Bill O'Reilly is wrong all the time.

--

Speaking of missing stuff, has anyone seen Vicki Iseman?

Comments

[RudyBone]

HuffPost's Pick

As several of the commenters have already pointed out, membership in the Hitler Youth was mandatory for all boys (unless of course you were Jewish). Such membership did not immediately make you a member of the Nazi part, which was in fact a political party. My father was a member of the Hitler youth and NEVER a member of the Nazi party. Implying that every German during that time was a Nazi is no more accurate than implying that every Muslim is a terrorist.

While I deplore Mr. O'Reilly, I expect more from the Huffington Post than the same rank sensationalism exhibited by his network. Mr. Kelly, you need to post a new blog retracting your sensationalist headline and clarifying the issue for those readers who don't take the time to read all of your comments and whose historical knowledge is as flawed as your own.

[Justtellthetruth]

Perhaps it is a little more cogent to point out (as Bill Maher did) that O'Reilly supports and attends a church that systematically barred child molestors from prosecution, and in fact moved them to new and unsuspecting parishes to prey upon hundreds of new children in an effort to shield the church from monetary damages and bad press. One of the those who is MOST GUILTY of this was spirited from the US and still works for the Vatican, largely because he was only acting on the VATICANS EXPLICIT ORDERS when he shielded these monsters from prosecution and moved them to "greener pastures". Thousnds of Children were victimized as the result of this Vatican ordained practice.

AND BILL O'REILLY STILL ATTENDS!!!!!!!!!!

[CatholicJoe]

Justtellthetruth, It is not possible for the Church to, as you say, "bar child molesters from prosecution". The Church doesn't run the police or prosecutor's office. Yes many pedophile priests were moved around, just like many pedophile teachers were move around by government departments. Thankfully both the Church and government departments seemed to have learned from their mistakes.
Do you have any proof that the Vatican gave explicit orders to bishops to hide pedophile priests and to move them to "greener pastures" to continue their child abuse? I suspect not. But hey, I suppose you think there's nothing wrong with spreading a bit more misinformation so as to promote your hate.

[TrevorAlan]

HuffPost's Pick

There is certainly documentation that people as high as Arch-Bishops PERSONALLY ordered the reinstatement of known pedophiles and ordered a hush of information including hiding evidence from authorities or accusing victims of being the real criminals. Some of these people have been given praise by Vatican Officials or even jobs within the Vatican.

So while it may be too far to say the Vatican or the Pope personally encourages child molestation, it is not false to say the Catholic Church's leadership ignored a terrible crisis and was at least passively responsible for emotional harm to the people it was supposed to be looking out for.

People like Phelps clan are wrong for accusing all Priests of being molesters, but the leadership up through the Vatican itself, too often was looking out for the good of its own Beauracracy rather than its parishoners.

[elr50]

A present day Nazi, who works for a Nazi Network, attending services by a former Nazi. A lot of nazis in there, but all of them appropriate.

[JimReed]

We might not agree with everything Ratzinger says, but at least he has spoken out against our war. I would be a lot more concerned about those sitting in churches that just kept silent as it became apparent we started a war for greed, and fought it with rendition and torture.

Next point, I think those of us here on huffingtonpost should be proud that Bill O accuses Arianna of running a hate site based on the comments. If this was a hate site because of the comments, Bill would not bother with us. It is only because of all the well thought out and well worded logical points being made here that Bill would call it a hate site. That makes sense, doesn't it?

[fearwig]

This isn't a criticism of Ratzinger. It is parody, something no one seems to get around here.

[TrevorAlan]

yeah, a turning around of the McCarthyite (and O'Reilian) tactic of turning a person's furthest circle of acquaintences into proof of their membership in an anti-American cabal. Quite good actually. We should all take the joke to its next level and call O'reilly's show and skewer him on it.

But remember, while Billo, Mike Savage, Hannity and others know the rhetorical power of CALLING someone a Nazi, when you listen to their vision of what they would do to dissenters, they really don't have much problem with Herr Hitler's philosphy, so they really wouldn't get the joke here.

[JimReed]

I see it more as an opportunity, kind of like the Pastor Wright loop. It is an opportunity to start a discussion of why the conservative churches are so silent and uninvolved as we freefall into a moral pit of hell.

[brooklyncitizen]

Normally your posts are funny...this one not so much.

There is a lot of historical evidence regarding this matter (how all youths were indoctrinated into the Nazi movement) as well as evidence of Hitler's persecution of Catholics and Christians in general. THe Pope's own parents were very anti-Hitler and R returned to the seminary after his stint with the Nazi youth.

How many American citizens will be held accountable for the Bush years and wars?

JPII opposed the Iraq invasion, a fact that you hint at via O'Reilly's ranting and a fact that is often ignored by people that are anti-religion. JPII called the US' war of aggression "a crime against peace" and he clearly stated that "the war would be a defeat for humanity that could not be morally or legally justified." He loudly and vehemently opposed this war.

JPII pretty much called it.

Granted this post is about O'Reilly ,a purported Catholic, who is first and foremost a propagandist for this criminal Bush Administration .

[optiquest]

theres a difference between O'reilly and Barack Obama's pastor Rev. Wright, O'Reilly IS NOT running for office. If thats the best "progressives" can come up with,....then those progressives need to start telling the public "it was just sex" as they did for Clinton. Eventhough, there are hundreds doing jail time for perjury and sexual harrassment in the workplace.

[BlondeLebanese]

Ok, now, you have me confused. You are referring to 'those progressives' so I'm going to assume that you are not a progressive (would that make you a 'regressive')?? You mentioned that O'Reilly is not running for office...seems that the most apparent conclusion would be that neither is Reverend Wright running for office...yet you seemingly made the incorrect conclusion. Also, just who are the hundreds doing jail time for perjury and sexual harrassment in the workplace? Is that a sly reference to the lawsuit against O'Reilly (lodged by the lovely former employee) that cost O'Reilly so much money???

[optiquest]

allow me to clarify this for you madam;

You are correct in noting Rev Wright isn't running for anything. However, Barrack Obama as a member of the Reverends church for 20 years IS running for President. This author has mistakenly pointed the finger at O'Reilly for attending a one time mass said by Pope! Thats the ERROR; Obama listening for 20 yrs of Wrights sermons where he preached hatred and vile Anti-US comments.

Get it now? Obama is A CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT......While Bill O'Reilly (private citizen) went and attended a special mass said by the Pope. A one time event.

The progressive remark refers to Liberals, which I am not. Its thought patterns as shown above why the liberals are truely the regressives. Where O'Reilly worship Eater Mass said by the Pope and where Obama worships are like comparing apples and oranges.

[DouginCT]

Wonderful as usual. But I'll be the first to admit that there doesn't seem to be an honest way to engage loudmouths like O'Reilly. It's about taking anything, twisting it like a Gitmo detainee, and presenting it as a gift to a very angry, incurious base of mostly selfish white men. A sacrifice to the goons of ignorance.

I heard Vicki Iseman is a weapons inspector in Iran now, fyi.

[1NacreousImprimatur]

Kelly, as always you're just a dork looking for attention with the silly and often obnoxious things you write. This piece is right up there among your best and puts you squarely at the head of the class.... the fifth grade class that is.

[isis]

Good job. Funny except that we live in a culture of paranoia.

Good job.

[KQuark]

This is the whole hypocrisy of the right wing going after Obama's preacher while we should not question their preacher's connections. I really don't care what preacher a candidate listen to because I think all forms of religion just satisfy a psychological need. I think candidates and people should be judged on what they say and do. If anyone is most guilty by association it's Hillary for staying with a philandering husband for all these years.

[darker]

Aren't ex-Nazi's FUN?

LOOK before you leap.

IT HURTS to say that most voters have been duped, dumb asses.

THE TRICK IS ... to stop being an immature spoiled brat VOTER .

BE A RESPONSIBLE ADULT.
THIS IS NOT a SPORTS event, as republicans want you to believe--"all about EMOTION". NOT. NOT.

Choose the most COMMEN-SENSE
candidate who is NOT Republicans all over again. (get it?).

[researcher]

people make fun of the right wing especially the liberals.

hey they have controlled this county for 30 years and have been allowed to deregulate to the point it is a have more world in america while the have mores make tons of money selling the middle class down the drain and when they destroy bands and lending insitutions the taxpayer bails them out.

i would say the suckers are the liberals not the right wing. give the right wing credit they control middle america very very well.

i have a friend who sister is very poor and guess who she is voting for? you got it mc same. they have been screwing her for 30 years and she does not have a clue and if she does she must enjly being screwed.

[akkadian]

funny how obama's unifying, positive speeches are 'just words..'

yet 3-second out-of context clips of rev wright's sermons are, ah, let's see, 'not just words.'

[schatsie]

Yes, why did they not quote his words on 'WAR on GREED and WAR on AIDS.?. Could be the truth was too close to home.

[swkidder]

HuffPost's Pick

There's something about Arianna's wit - always a joy to read - that seems to call others to Huffpost who are similarly gifted. I chuckled my way through this piece, enjoying not only the line of logic, but also the author's way with words.
Pieces like this are the "other" major reason I read Huffpost almost every day - the first being the furtherance of my political education. When I can't get to it immediately - I leave it sitting in my email queue until I have time for a cup of tea and the pleasure of its company.
Keep on writing guys - what a noble goal we've collectively chosen - not only educating the world, but it also looks as though we're irritating the hell out of Bill O'Reilly.. Go Team.
And don't worry about those "drive by interviews," Arianna, you photograph very well.

[brooklyncitizen]

Oh brother.

[1NacreousImprimatur]

What is in that 'tea' you are drinking?

[meanguy]

tagging anyone to the right of chairman mao as a 'nazi' is as immature and intellectually dishonest as tagging anyone to the left of hitler as a 'commie'...the column would have been amusing to the 12 yr old me...for the adult me, not to much...i'm embarassed for you

[rfk68]

Did you lose your sense of humor the day you turned 13... or was it gradual thing?

[mamacat]

It is inaccureate and unfair to call the Pope an ex-nazi.
On the other hand, one can accureately say that he not only failed to oppose the Nazis, but that he acitvely took up arms to preserve the Nazi government of Adolph Hitler. Yes, that is correct. The Catholic Pope fought in the military service of the same nation that perpetrated the holocaust, the same nation that accepted institutional torture as a legitimate tool of statecraft, that gave us the terms "gestapo" and "SS", and that perfected the use of the "big lie", that has now been resurrected so perfectly by the likes of Karl Rove.
.........and even the Pope thinks Bush is a liar and immoral.

It really says something about the current leadership of the United States, when even the hypocritical Catholic Pope feels the need to ridicule it.

[ohiodem250]

Chris, absolutely genius. That is all.

[dora_rice]

Hitler youth...hahahah...every body was a Hitler youth at that time. Like the boy scouts of America, just not gay.

[rudyinbama]

Whether you are talking about Germany under Nazis or our own South under the Confederacy, there are always heroes who somehow know to do the right thing and often at their own peril.
There is actually a phrase - "The Good German." That's not the person who follows orders, but the one who hides Jews in the attic.

[LightningJoe]

The enduring tragedy of right-wing "punditry" is that they have no commitment to the truth whatsoever. Truth does not enter their ken, either as a standard of conduct for those they criticize, or as a standard they themselves aspire to.

I know that sounds rather flamboyant, if not hyperbolic, but I mean it quite literally.

Truth is not the standard of discourse in right-wing circles. Rather, the standard is impact on the "enemy." They think of press, image, and public perception in military terms (which is just too ironic, considering what chicken-hawks they are). And the level of the conflict they imagine themselves to be in, is life-or-death. Remember, these are the guys who said that the problem wasn't that they compromised too little with the other side of the aisle, but that they compromised too much. These are the guys who saw nothing undemocratic in proclaiming themselves a "Permanent Republican Majority."

[BOfever]

I think you are reaching a bit on this one Joe, "trith" is not the standard in any political circles both left and right. You make it sound like it's a one sided problem. That is why you get Governers of NY using public money to buy sex, that is why you get Hillary "sniper fire" or Obama hate church stories.

[LightningJoe]

They really don't care what they say, so long as it "scores." And "score" doesn't mean that it's true or accurate, but just that it sounds bad. The short media cycle, and the short attention span of the media and of media consumers, plays into the hands of those who use splash tactics. By the time anyone digs deep enough to show that what was said was just another lie, the cycle is on to Britney, or Paris, or the next lie about Barack HUSSEIN Obama.

Seriously, folks, we've got to quit playing this game. It's propaganda, plain and simple; and this sort of discourse is not worthy of us, or worthy of America.

I say refuse to move on to the next attraction, until each lie is exposed for what it is. And keep score too. A hundred or a thousand proven lies down the road, even the densest television adict will have to see that they are being manipulated.

------

kill your tv.

[BardEric]

"kill your tv."..but let your computer live? Welcome to 2008....

[BlackWidowPilot]

PART II

Speaking of follow the leader, L, what do you say about the actual performance record of the "conservative" "party of family values:"

http://www.armchairsubversive.org.

I wonder what Our Lord and Savior would have to say about such as these; as well as your vaunted current pope and his medieval policies on women's rights, and the history of Pope Pius XII's support for (among other things) the rise of fascism, and the aiding and abetting of the escape of thousands of Nazi war criminals after WW2 through the Vatican "rat line?"

I happen to be an *independent,* L, so I don't play by the rules of the "liberals" you so love to bash.

Neither am I constrained by the depraved hypocrisy and willful ignorance of the medieval corporatist right, and will debate accordingly, any more than I am restrained by papist dogmas.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

PROTESTant

[pbarba1969]

Leland Erickson

Citizen

Sc****g

A*****e

Don't be so proud of being a Prostestant. Martin Luther was a notorious anti semite who began a tragic tradition of German anti semitism that culminated in Genocide in WW2.

Everybody as blood on their hands, every faith, every nationality, every ethnicity. Including yours....

[rektruax]

"Everybody as blood on their hands, every faith, every nationality, every ethnicity. Including yours...."

...or not...