A Holocaust Denier-- Now???

A Catholic Bishop has been convicted of denying the Holocaust.  In Germany this is a crime.

From Beliefnet.com:

BERLIN - A German court convicted ultraconservative British Bishop Richard Williamson on Friday for denying the Holocaust in a television interview.

 

A court in the Bavarian city of Regensburg found Williamson guilty of incitement for saying in a 2008 interview with Swedish television that he did not believe Jews were killed in gas chambers during World War II.

The court ordered Williamson to pay a fine of (EURO)10,000 ($13,544).

The Roman Catholic bishop was barred by his order from attending Friday's proceedings or making statements to the media.

His lawyer, Matthias Lossmann, told The Associated Press after the court ruling that Williamson has yet to decide if would appeal it.

Denying the Holocaust is a criminal offense in Germany.

The court last year ordered a fine of (EURO)12,000 for Williamson, without a trial. But the Bishop appealed that ruling, forcing his case to be tried publicly. [Italics Mine]

What really caught my attention about this article was this last line.  What person in their right mind would want to have a trial regarding their denial of the historicity of the Holocaust while people who actually lived through the Holocaust are still alive???  The one time where historical revisionism is virtually impossible is while eyewitnesses are still alive.

This is the exact reason why 1 Cor. 15:3-8 is so important to our belief in the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Scholars have dated this passage very early after the time of the crucifixion and resurrection (within 5 years by many estimates).   So, it would be very hard for historical revisionism to creep into the account by this time.

Moreover, Paul issues a challenge in this passage.  He names a bunch of eyewitnesses!  He is basically saying, "Jesus lives.  If you don't believe me, go ask all the other people who saw Him! They will verify my story."

Eyewitnesses make it extremely difficult to deny a historical event.  Praise the Lord for showing himself to many after the resurrection!