Why are people using Ratzinger's desertion to excuse him? [View All]

[Caution]

First off, there is this persistent "he deserted, which he could have been shot for" like the punishment for desertion is any different here than in any other standing army.

If he had been so brave as to risk death, why not do it earlier? Because he was a coward just like anyone else who fought for the German Army in WWII. The logic itself is rather amusing. Fight for a losing army for a cause that is sick and twisted and evil beyond belief, where your job is to kill other people and the main occupational hazard is being shot, OR desert and not be in any way culpable for the atrocities committed and risk being shot. Hmmm, which is the better choice?

By 1944, desertion was rampant in the German army (It is possible that there was more attrition to the German army in 1944 due to desertion than to actual wartime casualties). To accredit this move with bravery is naive at best and apologetic at worst. The choice of a man who served as a guard over a slave-labor workforce from Dachau regardless of the circumstances as pope is one of the most insulting things I could imagine the Catholic Church could do to the Jewish people. Even if you accept the idea that he was too young to make the brave decision and you believe that he hated the Nazis, this is still horribly insulting.

To my knowledge there is no evidence that this guy committed any atrocities (although I would argue that acting as a guard over slave labor is an atrocity) but honestly, what the hell were the cardinals thinking when they elected this guy?

Full disclosure: I'm an atheist and considered Ratzinger to be a menace well before this latest development in his career.

On Edit: Has anyone got any actual dates for his service? I've seen a lot of conflicting information regarding his time in the German military. A link would be helpful. I would certainly have a lot more respect for him if he had deserted within days of conscription into military service than if he had served for over a year. (I've seen both of the above timeframes cited)