As I’ve been discussing with Ken Wilson, it’s almost impossible to overestimate the profound effect the Nazi era had on the German people.

After World War II, they had to turn inward in a major way to confront demons of nationalism and othering. Having lived in Berlin for almost 6 years, I can’t argue with that.

Many people speculate that’s why Germany leads Europe in offering safe havens for refugees that other nations try to turn away.

The German people intentionally nurture ideals of common humanity and tolerance that cannot coexist well with the Catholic Church’s treatment of LGBTQ people.

And, apparently, German Catholics aren’t going to allow the dissonance to just vibrate unaddressed.

Since I wrote this article, the Love Wins movement has grown even bigger in Germany, and is spreading into Austria, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

Sadly, Catholic clergy in most of the rest of the world are reacting with horror, denouncing Love Wins as schismatic.