[Rockyrich]

"It is a sick twist of irony that von Campe fails to identify the real cause of the Nazi era horrors: heightened, and forced, patriotism; the myth of cultural purity; increased appetite for violence and military "revenge" overseas; a populace too afraid or unwilling to criticize the government; and, importantly, an overemphasis on ideology over practicality in solving the problems of society.

Mr. von Camp was speaking to the timidity and passiveness of society not to speak up to Nazi oppression - from judges to priets/church. He didn't realize until after the war what wrongs he had commited and sought forgiveness from others (people and countries). His personal journey dealt w/replacing hate he had w/forgiveness and the realization that God's morals need to be more intertwined w/society.

[Texas_shutterbug]

Living in a country that intertwines patriotism and religion, it is much more difficult to speak up. Since I didn't read the book, I can't comment on Mr. von Campe's main thesis; however, if he attempted to discuss the "causes" without discussing the unquestioning tie between patriotism and religion, he failed.

It was not the "godless" that marched by the millions - it was the normal "christian" who unquestioningly obeyed his fuer in the name of patriotism, respect for authority, and the name of God.

I see a much stronger tie between the most rightwing elements of our party and Germany than I see ties between the left and Nazi Germany. Christians must be willing to step back and question ALL authority, and again, that is hard to do when we wrap ourselves in the flag and carry a cross.

[Texas_shutterbug]

http://nobeliefs.com/nazis.htm Just do a search on Christianity and Nazi Germany, and you will see that it was not the godless who killed by the millions; it was the everyday, ordinary, churchgoing "christian." Proper and upstanding. A credit to their families. Clean cut. Good work ethic. And on and on.

Anyway, the website owners apparently has an ax to grind, but the pictures still speak for themselves.

[Texas_shutterbug]

By the way, I realize that many Germans weren’t churchgoing. However, one might compare the “civic religion” of the 1950’s here (where God was recognized in school, but not really taught) to Nazi-Germany then. Far from the average German being a degenerate loser, he was more than likely an upstanding citizen.