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Martin Luther: Hitler's Spiritual Ancestor
Catholic Apologetics ^ | Peter F. Wiener

Posted on 03/15/2008 10:17:55 AM PDT by big'ol_freeper

More than once during these talks I referred to Luther and what always occurred to me as his destructive influence. I pointed out that even in such an admirable book as Rohan Butler's “The Roots of National Socialism” the spiritual origins of Nazism and Luther's influence had not been given the necessary importance. Then I was asked if I would be prepared to elaborate to them—about a dozen of the very senior boys, that is—my own views on Luther and Lutheranism. I agreed—with the proviso that they would be my own views and nothing else. Admittedly, I had read more on Luther and about Luther than on most other subjects. But I wanted to make it quite clear that I would not speak to them with the voice of a great authority, but would merely give them my own interpretation. I told them, moreover, that I should try to prove how dangerous it is to accept legends; and that the picture I had of Luther and his influence was thoroughly contradictory of the customary Luther of the legend.

(Excerpt) Read more at catholicapologetics.info ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Mainline Protestant; Religion & Culture; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholicism; christians; hitler; holocaust; israel; jews; judaism; luther; lutheran; martinluther; nazi; nazism; protestantism
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To: DoctorMichael
I would think that this is not much of a stretch for those that also believe that Darwin gave rise to Hitler.

Could you identify which particular statements by the author leads you to that conclusion? Assuming you actually read it.

261 posted on 03/15/2008 3:31:11 PM PDT by big'ol_freeper ("...millions hate what they mistakenly think that the Catholic Church is." ~ Archbishop Fulton Sheen)
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To: big'ol_freeper

Luther’s antisemitic laws consist of seven paragraphs only. Here they are:

Set fire to their synagogues and schools; and what will not burn, heap earth over it so that no man may see a stone or relic of them forever.

Pull down and destroy their houses since they perpetrate the same nefarious things in them as in their schools. Pack them all under one roof or stable, like the gypsies, that they may know that they are not lords and masters in our land as they boast.

Deprive them of all their prayer-books.

Forbid their rabbis henceforth to teach.

Deprive them of the right to move about the country.

Forbid them the business of usury, and take from them all their belongings.

Hand the strong young Jews of both sexes flail, axe, mattock, spade, distaff, and spindle; and make them work for their bread in the sweat of their brow, like all the children of Adam. Confiscate their property and drive them out of the country. (W53, 525 abridged).


262 posted on 03/15/2008 3:32:29 PM PDT by TASMANIANRED (TAZ:Untamed, Unpredictable, Uninhibited.)
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To: Invincibly Ignorant
No more shocking than John Chrysostom's remarks.

I learned something new. I don't get antisemitism by Christians. It's clear to me that Jesus had nothing against Jews, though he did have stern words for corrupt Jewish leadership.

263 posted on 03/15/2008 3:32:35 PM PDT by Moonman62 (The issue of whether cheap labor makes America great should have been settled by the Civil War.)
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To: vladimir998
Adolf Hitler...was, in fact, excommunicated twice.

Other than the passive "excommunication" of Latia Sentia--by which someone's unrepented of and unconfessed mortal sins excommunicate them in the eyes of God, when and where was Hitler ever formally excommunicated by a Roman Catholic authority?

I daresay since the center of popular Nazism was Bavaria--and a majority of the SS were Austrian, more self-professed Roman Catholics followed him than Lutherans. Of course none of this makes Roman Catholicism the source of Hitler's evil.

Calling Luther the source of Nazism....something very few reputable historians have ever claimed.....this kind of blatant Protestant bashing really should stop.

264 posted on 03/15/2008 3:35:03 PM PDT by AnalogReigns
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To: sandyeggo
"it is impossible to judge the motives for his silence during the war"

Cornwell was bullied into saying it is "impossible to judge Pacelli's 'motives.'" Cornwell did not say that Pacelli's motives were good or pure or correct, merely difficult to decipher.

Further, Cornwell does not back off of his detailed depictions of Pacelli's "actions" and lack of "actions," which are fully documented in his book.

Pacelli's "actions" can be judged. And the judgment condemns him.

265 posted on 03/15/2008 3:36:11 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: TASMANIANRED

That sounds like an Operations Order for Krystalnacht.


266 posted on 03/15/2008 3:36:18 PM PDT by big'ol_freeper ("...millions hate what they mistakenly think that the Catholic Church is." ~ Archbishop Fulton Sheen)
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To: xzins
Because Luther underscored his disappointment that Judaism is an enemy of the gospel does not in the least mean that Luther would have supported the murders of this socialist man, Hitler.

I suggest you read this.

267 posted on 03/15/2008 3:37:45 PM PDT by Petronski (Nice job, Hillary. Now go home and get your shine box.)
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To: AnalogReigns
I daresay since the center of popular Nazism was Bavaria

And you would be TOTALLY wrong. You must have missed post 171.

268 posted on 03/15/2008 3:38:48 PM PDT by big'ol_freeper ("...millions hate what they mistakenly think that the Catholic Church is." ~ Archbishop Fulton Sheen)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg
Cornwell was bullied into saying it

Prove it.

Wouldn't that make him a coward who lacks the fortitude to stand up for his convictions, ironically exactly what he accused Pius XII of being?

"For the measure with which you measure, so will it be measured back to you ..."

269 posted on 03/15/2008 3:39:10 PM PDT by Campion
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To: Dr. Eckleburg

You just LOVE that liar Cornwell.


270 posted on 03/15/2008 3:39:46 PM PDT by Petronski (Nice job, Hillary. Now go home and get your shine box.)
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To: AnalogReigns

“Calling Luther the source of Nazism....something very few reputable historians have ever claimed.....this kind of blatant Protestant bashing really should stop.”

Thus far, the arguments offered have been that the Pope is to blame.

I don’t see this as Protestant bashing at all. I think a serious discussion is warranted, but it hasn’t been offered by the Protestants.


271 posted on 03/15/2008 3:39:48 PM PDT by OpusatFR
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To: Campion
We actually have to confront our own sins, mistakes, and foolishnesses, instead of passing them off on some guy in Rome!

Thankfully, mercifully, my sins are not passed off to some impostor in Rome, but to Christ alone who graciously pays for everyone of them, bringing me to repentance and obedience and gratitude, by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.

272 posted on 03/15/2008 3:40:01 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: Titanites

Ouch. That’s gonna leave a mark.


273 posted on 03/15/2008 3:41:42 PM PDT by Petronski (Nice job, Hillary. Now go home and get your shine box.)
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To: big'ol_freeper
Very often Martin Luther’s rantings against Christ indicates that he might have been secretly stealing and heavily indulging in the alter wine outside of the Mass.

I would have guessed absinthe.

274 posted on 03/15/2008 3:42:25 PM PDT by Petronski (Nice job, Hillary. Now go home and get your shine box.)
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To: sandyeggo; Campion; Dr. Eckleburg; vladimir998; Petronski
What actions did your religious leader take?

Am I right that the response to your question was silence, sandyeggo?

275 posted on 03/15/2008 3:42:58 PM PDT by Titanites
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To: Petronski
Ouch. That’s gonna leave a mark.

Yes it does. That graphic shows that those who followed Luther's teachings were far more inclined to vote for Nazism than those who followed Christ's teachings.

276 posted on 03/15/2008 3:44:01 PM PDT by big'ol_freeper ("...millions hate what they mistakenly think that the Catholic Church is." ~ Archbishop Fulton Sheen)
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To: rabidralph
e.g., the new “sins” of pollution and stem cell research, etc

Got to keep the Department of Sins busy don't they after all an idle mind is the devil's workshop.

277 posted on 03/15/2008 3:44:39 PM PDT by ninonitti
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To: big'ol_freeper

“Reason is the Devil’s greatest whore; by nature and an manner of being she is a noxious whore; she is a prostitute, the Devil’s appointed whore; whore eaten by scab and leprosy who ought to be trodden under foot and destroyed, she and her wisdom. . . . Throw dung in her face to make her ugly. She is and she ought to be drowned in baptism. . . . She would deserve, the wretch, to be banished to the filthiest place in the house, to the closets” (E16, 142-148).


278 posted on 03/15/2008 3:44:56 PM PDT by TASMANIANRED (TAZ:Untamed, Unpredictable, Uninhibited.)
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To: AnalogReigns
by which someone's unrepented of and unconfessed mortal sins excommunicate them in the eyes of God

Sorry, AR, but that's wrong.

It's specific sins, not any mortal sin, and they aren't excommunicated only in the eyes of God. They are excommunicated in the eyes of the Church, just as much as someone who is excommunicated by a formal decree (called ferendae sententiae).

It's true that the church can't enforce the excommunication if she doesn't know about the sin, but that's the only difference. In Hitler's case that was obviously not an issue.

The whole "Hitler wasn't excommunicated" silliness is honestly a very moot point. Excommunicating Hitler wouldn't have done anything -- he didn't attempt to receive communion at any time after his teens -- and there was never much doubt about what Rome thought of him ... none at all after Mit Brennender Sorge.

279 posted on 03/15/2008 3:45:41 PM PDT by Campion
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To: big'ol_freeper

Seems those Traditions of Men led them far astray of Christ’s path.


280 posted on 03/15/2008 3:46:09 PM PDT by Petronski (Nice job, Hillary. Now go home and get your shine box.)
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