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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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Posted as a source for discussion concerning Martin Luther. While I wouldn't go as far as the author in tying Martin Luther to the rise of Adolph Hitler, it is my belief that there are two Martin Luther's. The Luther of legend, which is commonly accepted today, and the real Luther, who was quite a bit more complex and troubling. Have at it.
1 posted on 03/15/2008 10:17:59 AM PDT by big'ol_freeper
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To: big'ol_freeper

Even as one of the more strident Catholics, I want to emphasize that this is one of those dicey topics where there is some truth to charge, the association is unfair. So I’d say “have at it” for acadmic purposes, but expect some people who respond to this jsutified anger.


2 posted on 03/15/2008 10:29:19 AM PDT by dangus
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To: lightman; TonyRo76

Ping!


3 posted on 03/15/2008 10:32:01 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (http://www.fourfriedchickensandacoke.blogspot.com)
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To: big'ol_freeper
Next they will say that Hitler beget Ronald Reagan, because they both descended from Eve.
4 posted on 03/15/2008 10:32:01 AM PDT by MindBender26 (Leftists stop arguing when they see your patriotism, your logic, your CAR-15 and your block of C4.)
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To: big'ol_freeper

So this means that former Popes, due to the prevalence of homosexual perversion throughout the Catholic church today, can be held responsible for the rapes of boys and girls of today?


5 posted on 03/15/2008 10:33:47 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
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To: big'ol_freeper

Adolf Hitler was a Catholic. http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/quotes_hitler.html


6 posted on 03/15/2008 10:36:37 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (http://www.fourfriedchickensandacoke.blogspot.com)
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To: dangus

I agree with you, as I stated in my comment. But, the charge is no more outlandish than that made against Pope Pius XII and the Catholic Church that is repeated quite frequently here on FR. I personally had not encountered this exegesis before and thought it would be an interesting discussion. I fully realize that some will react with violent flaming but that’s the price of posting a controversial subject.


7 posted on 03/15/2008 10:37:22 AM PDT by big'ol_freeper ("...millions hate what they mistakenly think that the Catholic Church is." ~ Archbishop Fulton Sheen)
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To: All

Wow...I wish I could read as fast a you all have apparently been able to. That’s a lot to read in five minutes and then post your obviously well thought out and highly intellectual thoughts.


8 posted on 03/15/2008 10:39:58 AM PDT by big'ol_freeper ("...millions hate what they mistakenly think that the Catholic Church is." ~ Archbishop Fulton Sheen)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Adolf Hitler left the Catholic faith when he was a young man, and was, in fact, excommunicated twice.


9 posted on 03/15/2008 10:44:18 AM PDT by vladimir998 (Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. St. Jerome)
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To: vladimir998

Well, he just needs a prayer to help him out of Purgatory, and he’s still 100% Catholic, right?


10 posted on 03/15/2008 10:46:52 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
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To: big'ol_freeper
...no more outlandish than that made against Pope Pius XII and the Catholic Church that is repeated quite frequently here on FR.

What are you talking about?

11 posted on 03/15/2008 10:47:54 AM PDT by higgmeister (In the Shadow of The Big Chicken!)
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To: ConservativeMind

You wrote:

“So this means that former Popes, due to the prevalence of homosexual perversion throughout the Catholic church today, can be held responsible for the rapes of boys and girls of today?”

How many popes ever said homosexual perversion was okay? Please list all who did so.

I think it is just too much to claim Luther led directly to Hitler, but they were both anti-semitic, nationalists, etc. The popes, on the other hand, never said homosexual perversion was okay.

Your analogy fails.

Try again.


12 posted on 03/15/2008 10:47:57 AM PDT by vladimir998 (Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. St. Jerome)
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To: big'ol_freeper

This is sooooo STUPID!

What does it matter if Hitler was a CATHOLIC, a LUTHERAN, a JEW? It doesn’t matter at all - just as it doesn’t matter that Ted Bundy was a Republican.

What a waste of thread.


13 posted on 03/15/2008 10:48:22 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: vladimir998

“While we destroyed the Centre Party, we have not only brought thousands of priests back into the Church, but to millions of respectable people we have restored their faith in their religion and in their priests. The union of the Evangelical Church in a single Church for the whole Reich, the Concordat with the Catholic Church, these are but milestones on the road which leads to the establishment of a useful relation and a useful co operation between the Reich and the two Confessions.”

“I am now as before a Catholic and will always remain so.”

Adolf Hitler


14 posted on 03/15/2008 10:48:32 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (http://www.fourfriedchickensandacoke.blogspot.com)
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To: ConservativeMind

You wrote:

“Well, he just needs a prayer to help him out of Purgatory, and he’s still 100% Catholic, right?”

What makes you think he’s in purgatory? I think he is in a much more painful place. I guess you think he didn’t do much to deserve worse?


15 posted on 03/15/2008 10:49:20 AM PDT by vladimir998 (Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. St. Jerome)
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To: vladimir998

I can’t say that Popes haven’t condoned homosexuality. I know they’ve condoned murder, which led to creation of the Anglican church.


16 posted on 03/15/2008 10:50:00 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
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To: vladimir998

No, it’s Catholics who believe that you can be prayed out of Purgatory if you’ve ever accepted the Catholic church’s teachings.

This is great for him, as he apparently fully accepted those teachings twice. Surely that means each prayer to get him out of Purgatory counts double.


17 posted on 03/15/2008 10:51:52 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

So you actually believe Hitler was Catholic because he said so even though he was murdering Catholic priests?

Hitler was NOT Catholic after his childhood. He simply manipulated people when he wanted to. And now, from the grave, he’s manipulated you too.


18 posted on 03/15/2008 10:53:33 AM PDT by vladimir998 (Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. St. Jerome)
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To: ConservativeMind

You wrote:

“I can’t say that Popes haven’t condoned homosexuality. I know they’ve condoned murder, which led to creation of the Anglican church.”

In other words, you have no evidence at all and your analogy therefore fails. Yeah, I know. We all know. And when condoning of murder are you talking about?


19 posted on 03/15/2008 10:55:06 AM PDT by vladimir998 (Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. St. Jerome)
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To: ConservativeMind

“No, it’s Catholics who believe that you can be prayed out of Purgatory if you’ve ever accepted the Catholic church’s teachings.”

It’s Holy Week leading up to Easter and I’m not going to get into an endless and futile debate regarding Catholicism vs. Protestantism, but please know that your above statement is patently incorrect. One can pray for people who have already died, for their very souls, but only God can judge and bring a person into heaven.


20 posted on 03/15/2008 10:56:15 AM PDT by rbmillerjr ("bigger government means constricting freedom"....................RWR)
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