Posted on 12/15/2011 8:04:42 AM PST by Colofornian
(To see Cal Grondahl’s cartoon that goes with this post, click here) History is blunt. Left to itself, it doesn’t spin or gloss over unpleasant facts. The positive side to unvarnished history is that it can prevent future mistakes. There are many examples in history of religions enabling evil. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not an exception to this rule. A glance at the Dec. 9, 1933, LDS “Church News,” published with “The Deseret News,” contains a particularly unpleasant “puff piece” on Nazi Germany, and its leaders, Adolf Hitler, as well as Joseph Goebbels.
It’s titled, “Mormonism” in the New Germany,” and penned by the unfortunately over-enthusiastic Dale Clark, is grotesque in its effusive praise for Hitler. Here is an example: “As a specimen of physical endurance Hitler can easily take his place along side the athletes who are usually taken as classic examples. His 14 year struggle which brought him to power in Germany put him to a terrific physical strain (sic). Besides the great responsibility there has been trials and conflicts, and campaigning so strenuous that it has required his attention night and day, many times making it necessary for him to travel great distances by auto or plane, catching up on his sleep underway to fit him for the multitudes who would gather to hear him wherever he had time to stop.”
It’s amazing today to read such a sidling, fawning account of the 20th century madman, and I wonder if the Nazis controlled or edited what Clark submitted from Germany. The alternative is even worse to comprehend. In other parts of the article, the author sycophantically points out similarities between LDS Doctrine and Nazi Germany. Readers learn that Hitler and Goebbels lead “Word of Wisdom”-type lifestyles and do not drink or smoke. Also, the German custom of “Fast Sunday,” where Germans fast and donate the cost of the missed meals to a winter charity fund, is extolled for its similarity to Mormonism. Clark writes, again in press-release style, “… it has the important purpose of developing that spirit of sacrifice that is so being stressed in the new Germany, and also of creating more of a feeling of unity and brotherhood through voluntary mutual help.”
Early in the article, Clark writes, ominously, that religious freedom flourishes in Nazi Germany, except for “a few sects (which) have been prohibited or restricted.” We can guess at least one people of faith persecuted in Hitler’s Germany at that time — the Jews. And this leads to the most disturbing part of Clark’s national hagiography: finding a missionary moment in Nazi Germany’s persecution of Jews. After detailing previous difficulties to get access to Germany’s archives to do genealogy, Clark writes, “Now, due to the importance given to the racial question, and the almost necessity of proving that one’s grandmother was not a Jewess, the old record books have been dusted off and stand ready and waiting for use. No questions are asked. In fact some of the Saints instead of being refused by the pastors now have received letters of encouragement complimenting them for their patriotism.”
It is impossible to read that and not shiver with repulsion at why the “old record books” stood ready and waiting for use. Clark’s effusive cheerleading for Nazism is a dark moment in LDS history. But, as mentioned, it is history, delivered in a blunt, pure fashion. It underscores the enabling that many organizations, religious or otherwise, used to have a presence in the heart of evil. Church President Heber J. Grant, no doubt worried about persecution Mormons might receive, urged members in Germany in 1937 to get along and not cause problems. Another disturbing example — as late as 1939 — of Mormon enabling of Nazism was remarks in a Nazi media organ written by West German LDS mission president, Alfred C. Rees. Like Clark, Rees enthusiastically compared Nazism with Mormonism. (1)
There are more courageous exceptions, of course. One Latter-day Saint who stood up to Hitler’s rule was Helmuth Hubener, who died a martyr at 17, tortured and beheaded in 1942 for belonging to an anti-Nazi group and publishing anti-Nazi leaflets. Hubener, who is the subject of a Gunter Grass novel, was first repulsed by Nazism as a boy when he witnessed anti-Semitism in his local ward. Hubener was quickly excommunicated by local authorities. However, his excommunication was later reversed by LDS authorities, who said local German leaders had not followed proper procedures. According to historians Alan F. Keele and Douglas F. Tobler, Hubener’s leaflets show that the teenager regarded his opposition to Nazism as a component of his religion. Hubener’s final words to the judges who sentenced him to die, “Wait. Your turn will come,” underscore his courage and resolve.
Hubener’s branch president was a fervent Nazi, who played Hitler’s speeches at the branch. Another branch member, Heinrich Worbs, was tortured at a concentration camp for calling a state-honored Nazi a “butcher.” Worbs, according to Keele and Tobler, was so physically ruined after his detention that he died months after release.
Clark’s article from 1933 fascinates me as much for its style as its repulsive cheerleading. It contains several examples of modern totalitarian propaganda efforts, that were also used, and refined, by Soviet-led communism. There’s the effusive praise for the leaders, praise for the party (in one instance Clark uses the phrase “originality and political genius of the Hitler party” to tout relief efforts in Germany), and the use of the terms “voluntary” and “unity” as propaganda phrases. For an example, go back to the third paragraph of this piece, where Clark writes, “… it has the important purpose of developing that spirit of sacrifice that is so being stressed in the new Germany, and also of creating more of a feeling of unity and brotherhood through voluntary mutual help.” One more example of modern propaganda includes Clark’s description of posters from youth Nazi organizations against tobacco and women’s cosmetics.
As mentioned, blunt history can also be a teaching tool. It’s doubtful the ugliness of Clark’s Church News article would ever be repeated today. Unfortunately, when adverse history is not blunt but is instead de-emphasized, massaged, or rationalized, it can be repeated. To read the Dec. 9, 1933, Deseret News and Church News, go here.
(1) Keele and Tobler, Sunstone, November/December 1980.
I can say unequivocally that was NOT Churchill....Churchill was the lone voice in the wilderness, as early as 1934, warning a war-weary Britain of the threat of Hitler.
So did the New Youk Slimes.
“LDS Church, through Church News, praised Hitler, Nazi Germany”
So did the New Youk Slimes.
I’d even be willing to bet that in 1933, there were Jews praising Hitler, because they probably figured Hitler was only going to go after the “bad” Jews.
This is just a hit piece, regardless of who wrote it.
No, accurate.
And we know how racism had been wiped out in all other faiths by 1933, so this is clearly an outrageous abberation by this apostate religion of mormonism.
Seriously, again, history is a fun topic and the author should study it some to understand context. Our own country had yet to go through it's civil rights period.
“... He said that if he had been an Italian he would have been a Fascist, and as late as 1938 he stated that if England were ever in the same straits that Germany had been in 1933, he hoped that England would find “her Hitler.” The eminent Anglo-American publicist, Francis Neilson, declared that Churchill’s praise of Hitler was the most extreme tribute ever paid by a prominent Englishman to the head of a foreign state....” This was from an Article by Barnes. I found it on google by entering Churchill praises Hitler. Barnes was a professor of Sociology who gained noteriety as an historical “revisionist” who claimed FDR knew that Japan was going to hit Pearl Harbor.
One of the great ‘faith promoting rumors’ of Mormonism is that Mormons were killed by Nazi’s. In fact, the opposite is true. Long after most Christians began to fight the Nazis the Mormons worked hand in hand with them with many leaders even in the SS.
"Helmuth Hubener, who died a martyr at 17, tortured and beheaded in 1942 for belonging to an anti-Nazi group and publishing anti-Nazi leaflets. Hubener, who is the subject of a Gunter Grass novel, was first repulsed by Nazism as a boy when he witnessed anti-Semitism in his local ward. Hubener was quickly excommunicated by local authorities.
Mark my words, american patriots. The day will surely come when LDS "prophets" tell mormons to disarm and submit to tyranny, and they will. Then they will turn in those they know did not disarm. Do not trust them.
There were Mormons complicit in supporting the Nazis. However, they were a very small minority in a German nation
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Ah, but it wasn’t a SMALL MINORITY of Mormons who supported Hitler. The professor who introduced me to Mormonism (and baptized me LDS as well), served a mission in Germany just after WWII. He proudly relayed how the Nazi supporters were the easiest to convert to Mormonism, because it was a ‘white’ religion and the idea of Indians becoming ‘white and delight-some’ appealed to them. According to him, and a couple of his missionary companions that I met, the former Nazi’s saw in Mormonism a spiritual version of Hitler’s policies.
Yesterday our representatives passed a bill that our president will sign that authorizes the "disappearing" of US citizens.
No tyrant in the history of the world, not Hitler, not Tito, not Polt Pot, not Stalin or Mao did anything worse than "disappearing" people.
How close is this to what Obama's regime wants to do in the USA, and, the media is totally silent on this. Imagine what the outcry from those liberal media types such as Chris Matthews would be screaming.
Try Pinochet.
http://www.moreorless.au.com/killers/pinochet.html
“The military form a four-man junta headed by Pinochet and composed of the commanders-in-chief of the army, navy, air force and police and embark on a campaign to remove the influence of the UP from all social institutions.
A state of siege is declared, martial law is introduced and parliament is closed. The media is censored, universities are purged, books are burned, Marxist political parties are outlawed and union activities are banned. Thousands are murdered or “disappeared”. Thousands more are jailed or forced to leave the country. Torture is commonplace. Up to one million will flee into self-imposed exile.
It is reported that up to 250,000 people are detained in the first months following the coup. Stadiums, military bases and naval vessels have to be used as short-term prisons. At least five new prison camps are established for political prisoners.”
How about the East German Stasi?
http://eastgermany.info/stasi.htm
“The house or apartment of those who were suspected of anti-state activities were searched while the suspect was away. If someone was seriously suspected of anti-state behaviour, agents would usually appear at their place of work and disappear, perhaps for years . The Stasi was directly linked to the KGB and sent it information until 1990. There had been an estimated 85,000 full time Stasi agents and 109,000 private informers and an estimated 1 to 2 million east Germans had served as Stasi agents at one time or another .The Stasi left behind a staggering 2 trillion pages of reports . Most were hand written, as the Stasi distrusted computers . The colloquial name for the Stasi was Zur Firma (The Firm).”
Remember that the Soviet Union’s security apparatus would abduct their own citizens and have them committed to a psychiatric gulag or a slave labor camp with many dying during their “reeducation” or “rehabilitation.”
Hitler made any one who disagreed with him disappear into the forced labor camps. Six million Jews were murdedered but another six million non-Jews were, also, because they opposed him or were undesirable in some other way.
Tyrants will either quietly make people disappear or use more obvious forms to crush dissent and disagreement. What we see with Obama and the rest in the District of Criminals is bringing back the old ways.
Stalin is quoted as saying,
“No man, no problem.”
The Soviet Union made to disappear (murder) about 65 million of its citizens during its reign of terror. China is at least another 65 million.
It’s more common than you think or realize. After they disappear a citizen they just edit them out of photos, video, government files, etc.
I have been told that Mormons deny the holocaust..
any truth in this ???
I have never heard nor seen this....but I'm sure FLDS/LDS "Prophet" Brigham Young would have had an opinion if he had been around that long.
"I would rather undertake to convert five thousand Lamanites [native Americans], than to convert one of those poor miserable creatures [Jews] whose fathers killed the savior... Yes, I would rather undertake to convert the devil himself, if it were possible... I would say, leave them, and come home, the Lord does not require you to stay there, for they must suffer and be damned... [L]eave them to live and die in their sins and ignorance... [T]hey take pleasure in their wickedness..." (FLDS/LDS "Prophet" Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 2, p. 143, 1854)
I’ll add that to my wish list. Thanks!
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