[A.A. Cunningham]

Their ban on bigamy, adultery, polygamy, etc. for starters. Luther penned his signature in agreement, along with six other "reformers", to the following dealing with the bigamy of Prince Philip of Hesse:

"We declare under an oath that it ought to be done secretly . . . It is nothing unusual for princes to have concubines . . . and this modest way of living would please more than adultery."

(Document dated December 10, 1539 / Luther's Letters, De Wette -- Seidemann, Berlin, 1828, vol. 6, 255-265)

When that document became public knowledge, Luther explained:

A secret yes must remain a public no and vice versa.

(De Wette, vol. 6, 263)

Here's some more gems from the German monk.

I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict the Scripture.

(De Wette, vol. 2, 459)

What would it matter if, for the sake of greater good and of the Christian Church, one were to tell a good, downright lie?

(Lenz, Luther's Letters, Leipzig, 1891, vol. 1, 382)

I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict the Scripture.

(De Wette, vol. 2, 459)

Chastity is not in our power. All are created for marriage. God does not permit that one be alone.

(De Wette, vol. 2, 637 ff.)

Libidinousness cannot be cured by anything, not even by marriage; for the greater part of the married live in adultery.

(Luther's Works, Erlangen, 1868, "Opp. Exeg. Lat.," I, 212)

Schizo Luther would have found plenty to complain about.

[solitas]

Would he also have complained about the "church"-sanctioned child molesters (i.e. the bishops that hid them from parish to parish, or the Il Papa that looked the other way)?

[livius]

I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict the Scripture.

Interesting. Luther appears to have been very similar to Mohammed in this respect.

The thing that has always amazed me is how many self-proclaimed "prophets" - ranging from Mohammed to Luther to Joseph Smith (Mormons) - obsess on what were obviously very early practices of the Jewish tribes that were described in the Old Testament. Considering the age of the early parts of the Hebrew scriptures, this is not surprising, and the fact that they had actually set up some legal standards to deal with this indicates that God was preparing them for monogamy.

By the time of Jesus, Jews did not practice polygamy, nor did they do so at the time of these later "revelations" (aka "delusions"). But for some reason, polygamy has been a constant among people who wish to reject the Church and standard Christian teaching.

[Peelod]

Was Martin Luther's real first name Randy?

[SolomoninSouthDakota]

Those Luther quotes are astounding to me! I didn't know so many protestants were following a path established by such a screwball. (I didn't write this to be inflammatory. Anyone tending to be offended can substitute some more polite word for social discourse. I thought screwball just says it best.)

[netmilsmom]

Could you please give me a website to find those quotes? Or a book?

I would love for my Presbyterian Hubby to see them. He started to attend Holy Mass with us and I think this would be a push on the right path.

[HighlyOpinionated]

Libidinousness cannot be cured by anything, not even by marriage; for the greater part of the married live in adultery.

(Luther's Works, Erlangen, 1868, "Opp. Exeg. Lat.," I, 212)

Now you know why THIS Lutheran Pastor's Former Wife is now a Roman Catholic and believes in a celibate Priesthood!

Makes me wonder if my EX read this "real piece of work" by Luther before or after he committed his three adulterous affairs.