Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: LonghornFreeper
So, are our brave soldiers "murderers"? Would someone who stood up to genocide in Rwanda, or Zimbabwe, or Hitler's Germany have been a murderer? Or are you and many others here just hypocrites?

The soldiers, in that they do their killings under orders and in combat. No. The others, well there has been a lot of interesting debate.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a personal hero of mine. He was a Lutheran pastor who stood up to the Nazi's, to the point of being involved in the bomb plot. He was later killed as a result.

He is a hero in the US, but not in Germany. The reason? He crossed the line in attempting to murder the ruler of the state. Many Christians, both Lutheran and Catholic, in Germany feel that was unjustified. Helping someone escape the camps? Great. Attempting to over through the State? Not so, and evil.

They remind that Paul said to pray for the Emperor, even while the same emperor was killing Christians. He didn't say to go out an kill him.

Now, I have read enough of Bonhoffer's writings to know that he did not take that step lightly. And he knew that by taking up the sword, he would die by it. In the USA, we applaud those who tried to end the war by killing Hitler. But in Europe, they are not viewed in such a kind light. Either in Germany or out of it. The Church has often said that violent overthrow of existing rulers by their subjects is not justified in most cases. We never here that in the US, but if you ask a devout Christian from Europe you will.

1,363 posted on 05/31/2009 7:51:52 PM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1332 | View Replies ]


To: redgolum
They remind that Paul said to pray for the Emperor, even while the same emperor was killing Christians. He didn't say to go out an kill him.

IOW, "Hate the sin, not the sinner".

1,370 posted on 05/31/2009 8:12:20 PM PDT by BigSkyFreeper (There is no alternative to the GOP except varying degrees of insanity)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1363 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson