“If you don’t believe me, go try to read something in old or middle English. Ostensibly the SAME language, but totally incomprehensible.”
Having read both I can tell you that they are not “Ostensibly the SAME language”. Luther wrote some pretty damning things about Jews. To discuss these things today is not just “parsing words” by “worthless gasbags”.
Good or ill, Luther wrought a religious revolution that destroyed the social and religious order of his day. Christendom was irrevocably changed. That’s worth discussing in every detail to those who are interested in the truth and history.
True, but at the same time let's waste some time by revisiting "perfecting ways of making sealing wax".
If you're going to get worked up, I suggest starting at the present time - where so called "mainstream Christian churches" condone (and sometimes PROMOTE) homosexuality, abortion, pedophilia and - islam. When those are solved, then let's work our way back and discuss what shaped some guy's attitudes 500 years ago.
Luther wrote in an early modern form of German. Acutally, his Bible translation was instrumental in forming the modern German language (as a language that could be understood by people in a large geographical area as opposed to dialects that outsiders have trouble understanding). Luther’s Bible was a great achievement in European culture and language.
The negative side of Luther is that his anti-Jewish rants were something the Nazis could easily dust off and publish for their propaganda/incitements. True, for Luther it was a religious thing while the Nazis believed in a bizarre, racist pseudo-science. But words like “burn down their synagogues” obviously meant exactly that - and worse things.
>Good or ill, Luther wrought a religious revolution that destroyed the social and religious order of his day. Christendom was irrevocably changed. That’s worth discussing in every detail to those who are interested in the truth and history.
Luther is an interesting guy. He democratized Christianity and then shoved it into a state church when democratized Christianity caused total chaos and mass destruction in Germany. People tend to read mostly good things about the Reformation, but the facts on the ground was almost a 1/3 of Germany dead or destroyed thanks to Luther and co before The Peace of Westphalia restored the state church system.