Desert wrote:
madbean2 wrote:
MachineGhost wrote:
+100. And we know how much human beings just love to be violent sadistics towards others. What religion was Hitler and the Nazi's and the people of Germany during WWII?
Well, I have to stand up for my friend Paul here because he lays out the case for why you shouldn't mistreat the people who rejected the Messiah very well in the book of Romans, long about chapters 9 and 10, if I'm not mistaken. So don't blame it on Paul.
As for Hitler, if we're going there then maybe that will finally signal the end of this thread. I don't think Hitler was a Christian in any sense of the word but obviously it depends on your definition of the term. How much he was influenced by Martin Luther's anti-semitism I doubt we'll ever know.
Luther did a lot of good in the world, but his end-of-life rants sound pretty ugly. Hitler was quite influenced by Nietzsche, and while I won't blame Nietzsche for the holocaust, the idea of a master race comports well with Nietzsche's philosophy.
Following is the official LCMS position on the issue - goes back to 1983 so this certainly is not new information. Also, I think it is important to remember that Martin Luther was a man just like the rest of us - simultaneously saint and sinner. None of us are perfect. All of us do things we wish we had not. Few of us like to look in the mirror and admit our shortcomings. It is so much easier to cast stones at others. I shudder to think if everything in our lives would be laid bare for all to see - like I think people who run for president must be completely nuts to go under that level of scrutiny (unless of course, you are a Democrat
) - NO ONE lives a sin free life (other than Jesus
).
... Mountaineer
Q: What is the Missouri Synod's response to the anti-Semitic statements made by Luther?
A: While The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod holds Martin Luther in high esteem for his bold proclamation and clear articulation of the teachings of Scripture, it deeply regrets and deplores statements made by Luther which express a negative and hostile attitude toward the Jews. In light of the many positive and caring statements concerning the Jews made by Luther throughout his lifetime, it would not be fair on the basis of these few regrettable (and uncharacteristic) negative statements, to characterize the reformer as "a rabid anti-Semite." The LCMS, however, does not seek to "excuse" these statements of Luther, but it denounces them (without denouncing Luther's theology). In 1983, the Synod adopted an official resolution addressing these statements of Luther and making clear its own position on anti-Semitism. The text of this resolution reads as follows:
WHEREAS, Anti-Semitism and other forms of racism are a continuing problem in our world; and
WHEREAS, Some of Luther's intemperate remarks about the Jews are often cited in this connection; and
WHEREAS, It is widely but falsely assumed that Luther's personal writings and opinions have some official status among us (thus, sometimes implying the responsibility of contemporary Lutheranism for those statements, if not complicity in them); but also
WHEREAS, It is plain from Scripture that the Gospel must be proclaimed to all people--that is, to Jews also, no more and no less than to others (Matt. 28:18-20); and
WHEREAS, This scriptural mandate is sometimes confused with anti-Semitism; therefore be it
Resolved, That we condemn any and all discrimination against others on account of race or religion or any coercion on that account and pledge ourselves to work and witness against such sins; and be it further
Resolved, That we reaffirm that the bases of our doctrine and practice are the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions and not Luther, as such; and be it further
Resolved, That while, on the one hand, we are deeply indebted to Luther for his rediscovery and enunciation of the Gospel, on the other hand, we deplore and disassociate ourselves from Luther's negative statements about the Jewish people, and, by the same token, we deplore the use today of such sentiments by Luther to incite anti-Christian and/or anti-Lutheran sentiment; and be it further
Resolved, That in our teaching and preaching we take care not to confuse the religion of the Old Testament (often labeled "Yahwism") with the subsequent Judaism, nor misleadingly speak about "Jews" in the Old Testament ("Israelites" or "Hebrews" being much more accurate terms), lest we obscure the basic claim of the New Testament and of the Gospel to being in substantial continuity with the Old Testament and that the fulfillment of the ancient promises came in Jesus Christ; and be it further
Resolved, That we avoid the recurring pitfall of recrimination (as illustrated by the remarks of Luther and many of the early church fathers) against those who do not respond positively to our evangelistic efforts; and be it finally
Resolved, That, in that light, we personally and individually adopt Luther's final attitude toward the Jewish people, as evidenced in his last sermon: "We want to treat them with Christian love and to pray for them, so that they might become converted and would receive the Lord" (Weimar edition, Vol. 51, p. 195).
Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help. Psalm 146:3
