Darwin and responsibilty

Probably the best way to determine if Hitler was Christian and working from Christian Beliefs is to look at what he said.In Mien Kapf, he said... and in a 1933 speech In addition, his rule and Nazi Germany itself was recognized by the Pope and maintained diplomatic relations, including the exchange of Ambassadors.It is nice to say that Christianity accepts everyone as equal, and in my belief, that is certainly correct. Unfortunately, if we look at history and even todays news, what we find is entirely different. Through out history and continuing even today, Christianity has been one of the most intolerant religions on this earth. In the past it was seen in the way we Americans treated the Native Americans, in Australia with the way many of the Aborigines, in the Wars between differing Christian Sects, attitudes surrounding slavery and in the Crusades. Today it can be seen in the venom expressed against Islam or the rantings against those that Christians consider abomniable, for example gays.Someday, hopefully, Christians will begin to testify a belief in all people being equal through their actions.

---

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Alm,You're playing on words. It's not the matter of belonging to the superior race or not, it's belonging to the GOOD team or not. Remember from the doctrines: heaven for good ones & hell for the others.Hitler believed half sincerely that he was God protected, IOW in the "good" team. Perhaps you don't remember that he was the lone survivor of a gas attack at the end of the WW1. A divine sign?A selected quote for you: Honestly, how should a reasonable man say this after reading Darwin's work? Must be specially twisted for that.

Thanks Jar,I didn't remember if this quote (doing Lords job...) was from Meine Kampf or from a speech.

quote:

---

Well the Bible teaches one blood, one race.

---

What about the book of Joshua? Where, under orders from Yahweh, the Israelites were to slaughter the inhabitants of Canaan, even the children? It seems one blood, one race doesn't preclude a good Yahweh worshipper from committing genocide.

Hitler was, most definetely, a theist however it is not clear at all that he was a Christian. In fact he appears to have been exteremly damning of Christianity - I've seen numerous quotes that imply this was so. Although I've not actually seen the sources for them, so I'll refrain from repeating them here.

Hi Mr. Jack,Above the fact he was theist or not he was deeply crazy.
This is for me the most important thing.

Actually, he was not damning of Christianity, but a vocal supporter of Christianity and the Church.For example, consider this... and later in a speech justifying sterilization of the mentally ill or physicall deformed... It would make all Christians feel better if we could somehow simply wave away the very great evils that have been done in its name, but that simply is not possible if we are to be honest. We need to acknowledge those errors and try to make sure nothing like that ever happens again.It is not Darwin or Evolution or Religion that is responsible, it is evil people.

---

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Amen Jar.

I don't think I believe in evil, I certainly don't think that viewing peoples actions as being caused by them being 'evil' helps. Fact is, Hitler didn't achieve what he did by his own will and strength but by the co-operation and help of the German people. Ordinary, decent people men and women stood by, and helped in, the perpetration of one of the greatest attrociaties of the century. Somehow I doubt they were all evil.Or to take another example, look at the people behind the slave trade. The men and women of America, and Britain, that aided in, used, bought and sold African slaves - where they evil? All of them?It's easy, and perhaps conforting, to believe it takes evil people to commit evil deeds. But the lessons of history are quite clear on this; it doesn't - ordinary, decent, folks will do just fine.

If you have read of this thread on another site - you'll find a big list of quotes from Hitler that apparently show that Hitler held the Church in contempt. I do not know whether these quotes are valid, or not.

Hi Mr. Jack, I get you point about evil. But I do not think Jar was refering to some invisible force called evil that MADE people do the deeds they did. Rather, evil was being used as a term to describe the behavior. Albeit I could be wrong in this.

If you are talking about some embodiment of EVIL, then I might agree. But I do believe that there are truly evil people.I will certainly grant though that very ordinary people can also do very great evil.

---

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

There have always been many that would like to absolve Christianity of stains such as Hitler. But in all honesty, we cannot.As a Christian, I believe that we must see and acknowledge both the good and bad that is done in the name of our religion. Anything less simply cheapens our faith. We must realize that much of the acceptance and even justification of Slavery, of what the Americans did to the Native Americans, the Boers to the South African Natives, the Australians to the Aborigines and yes, Hitler to the Jews, Poles, Gypsies and Russians was based on Christian Dogma. Even today, the opposition to Homosexuals is primarily from a small portion of the Christian Faith and based on what I believe are gross misinterpretations of scripture.It would be nice if we, like Pilot, could simply wash our hands of the responsibilities and results of our faith, but that would be dishonest.

---

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Could you point me to a passage/chapter of this please?.

quote:

---

It's easy, and perhaps conforting, to believe it takes evil people to commit evil deeds. But the lessons of history are quite clear on this; it doesn't - ordinary, decent, folks will do just fine.

---

Evidence that the above is true:The Stanford Prison Experiment.Read about it here:http://www.prisonexp.org/