The Ghost of Hitler

In many ways, Nazism did a lot of good for Germany. It strengthened their economy, it gave the people a sense of belonging, and a sense of national pride. The Nazi's were very squared away and I think it gave the people a strong sense of security. Plus they had a very powerful orator filling their minds with things they wanted to hear. The problem is, they had a much darker side too. One that sought out scapegoats to eliminate. When it all came to fruition they devised one of the greatest atrocities the world has ever known. That's silly and totally false. Jews are not simply a religion. Semites are a race of people, just like Asians, Caucasions, or negro's are a race of people's. Humans love to separate themselves, whether its dividing their allegiances through teams, race, religion, scientific affiliations, different branches of service through inter-service rivalry, male, female, short, tall, thin, fat, you name it. I understand what you are saying, and generally I would agree. But I don't believe that if everyone had the same religion, or no religion, we'd all traipse through life avoiding conflict. Look no further than the Deep South. Blacks and Whites have had the same religion for centuries, and that didn't stop anyone from hating the other.There are many converging factors at work here to understand Nazism, or other ideologies like them. I don't think they can be summarized in such quaint, cut and dry terms.

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"It is better to shun the bait, than struggle in the snare." -Ravi Zacharias

Martin Luther was an anti-semite. That much is incontrovertible. However, your critique of the Bible is unfounded, as you will soon see.

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:...[The] Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and drove us out; and they are not pleasing to God and are contrary to all men.
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[The Jews] fill up their sins always. But wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

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Lets not forget that Paul was a Jew. A devout Jew, no less. A Pharisee even, among the strictest sect of Judaism!Paul is not talking about Jews in a general sense here, Jon. He is speaking about the Judaizers, the zealots, the legalists. Are have you forgotten that not only was Paul a Jew, but Jesus as well, and ALL of His first followers? "Come, O Zion! Escape, you who live in the Daughter of Babylon!" For this is what El Shaddai says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you”for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye- I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me. -Zechariah 2:7-8"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." -Romans 1:16-17The problem is that most Jews do not believe that Jesus is the Moshiac. This is only for a season until the Time of the Gentiles is over. Eventually, probably after the Rapture--"On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only Son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” -Zechariah 12:10God has rebuked Israel countless times for their iniquity. No two ways about that. But He will never forget the pact that He's made for Israel. Edited by Nemesis Juggernaut, : No reason given.

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"It is better to shun the bait, than struggle in the snare." -Ravi Zacharias

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:Abraham believed God's promise and was rewarded with a right standing before God, or, as Paul calls it, "righteousness." In Paul's view, this promise was fulfilled in Jesus

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Yes, it was. But what does that have to do with God despising Israel?

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aul came to believe that a person could not be put into a right standing before God by keeping the Law; only faith in Christ could do this.

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Well, that's not entirely accurate. The Law is only the shadow of the real thing. Its like this: Suppose your on the side of the road, and a big semi-truck is barreling towards you. Which would you rather have happen to you-- the truck hitting you, or its shadow rolling over you?The "truck" of judgment rolled over Jesus Christ, while the shadow remains as a reminder that the truck is there for a reason. Because if you don't accept the shadow, then full truck of judgment will be upon you. Those who reject Christ must live in full accordance to the Law of God. And since no one has been able to do that, no, not even one, then perdition awaits those who mock at it.But aside from this, I'm having a hard time understanding how any of this correlates to your claim that God hates the Jews. It wasn't pointless then, and it isn't pointless now. Funny that I was just listening to a sermon on this discussion just the other day."There was something the Law could not do. The Law was like a mirror. You look at the mirror and it tells you your face is dirty. But you don't go to the mirror to wash your face. It won't take that dirt off-- you'll only rub it in more. And what God is saying is: I gave you the Law and your identity... but one thing the Law could not do is change your consciences-- what you wanted to do.

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For you see, if we could get to God by the keeping of the Law, it would produce exactly the opposite of what He was trying to teach us. Rather than faith, it would take us to works. Rather than humility, it would take us to pride. Rather than take us to spirituality, it would take us to externals." -Ravi ZachariasYes, Paul believed that the Halacha was not to be placed on gentiles as a burden, since Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law. Jesus isn't in the stead of the Law, rather, He is the Law. Hmmmmmmm, you mean beside everything? Paul didn't blame Jews. He blamed the legalists for their lack of faith and understanding, just as Jesus did. First of all, salvation is an individual choice. Many Jews have turned to Jesus as their messiah. However, God has said that Israel is still the little maiden of His eye. And in Zechariah, there is no clearer picture. A time is coming where they will come to believe. But things must come to pass first.In eschatology, their is a chronology to be found. First, the Temple must be rebuilt. Where is the current Temple foundation? Well, under the Dome of the Rock-- a Muslim shrine, considered the third most holy. This must come to pass first. But Zechariah is clear that they will come to believe in Him whom they pierced. Yes, the Chief Priests, within the religion of Judaism, did much harm to early Christendom. But you must remember that it is not an indictment against Jews, as a distinct group of people. The charge is within the heart of those who have grown calloused with wickedness. This can and does happen to the most "devout" Christian. I'm sure you've noticed how joyous of an occasion it is at EvC when one stumbles. Well, its the same principle. No, he makes a distinction between true believers and hypocrites. Jesus made the exact same kind of distinction. Its only people like Hitler, Luther, and apparently yourself, to come to such wrong-headed conclusions about what it all means. Edited by Nemesis Juggernaut, : edit to add

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"It is better to shun the bait, than struggle in the snare." -Ravi Zacharias