Posted by
Brantley on Friday, August 15, 2008 11:03:48 AM
Hitler calling himself a Christian doesn't make him one. But then what does make one a Christian? Following the bible? What about when you falter? I mean, hey, at any mention of someone not meeting the criteria, it's reminded that a Christian is one who tries, but sometimes fails. So what then would be the real litmus test? How about upbringing? I mean, Hitler was raised Catholic, and was confirmed (if you're not Catholic, maybe you're unfamiliar with this. When you're born you're christened then some time later have first communion, then after puberty you choose to be confirmed, kinda like being baptized in a lot of other denominations) so by that standard, he is Christian. I did see where there was some speculation if he actually wanted to be, so that would play a part in it, but nowhere did I see where he actually, forcefully, officially renounced being Christian, so you could then argue his faith was just shaken. But, he did have a dream that God spoke to him, and told him he was destined for something special one day. It wasn’t a burning bush mind you, but that has some weight to it. But we still haven’t defined what it means to be Christian. Growing up it was taught that any answers about Christianity can be found in the bible. "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you" (Acts 1:8) But, as previously stated, Hitler had a vision of somesort which he took to mean God or the Holy Spirit, so that kinda makes me think he is. But, "fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Gal. 5:22,23) does tend to not really help that case. By the way, I found these passages from: http://www.christinyou.net/pages/what2bxn.html Alas I don't know if Hitler was Christian or not. I suppose you could say that is simply between him and God. There is no way you can prove he wasn't, just as there is no way you can prove he was. Perhaps after crossing over to the next relm we'll see him in either heaven or hell and that will tell us.
Their final statement on what it is to be a Christian is: "A Christian is one in whom Jesus Christ lives by His Spirit, and one who allows the life and character of Jesus Christ to be lived out through his behavior, in order to function as intended to the glory of God (cf. Isa. 43:7)." But by that standard, wars wouldn’t be committed, and I’m not talking crusades, I’m talking Grenada, Iraq, Afghanistan. If we say that those were protective measures, then why didn’t we do anything for Rwanda? If we’re supposed to be “fruit of the Spirit… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness…” why are so many ultra-conservatives so eager to wage war?
I didn’t have to go back 1000 years (oh and the 5th Crusade was launched somewhere around 1600AD) for any of that.
Terrorists… well, see, I’d say that there are terrorists the world over. Some are in Iran, some are in Iraq (met them personally), some are hiding in Afghanistan or Pakistan, some are in the White House, some are out in a field somewhere in Kansas or Ohio (or wherever it was that Timothy and Terry were from). How dare I? I’m sure that’s the response. Terrorist, defined: a person who tries to frighten people or governments into doing what he/she wants by using or threatening violence (cited: Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary). So a person, any person, who threatens violence to exact their will, that doesn’t sound like maybe whenever the heat was on the Bush administration a new Yellow Alert pops up about the latest threats of terrorism? Cause I think it does. Oddly enough, when one joins the military you take an oath to defend America against its enemies, foreign and domestic.