Subject: Re: Info on Martin Luther
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 1998 00:55:51 +0000
To: "Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com wrote:
>
> From: Vickie Bacon
> To: "Eddie Chumney" <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
> Subject: Info on Martin Luther
>
> Dearest Brother Eddie-
>
> I remember reading a post not too long ago that referenced Martin Luther as
> being very anti-Semitic. Is there a particular book I can read that
> substantiates that claim? Do others in the Newsgroup know of information I
> can study to educate myself about Luther? I've only been educated about
> Luther in a positive light (which may very well be deceptively biased of
> course), and I was interested in knowing more about Luther's blindness to
> Hebraic truth.
>
> Thanks,
> Vickie Bacon
>
> >From Eddie:
> **************
>
> Vickie,
>
> In the early years of Martin Luther's Reformation, he was
> more friendly to the Jewish people. Martin Luther was hopeful that
> the Jewish people would support him and accept Yeshua/Jesus as
> Messiah when he broke from the Catholic church. However, when the
> Jewish people did not do so, Martin Luther turned VERY anti-semetic
> and made some very harsh anti-semetic statements toward the end of
> his life. Adolf Hitler often quoted Martin Luther to justify some of
> his actions in Germany toward the Jewish people.
>
> One book that I am familiar with that has some of the
> anti-semitic quotes of Martin Luther is a book called, "Our Hands our
> Stained by Blood" by Dr. Michael Brown. This is a very good book that
> traces the history of Christian anti-semitism toward the Jewish
> people. Our newsgroup members probably know of other materials and
> references to further help you in your studies of Martin Luther and
> his attitude toward the Jewish people.
>
>
From: Steve Rios
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Re: Info on Martin Luther
Shalom Vicky and all interested,
I have a book written by Dr. Martin Luther which may be found
in the Congressional Library, Washington, D.C., and in any one of
several accredited Lutheran seminaries. The statements he makes
are very grievous at the very least. The Lord will surely judge this matter.
For copies the addresses in the book are as follows:
St. Paul Lutheran Church
P.O. Box 1322
Little Rock, Arkansas
Published by:
Christian Nationalist Crusade
P.O. Box 27895
Los Angeles 27, CA
First English translation to be
published in the U.S.A.
Date of Publication: May, 1948
I hope this helps in the pursuit of truth.
Shalom,
Steve
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From: Brenna Moore
To: <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
Subject: Re: Info on Martin Luther
Two other good books are "The Lie" by Bruce R. Booker and "How the
Cross Became a Sword." by Richard Booker. You can order both of
these books from the Messianic Jewish Movement Int'l, Bethesda,
Maryland.
Brenna Moore
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From: M. L. SHORT
To: <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
Subject: Re: Info on Martin Luther
Vickie,
Several History books discuss this matter:
A History of the Jewish People; edited by H.H Ben-Sasson
A History of the Jews by Paul Johnson(A Christian) which can be
purchased in any Christian Bookstore A History of the Jews by Grayzel
There are several more but this should get you started.
Mike
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From: Stephen Yulish
Subject: Re:Martin Luther
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Vickie,
Martin Luther's anti-Semitism is a huge stumbling block for my Jewish
brothers and sisters. Being a former history professor who lectured
about anti-Semitism, I know a great deal about Martin Luther. Jews say
to me , "you want me to believe that that anti-Semite is in heaven but
my grandparents are in hell?"
"Know Christian, that next to the Devil thou hast no enemy more cruel,
more venomous and violent than a true Jew." see Lucy davidowicz's
excellent history "The War Against the Jews".
Luther's seminal work in his area was "Von den Juden and Jren
Luegen" About the Jews and their Lies published in 1543. some
excerpts:
"They are thirsty bloodhounds and murderers of all
Christendom" they were a heavy burden, like a plague, pestilence, pure
misfortune in our country." "They want to rule the world". "They are
arch criminals, killers of Christ and all Christendom." "They were
often burned to death upon the accusation that they had poisoned water
and wells, stolen children and torn and hacked them apart, in order to
cool their temper secretly with Christian blood."(pdiii3)
One cannot effectively witness to Jewish people, especially educated
Jews, without having to deal with this. Is Luther in Heaven? Only God
knows. Did he ask God for forgiveness for these sins before he died.
We can only hope that he did. If he did not then he had to face God's
judgment.
Can Christians still sin after they are saved. Obviously.
Should they? Obviously not! Do they need to ask God for forgiveness.
Obviously. did Martin Luther influence Adolf Hitler.? Obviously! This
great man of the Protestant Reformation was seduced by Hasatan to
spread his lies. This should humble all of us and keep us on our knees
in prayer.
Stephen Yulish
PH.D. Chayim Chadashim
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From: Westley Hall
To: <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
Subject: Re: Info on Martin Luther
Shalom Vickie-
One of the best books on this subject is the 34th vol. of The Works of
Luther. A friend of mine bought the volume recently for research of
these allegations and we found them to be true. The most offensive
anti-semitic work we found was Luthers treatise on "The Jews and Their
Lies". I was shocked that Luther could write that and at the same
time write his essay "Against the Antinomians"- which was full of the
truth of the importance of the law (ten commandments) to believers.
He also wrote another paper "Against the Shabatarians" (those who keep
the Sabbath) of which I thought was disappointing. In that paper he
talks of how to prove to the Jews that they are no longer G-d's chosen
people. He also states that several of the prophecies of Jerimiah and
other prophets never came to pass and never will since G-d is through
with the Jews. Check it out some time. If you don't want to buy it,
you could try looking for it at a local university library or maybe
even a city library. May He bless and keep you.
-Westley
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From: Mark R. Ensign
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Re: Info on Martin Luther
Shalom, Eddie and Hebraic Heritage Heirs.
Regarding the anti-semitism of Martin Luther, the following quotation
about and by Martin Luther is taken from Rabbi Joseph Telushkin's
book, Jewish Wisdom, pp 469-471.
Occasionally, some of the most philosemitic and antisemitic statements
have been made by the same person. Early in his career, Martin Luther
(1483-1546) hoped that the Jews would join him in his protests against
the Catholic Church, and convert to his brand of Christianity. During
this period, Luther wrote in his pamplet, That Jesus Christ was Born a
Jew:
Our fools and jackasses, our priests, bishops, sophists, and
monks have treated the Jews in such a manner, that if one
wished to become a true Christian he might better become
a Jew.
Less that two decades later, after his outreach to the Jewish
community failed to garner converts to Christianity, Luther turned
against the Jews with fury, advocating the community's destruction.
I shall give you my sincere advice [about what to do with the Jews] --
to set fire to their synagogues or schools -- that their houses also
be razed and destroyed . . . instead they might be lodged under a roof
or in a barn . . . -- that all their prayer books and talmudic
writings, in which such idolatry, lies, cursing, and blasphemy are
taught, be taken from them -- that their rabbis be forbidden to teach,
henceforth on pain of loss of life and limb -- that safe conduct on
the highways be abolished completely for the Jews -- that usury be
prohibited to them, and that all cash and treasure of silver and gold
be taken from them But if we are afraid that they might harm us ...
then eject them forever from the country.
-- Martin Luther, On the Jews and Their lies, advising German
rulers on the treatment of Jews: see Jeremy Cohen, "Traditional
Prejudic and Religious Reform: The Thological and
Historical Foundations of Luther's Anti-Judaism," pages 81-102.
A selection from Luther's positive and negative writings
about the Jews is found in Jacob Marcus, ed., The Jews in
the Medieval World, pages 166-169.
I would threaten to cut their tongues out from their throats
in they refuse to accept the Christian proof that God is a
trinity, not a plain unity.
-- Martin Luther; cited in Maire Syrkin, ed.,
Hayim Greenberg Anthology, page 114
Some four hundred years later, Adolf Hitler claimed, "He
[Luther] saw the Jew as we are only beginning to see him today"
(Friedrich Heer, God's First Love, Page 286).
When you baptize a Jew, hold his head under water for five
minutes. -- Bulgarian proverb
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From: Stefan Blad
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Re: Info on Martin Luther
During all my life I have been taught that the christian protestant,
evangelical and further on the pentecostal movement (where I come
from) is based on Martin Luther.
I believe his first discoverings of justification by faith WAS a
revelation from heaven and in the beginning he was following the Lord.
It's interesting to know that a jewish rabbi made him open his eyes
towards this truth! He even baptized the believers in the beginning
even if they had been "baptized" as children.
But there is a verse in Hebrew 13:7 that has made me tremble:
"Remember those who rulel over you, who have spoken the word of God to
you, whose faith follow, CONSIDERING THE OUTCOME OF THEIR CONDUCT".
The end of the life of Luther was not a good example. He went against
those of the reform-movement who preached the good news and baptized
the believers by letting them be executed because they baptized
people who had already been "baptized" as children! Theese "heretics"
where called "second time baptizers" and were therfore persecuted and
executed by Luther. In the beginning he had a positive attitude
towards the jews. He thought that they would recieve his gospel as he
had left the false teachings of the Catholic Church. But when he saw
that they didn't accept his movement and teachings he went against them
with all kind of acusations. The last preaching he gave was against
the jews. Four days later he was dead!
I cannot accept the "christian" teaching that says that their faith
is built on Luther. If we consider the outcome of his conduct, we have
to ask ourselves if he is worthy to be a foundation to build upon.
Is it enough to go back to Luthers reform? Or shall we go back to the
origin of the gospel?
Stefan Blad
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