This urban legend that Hitler was an atheist is a flat out lie. He also often gets pegged as an 'Occultist' but this isn't true either. Heinrich Himmler (leader of the SS) was an occultist and brought some of that into their ceremonies.
However, Hitler was a Christian. As a young boy he was an altar boy in a Catholic church. “I had excellent opportunity to intoxicate myself with the solemn splendor of the brilliant church festivals. As was only natural, the abbot seemed to me, as the village priest had once seemed to my father, the highest and most desirable ideal.” -Adolf Hitler (Mein Kampf)
He was also partially inspired in his anti-Jewish beliefs by christianity:
"My feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in loneliness, surrounded by a few followers, recognized these Jews for what they were and summoned men to fight against them and who, God’s truth! was greatest not as a sufferer but as a fighter."
2006-06-14
05:34:29
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34 answers
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asked by
Anonymous
in
Society & Culture
➔ Religion & Spirituality
The above quote is from The Speeches of Adolf Hitler, April 1922-August 1939, Vol. 1 of 2, pp. 19-20, Oxford University Press, 1942
"Christianity could not content itself with building up its own altar; it was absolutely forced to undertake the destruction of the heathen altars. Only from this fanatical intolerance could its apodictic faith take form; this intolerance is, in fact, its absolute presupposition." -Adolf Hitler Mein Kampf
And let's not forget the alliance between the Nazis and the Roman Catholic church. (Priests like Maximillian Kobe who were rounded up and sent to death camps were the exception rather than the rule.)
2006-06-14
05:36:42 ·
update #1
To all of you who have said "Hitler wasn't a real christian", ok, if you say so. But let me ask you this - why then does he get constantly pegged as an atheist when he clearly was NOT an atheist? Whether or not you think he was living as you inturpet christianity, he considered himself a christian. No matter how much he may have warped the 'good' of christianity, he still derived his hateful ideas from it. (ie, Martin Luther). And what's more, he still believed that the christian god was real. So regardless of whether you think we was a 'real' christian or not, he was NOT an atheist.
2006-06-14
06:19:54 ·
update #2
Hitler was NOT a Christian. There are many who claim to be yet know nothing of the Love of Jesus.
2006-06-14 05:44:40
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answer #1
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answered by Jen 3
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Are you aware that Hitler was a Christian and not an atheist?
Simply put friend Hitler was of the world. He would call himself christian or anyhting else, if it would advance his personal power & control. Hitler was a master at motivation. He convinced the world that he was a peacemaker, does that make him one?
Just because Hitler's parents were Roman Catholic does not make him one. No more than sitting in a garage makes you a car.
Hitlers religious views were one of a Humanist. Hitlers hatred of Jews were shaped more by his personal envy. He came from a poor Austrian Family, He failed as an artist, he could not afford to continue collage. young Adolf, also failed as a street artists, he couldn't even sell pictures to gullable tourist.
Given the political climate of the time and his own failures, and envy of those who "had" especially the Jewish people. He thought they contolled or had things sown up.To a bitter disinfranschised young Austrian they were also a conveient "scape Goat". When he joined the Nazi party they only reenforced his believe & blame of the Jews and taught him how to be politically correct in his day. teaching him how to manipulte the system and how to perfect his "peolple Skills".
Furthermore it is also worth recalling the fact that Hitler lead Book burnings and routinly closed down Churches and sent Christians to camps along side Jews, though not nearly in the same numbers. the Nazi's had to keep the fact Non-jews were being killed on the down low; not good PR and all.
Because people say they are one thing or another does not make it true. Look at our political leaders today they all want you to think they are "consevritive", "Liberal", or now the hot thing is "Moderate". Then after they are elected you see truely what they are.
Simply put an apple tree is known by the fruit it bears, apples.
you can tell me all day its a cherry tree but the fruit tells the Truth.
2006-06-14 07:14:19
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answer #2
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answered by lewbiv 3
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I'm now not definite what number of learn the entire query. I do become aware of it is a usual tactic to mention Hitler believed something to fit something argument is being made, like "Hitler was once an atheist, hence all atheists are dangerous". Not to say it kind of feels as an alternative foolishly to pass judgement on a entire institution of individuals situated at the movements of 1. Let's simply say for the sake of argument, Hitler quite was once an atheist. Why might that automated make all different atheists dangerous? How many atheists in the market might ever desire to do some thing even remotely near in any respect to what Hitler did? It's explanations like that I think the entire argument falls aside. Not to say the attraction to authority argument. If we have been think to comply with that argument, all people might be a Jew for the reason that Einstein was once.
2016-09-09 01:27:11
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answer #3
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answered by cosco 4
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To start off with, I can call myself an elephant, that does not make me one. There are many who claim to be Christians who are not. Belonging to a demonination doesn't make you a Christian. Neither does being an altar boy, reading the Bible, being in the church choir, or even being in ministry. Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to McDonalds makes you a hamburger.
Adolf Hitler called himself a Christian, so what? He was raised in the Catholic church -- again, so what? He even used his twisted view of Christianity as inspiration for his anti-Jewish beliefs. All this proves nothing.
Hitler was just another in a long line of men throughout history who have used Christianity as a tool to acheive their own ends and as a warped justification to excuse their actions. Some have been bigger monsters, some have cause barely a ripple in the flow of history.
Adolf Hitler may have been many things, but he was no Christian.
2006-06-14 06:02:18
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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He also used the writings of Martin Luther. Especially parts where Luther expressed hatred for the Jewish people. Which Hitler used to justify his own hatred for the Jewish race as a whole.
The only leader, like that, that I know of that would be considered an Atheist is Stalin.
But, personally, labels really don't mean anything, unless you're looking for the calorie count on your food packages. I could call myself a car mechanic and even hang out at a body shop. That doesn't mean I know how to fix your car. ^_^
2006-06-14 06:01:53
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answer #5
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answered by Kithy 6
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Germany had very many religious people- both Protestant and Catholic. Hitler realized he needed the support of the religious people(who in most societies tend to be conservative which was his target audience).
Keep in mind that Hitler was not exactly a sane man, but he was a genius when it came to understanding the German people. What is known about Hitler is that he admired Ancient German pagan religion. Many documents after the war found enough circumstantial evidence to suggest that a victorious post-war Germany would have brought a return to the Teutonic faith.
2006-06-14 05:41:03
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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To be completely honest: Hitler was very religious, but not really Christian. It sounds like he was more Pagan than Christian
For example:
"...Hitler's religious beliefs changed over the years, and as they are gathered from his public and private statements, present a discrepant picture and are disputed. In public statements, Hitler frequently spoke positively about the Christian heritage of German culture and his belief in Christ. For example, on March 23, 1933, he addressed the Reichstag:
"The National Government regards the two Christian confessions (i.e. Catholicism and Protestantism) as factors essential to the soul of the German people. ... We hold the spiritual forces of Christianity to be indispensable elements in the moral uplift of the German people."[9]
About his own religious stance, he said:"I am now as before a Catholic and will always remain so."[10]. Hitler’s private statements were more mixed. There are negative statements about Christianity reported by Hitler’s intimates, Goebbels, Speer, and Bormann.[11]. Joseph Goebbels, for example, notes in a diary entry in 1939: “The Führer is deeply religious, but deeply anti-Christian. He regards Christianity as a symptom of decay.” Albert Speer reports a similar statement: “You see, it’s been our misfortune to have the wrong religion. Why didn’t we have the religion of the Japanese, who regard sacrifice for the Fatherland as the highest good? The Mohammedan religion too would have been much more compatible to us than Christianity. Why did it have to be Christianity with its meekness and flabbiness?[12] ..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler#Hitler.27s_religious_beliefs
2006-06-14 05:45:20
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answer #7
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answered by eigelhorn 4
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Yes, I know. I also know, he has Jewish roots, too!
Quotes from Hitler:
"I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord.."
"A few days ago I was in Eisenach and stood on top of the Wartburg, where a great German once translated the Bible."
2006-06-14 05:59:37
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answer #8
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answered by abcd 2
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PUHLEEZE!
Suppose for a moment I was divinely inspired and every single human being on Earth believed that with all their might. Suppose further that I had a miraculous gift, ie, that every word I spoke was heard by everyone in their own mother tongue no matter what language I actually spoke. Then suppose I got on the biggest radio, tv network ever and said the following (Remember, you believe every word I say to be the absolute truth and you understand every word no matter what language you speak):
Tomorrow morning the sun will rise in the West. I want each of you hearing my voice to go out of doors before dawn, to remove all your garments, to face the rising sun and to give thanks to God Who makes this miracle.
So you all do as I've said. And the sun comes up. Now which pair of cheeks is gonna get sunburned first?
Saying it's something, don't make it so. Calling Hitler a Christian don't make him one. It merely means that he was raised in that faith. He certainly neither believed it nor practiced it. What his words DO acually do is make it quite obvious that he, like so many other charismatic tyrannical types, interpreted a faith and its holy writings the way HE decided they should be interpreted, ie for HIS benefit and to give credence and authority to HIS actions.
2006-06-14 05:58:13
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answer #9
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answered by Anonymous
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Hitler was Religious NOT a Christian.No where can I find that Jesus taught his disciples to kill
in cold blooded murder.There has been many horrible things done in the name of Religion
look at the crusades when the RCC ruled.
Now look what the Islamic Religion is doing in
the name of Religion.
In Christ in Love,
TJ57
2006-06-14 05:54:54
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answer #10
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answered by TJ 57 4
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Hitler will have to stand before God on Judgement Day and answer for what he has done. It is not uncommon for Christians, atheists, Pagans, Muslims, or anyone to take the words of any well known religious document and twist them in order to appease their will. All of the Bible can be centered and summed up in one word if you look hard enough. Love. For God so loved the world. Love the Lord your God. Love your neighbor. The Bible in one word is love. This is not something Hitler emulated and for his crimes he will pay.
2006-06-14 05:51:46
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answer #11
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answered by Anonymous
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