Posted by Anthony on March 29, 2009
Every now and then I read something that really get on my nerves even though nothing any more surprises me. Recently I came across a man named Jacob M. Appel and his stomach turning positions. Now, as I mentioned, it doesn’t really surprise me. However, I think it may be a surprise to some folks… I here think of some atheist friends who laugh away my assertions that there are certain aspects of atheism and secular humanism that logically, if not inevitably, degenerate into certain positions and attitudes. However, I am also thinking of some fellow Christians who think you are a fundamentalist prig if you make abortion your ‘one issue.’ Here are some that I think might fit the bill. These folks may be surprised at what Mr. Appel has to say, too.
Have I mentioned that it doesn’t surprise me? Why should it? Abortion on demand is just an extension of a certain viewpoint which reduces all value and meaning to the individual human or the ‘collective judgement’ of the human society. If you compromise on abortion I wonder what principle you invoke to prevent it from descending willy nilly into bestiality, euthanasia, infanticide, human cloning, and worse. I am speaking here to the ‘moderate’ Christians and secular humanists who wouldn’t dream of endorsing such things. What we have to ask of your viewpoint is what non-arbitrary principled line of demarcation exists to keep your ‘moderate’ views on abortion and embryonic stem cell research (to name two related examples) from morphing into that which you abhor. Read the rest of the entry… »
Posted by Anthony on March 2, 2009
- Hitler, the Holocaust, and the Bible: A Scriptural Analysis of Anti-Semitism, National Socialism, and the Churches in Nazi Germany
- Author: Joe Keysor
- Release Date: Hitler’s Birthday, April 20th, 2009.
- ISBN: 978-9822776-0-7
- Pages: 404
- Amazon Link: Buy on Amazon
- Order from Publisher: Click Here
- Webpage: http://hitlerandchristianity.com/
Full Disclosure: it is my ministry’s publishing company that is releasing this book.
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Due out on Hitler’s birthday (April 20th, 2009), Joe Keysor’s book, Hitler, the Holocaust, and the Bible: A Scriptural Analysis of Anti-Semitism, National Socialism, and the Churches in Nazi Germany is an important book counteracting the growing clamor that Christianity was the driving ideology behind Hitler, the Nazis, and the Holocaust. It is very important- for obvious reasons- for secular humanists and atheists to show that brutal tyrants were not operating on their principles but rather on Christian principles. In some cases such as Mao and Pol Pot the operation cannot even be attempted. In others, such as Lenin and Stalin, more headway is made. In Hitler, secularists consider the matter a slam dunk. |
The problem, of course, is that facts actually matter and the actual facts tell a different story. Beliefs have consequences and religion has often brought about some nasty ones but the historical realities are what they are. Unfortunately, one cannot count on people to know the facts, nor educators to provide them. For this reason among many, Mr. Keysor’s book is invaluable.
Mr. Keysor addresses the charges head on with some common sense tactics. For example, if the New Testament lays out a mindset and body of beliefs that utterly contradict what Hitler did, who is really fooled by Hitler’s words employing Christian words? Some people are fooled but it would appear that either they want to be fooled, are unaware of what the New Testament actually says, are unaware of what Hitler did, or unaware of Hitler’s true influences.
That is where Mr. Keysor’s work really shines. Extensively researched with an immense bibliography to boast, Mr. Keysor’s book exhaustively mines the writings that Hitler himself cited as influential (if anyone care’s about Hitler as an authoritative source on the matter, of course) and writings that perhaps were not expressly cited but clearly reflected in Hitler’s ideology.
Mr. Keysor astutely observes, “Odd, that for so many people the 16th century and the 1st century had so much to do with the Holocaust, and the 19th century had nothing to do with it.” (pg 70)
This completely jibes with my assessment of the situation, too. Secularists are quick to identify seeds of anti-semitism (alleged and actual) in the New Testament and in certain figures such as Martin Luther, though these preceded Hitler by more than 300 years. In the meantime, in the 18th and 19th centuries Germany was churning out anti-semite after anti-semite. Mr. Keysor documents this and traces the influence of men like Wagner, Chamberlain, Haeckel, and Nietzsche (to name a few) on the German people and, in time, Hitler himself.
Even if you disagree with some of the conclusions and statements in the book the most important ones are incontrovertible and are backed up with thorough citation and argumentation. In fact, if only for the extensive bibliography and the 11 page index, Hitler, the Holocaust, and the Bible will serve as a useful research tool. Christians encountering the charge that their Christian faith led to the Holocaust will have ample ammunition for countering the charge and plenty of research options for expanding on Keysor’s own work. It is a treasure trove of resources and information.
Naturally, atheists, secular humanists, and even the ‘New Atheists,’ if they are interested in truth, will find Keysor’s arguments difficult to overturn. If they wish to continue to argue that Hitler was a Christian they will have to react to a number of embarrassing facts.
Hitler, the Holocaust, and the Bible ought to be on every pastor’s shelf, included in college libraries (especially Christian institution of higher education), and every Christian apologist’s library.
Hitler, the Holocaust, and the Bible is available for pre-order and will be available on sites such as Amazon.com in short order. The website is www.hitlerandchristianity.com
