Martin Luther - Anti-Semite

Like many of the facts about religion and its false claims, the British public has to wait until a lone vicar chooses to expose them. Atheists and Secularists have long been ignored when they have argued that anti-Semitism and religious attitudes to 'others' - those outside 'the fold' of the 'chosen people' - are a major source of conflict and violence in human society. They explain how easy it is for tyrants and dictators to thrive in supposedly 'god fearing' countries and how their doctrines far from creating peaceful co-existence and harmony fuel conflict, fear of outsiders,  and racism.

Their role in political conflict and tyranny

How 'unbelievable' it is that 'good people' can commit atrocities such as those perpetrated Europe in the last century.  How could the  holocaust happen? How can one explain  the many horrendous events that have been committed throughout history, from the wars and inquisitions in Europe, the pogroms, massacres and genocide. conquests and crusades, and the ruthless suppression, violence, torture and killing of one group of believers, by another and non-believers by both. How can tyrannical dictators rise to power without the connivance of those around them, the ripples spreading through largely compliant populations?

Taking the responsibility

Followers and supporters of the religions will find it uncomfortable to hear  us say that that one of the major causes is the very superstition and religions they support. That is not us they will say. That is 'the others',  "Anyone can use religion for their evil purposes" but they cannot divorce themselves from what their religions teach and do politically. "It is not us, but the fanatics, the extremists". And in one sense one can understand. But the extremists and fanatics and the political activities of the religious hierarchies are built upon the shoulders of the millions of passive supporters.

Divisiveness and Sectarianism

It is not just their divisiveness and sectarianism, that causes and exacerbates conflict and prevents evidence based conflict resolution. Many if not most conflicts are caused by political and economic problems frequently over natural resources and power struggles by elites. They demand negotiated political solutions, but when the protagonists are divided along religious grounds there is precious little room for negotiation. The religions do not have the flexibility to compromise, their dogmas are all, and what their scriptures and their clerics say goes.

Collusion with Oppressive Regimes

Specifically the organised religions collude with other elites to their mutual benefit, and they are particularly drawn to other authoritarian, right wing regimes with whom they have a lot in common. They both thrive on fear - by subverting people's confidence keeping the one step away from disaster, be it destitution or hell fire and damnation - unless of course they comply and join the faithful. They use social exclusion, fear of social isolation and encourage dependency, they suppress criticism and opposition by punishment and censorship. This undermining of people's security is particularly useful to fuel  the  tactics that further divide people prejudice, discrimination and scapegoating.

The teaching of obedience and compliance

They promote the myths of god's 'chosen people'. They Condition people to accept the 'value' of absolute obedience to some superior being, god - priest - senior officer - or political tyrant.

This is the history of every tyrant one  can name. The development of critical faculty is an anathema any form of political or religious authoritarianism.

The Irony of black racism

Martin Luther King Snr.. might have been unaware of the anti-Semitic views of his Christian hero? But it is ironic that his son who did so much to free African Americans from the subjugation of white supremacists, should be named after a white European anti-semite. there seems to be an unbelievably strong and very dangerous strain of black, evangelical, Christian anti-Semitism, even among black US politicians, as well as the better known 'Nation of Islam' & its leader Louis Farrakhan.

This is despite, according to American research, Black people are three to four times more likely than non-blacks to be anti-Semitic, they showed less racism toward blacks than any other group; and unlike any other group in America, as they become better off, they do not defect to the "pro-wealthy" Republicans, but maintain their support the "pro-minority" Democratic Party with its more compassionate attitudes and policies. They are more supportive of public services and welfare programmes for groups in which Black people predominate.

Christian and Muslim anti-Semitism *is* *traditional*, but much of its modern expression is being fueled by, and hides behind, US support for Israel against Palestine. This shows how dangerous is the combination of religion and politics.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=27378

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/anti-semitism/Luther_on_Jews.html

http://www.nobeliefs.com/luther.htm

For more information Google Martin Luther Anti-Semitic?