Comments on A Wonderful Life - Without ReligionTypePad2011-12-24T18:47:03ZSkepticohttps://skeptico.blogs.com/skeptico/tag:typepad.com,2003:https://skeptico.blogs.com/skeptico/2011/12/a-wonderful-life-without-religion/comments/atom.xml/Aquaria commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e201676094ebff970b2012-01-15T20:10:56Z2012-01-15T20:10:56ZAquariaHitler also believed the legends about the Cathars having the Holy Grail, and searched for it extensively in the Languedoc...<p>Hitler also believed the legends about the Cathars having the Holy Grail, and searched for it extensively in the Languedoc region.</p>
<p>Speaking of the Cathars, Hitler borrowed his yellow patches for Jews from the Catholic church, which used them in the 13th and 14 century (albeit in the shape of a cross rather than the Star of David) for publicly mark Cathar "heretics".</p>
<p>Further, what Hitler the christard scumbag actually said about the slacker emo deity:</p>
<p><a href="http://nobeliefs.com/speeches.htm" rel="nofollow">http://nobeliefs.com/speeches.htm</a></p>
<p>Worse, Hitler may have had the policy of eradicating the Jews (something Luther and the church had been promoting for centuries), but he didn't carry out a single murder of the Jews himself.</p>
<p>Instead, he relied about tens of thousands of German christers to do it for him. And they willingly helped.</p>
<p>Christardery murdered the Jews. Everything about it was rooted in that despicable mythology.</p>
<p>Deal with it, Pat.</p>ellen commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e20167606d6a8b970b2012-01-12T23:22:39Z2012-01-12T23:22:39ZellenThis story gives me a potent reminder of why I don't rely on the US mainstream media for news these...<p>This story gives me a potent reminder of why I don't rely on the US mainstream media for news these days. </p>
<p>The same old reactionary "three cheers for the American Way/Jebus/Xtianity (which are actually, according to them, all one and the same thing anyway)"...</p>
<p>I much prefer to get my daily dose of world events from my local MHz/Worldview outlet, where there's some actual intent in presenting news as an objective collation of data and facts as opposed to an exercise in brainwashing the populace with propaganda, stupid 'opinion peices presented as fact'--as in the instance noted above--and mindless 'infotainment' fluff that doesn't inform (and very rarely even does much of a job at being entertaining).</p>
<p>IOW, the same old blowhard, paternalistic status-quo-propping pap that The Big Three and cable have been feeding Americans for years.</p>gmcevoy commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e201676066b494970b2012-01-12T12:14:15Z2012-01-12T12:14:15Zgmcevoyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spear_of_Destiny_%28video_game%29 BJ Blazkowicz liberated the Spear from the Nazis who took it from Versailles<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spear_of_Destiny_%28video_game%29" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spear_of_Destiny_%28video_game%29</a></p>
<p>BJ Blazkowicz liberated the Spear from the Nazis who took it from Versailles</p>King of Ferrets commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e20168e553b208970c2012-01-11T02:47:59Z2012-01-11T02:47:59ZKing of FerretsI have heard some stuff about the spear. It seems the Nazis did seize that purported spear, though I have...<p>I have heard some stuff about the spear. It seems the Nazis did seize that purported spear, though I have no idea they he actually looked for it or if the Nazis just went "ooo, treasure/relics" and dragged it back with them...</p>Yakaru commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e20167604f50ee970b2012-01-10T20:33:40Z2012-01-10T20:33:40ZYakaruhttp://spiritualityisnoexcuse.wordpress.com/KoF, google "spear of destiny" or "spear of Longinus" - maybe that's what you've heard about. It was a holy...<p>KoF, google "spear of destiny" or "spear of Longinus" - maybe that's what you've heard about. It was a holy relic held by the Hapsburg monarchy. It was the spear which the Roman soldier Longinus used to pierce the side of Christ while he was on the cross. Hitler seized it after the Anschluss, and later the Americans. It really exists, and is every bit as authentic as the Shroud of Turin or the Singing Spam of Santa Christobello*.</p>
<p>*h/t Alexei Sayle</p>Bronze Dog commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e20167604e0d9e970b2012-01-10T18:29:32Z2012-01-10T18:29:32ZBronze Doghttp://rockstarramblings.blogspot.com/I'll defer to someone better versed in Nazi history, but everything I've read about Hitler certainly suggests to me that...<p>I'll defer to someone better versed in Nazi history, but everything I've read about Hitler certainly suggests to me that he was exactly the sort of person to hunt down things like that for their supernatural powers as well as for propaganda purposes. He did identify himself as Catholic, and a lot of them really love those alleged relics.</p>
<p>I do like how story writers have had fun with the idea of Nazis searching for magical relics, though. If they had a real history of doing it, that would make it even cooler.</p>King of Ferrets commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e20168e547f027970c2012-01-10T07:00:28Z2012-01-10T07:00:28ZKing of FerretsHm. Curious about something. The thing JOE mentioned. I'm under the impression that Hitler hunting religious artifacts is something that's...<p>Hm. Curious about something.</p>
<p>The thing JOE mentioned. I'm under the impression that Hitler hunting religious artifacts is something that's been featured in media (specifically Indiana Jones, though I've seen a couple other things mention the idea) but was entirely fictional. Am I wrong about that?</p>
<p>(Not going to bother with Pat, everyone else has said everything that needs to be said.)</p>TechSkeptic commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e201675feab923970b2012-01-03T21:07:08Z2012-01-03T21:07:08ZTechSkeptichttp://profile.typepad.com/6p01053614d1f8970bI've been reading a LOT of roman history recently. Its interesting to note that the decline of the roman empire...<p>I've been reading a LOT of roman history recently. Its interesting to note that the decline of the roman empire coincided with the rise of christianity. Shortly after the first roman emporer declared himself a christian, the empire split in two and never returned, it in fact went down hill from there.</p>
<p>to be clear, LOTS of people point at different events in the history of rome as the point where the decline started. But an actual split didnt happen until just after constantine the great.</p>Yakaru commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e20162fe9a77d7970d2011-12-28T23:23:15Z2011-12-28T23:23:15ZYakaruhttp://spiritualityisnoexcuse.wordpress.com/Here's a short clip of Christopher Hitchens on the link between Catholicism and fascism. He mentions that Hitler never left...<p>Here's a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRBrjt7z5Cw&feature=related" rel="nofollow">short clip of Christopher Hitchens</a> on the link between Catholicism and fascism. He mentions that Hitler never left the church and that right up until his death the Vatican ordered prayers to be said for him on his birthday. </p>
<p>Also interesting is the information that Goebbels was in fact ex-communicated for doing something which the church obviously found far more repulsive than anything else the man ever did: he married a protestant.</p>
<p>Moral superiority indeed.</p>Yojimbo commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e20162fe893aa4970d2011-12-27T18:34:45Z2011-12-27T18:34:45ZYojimboPat also seems to believe that there is some line of critical reasoning that leads one to embracing Christianity. I'd...<p>Pat also seems to believe that there is some line of critical reasoning that leads one to embracing Christianity. I'd like to hear what that might be.</p>Bronze Dog commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e201675f6c811c970b2011-12-26T19:28:00Z2011-12-26T19:28:00ZBronze Doghttp://rockstarramblings.blogspot.com/Hitler was most certainly a theist and specifically a Creationist. He made a big deal about doing God's will by...<p><a href="http://coelsblog.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/nazi-racial-ideology-was-religious-creationist-and-opposed-to-darwinism/" rel="nofollow">Hitler was most certainly a theist and specifically a Creationist.</a> He made a big deal about doing God's will by trying to reclaim Aryan "purity." His racial ideology was fundamentally founded on Creationism and the idea of <b>un</b>common descent.</p>
<p>If you want to convince anyone here that Hitler wasn't a Christian, you'll need to present damn good evidence, not smug assertions.</p>JOE commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e20162fe748f74970d2011-12-26T14:37:23Z2011-12-26T14:37:23ZJOE@ Pat,Hiltler was a roman catholic and invoked god into many of his speeches,and spend a lot of money looking...<p> @ Pat,Hiltler was a roman catholic and invoked god into many of his speeches,and spend a lot of money looking for religious relics(spear of destiny,ark of the covenet ,and so on)because it would give some kind of magical power from Christ/god. Hitler also believed that the arian race was gods true chosen people<br />
</p>Yakaru commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e201675f683559970b2011-12-26T13:16:30Z2011-12-26T13:16:30ZYakaruhttp://spiritualityisnoexcuse.wordpress.com/Pat, Hitler was raised a Catholic and never left the church. That might seem insignificant, but here in Germany, it...<p>Pat, </p>
<p>Hitler was raised a Catholic and never left the church. That might seem insignificant, but here in Germany, it isn't. Leaving the church is a clearly defined act, and until one does it one is considered to be a member of the church one was born into.</p>
<p>This might sound trivial to those who are unfamiliar with the system here, but it is no small matter. The tax office collects a “church tax” of 5%, and has done so since the end of the 19th century. Just to give an idea of how firmly entrenched and accepted is, about 10 billion Euros was collected by the tax office for both the Catholic and Protestant churches last year.</p>
<p>Those who are born into a family that's a member of a church automatically starts paying this tax with their first tax payment. To stop paying it one must officially <i>leave the church</i>, which means going through a specific and highly regulated bureaucratic procedure. This often causes deep conflicts within families. It's a very deliberate conscious act which requires quite some determination to go through with. (There's even a special word for it – <i>Kirchenaustritt</i>.)</p>
<p>The tax itself still hadn't been introduced when Hitler was born, but it was included in the Concordance that Hitler signed with the Catholic Church in 1933. So according to the values which Hitler helped to anchor as part of German culture – values strong and traditional enough to still survive today – Hitler was not just a Christian, he was born a catholic and remained a catholic.</p>
<p>Furthermore, whatever one wants to speculate about his private beliefs, be was certainly comfortable with appearing to be a Christian either. This link shows some pictures from a church near where I live in Berlin-</p>
<p><a href="http://spiritualityisnoexcuse.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/papal-bull/" rel="nofollow">http://spiritualityisnoexcuse.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/papal-bull/</a></p>
<p>- including images of a Nazi soldier depicted – I apologize if you find this upsetting – walking as a disciple with Jesus, and Hitler carved into a baptismal altar. There are also pictures of Hitler solemnly leaving church, among other things.</p>
<p>As far as I can see, according to the values of his time, Hitler was a Christian. It would probably make more sense to argue that he wasn't really a Nazi than to argue he wasn't a Christian.</p>
<p>Of course plenty of other groups who should have known better supported Hitler, including the Nobel Peace Prize committee, but the point is the church claims moral superiority over others, yet happily signed the Konkordat with Hitler. That's a matter of record, and one which is more damning than any possible doubts about Hitler's private beliefs.</p>Pat commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e20162fe6ea8f5970d2011-12-26T04:14:07Z2011-12-26T04:14:07ZPatI find it funny that the site promotes critical thinking and promotes Hitler was a Christian. Jack Handey had deeper...<p>I find it funny that the site promotes critical thinking and promotes Hitler was a Christian. Jack Handey had deeper thoughts. </p>Michael commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e2015438eab1b9970c2011-12-25T23:32:08Z2011-12-25T23:32:08ZMichaelhttp://avoiceinthewilderness-mcc1789.blogspot.comI think if that "one man hadn't been born" (Jesus, sitting aside the question of historical existence) and Christianity never...<p>I think if that "one man hadn't been born" (Jesus, sitting aside the question of historical existence) and Christianity never arose, the world, might, in fact, be much better. It can never be known for sure, of course, but Greek philosophy had far more rationalism and skepticism. There were even signs at various points of Rome and Greece being on the verge of an industrial revolution centuries before it happened. Carl Sagan once said that humanity might have colonized space by now were it not for the regress of the Christian Dark Ages. I do not know, and perhaps it was an unavoidable result of the specific cultural development of the era. It still does seem, however, that we might have been a better world absent the dominance of Christianity, and indeed the Abrahamaic religions in general. </p>Leyrue commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e20162fe69f416970d2011-12-25T20:57:12Z2011-12-25T20:57:12ZLeyrueOK, Bob, I've been staring at your comment for a bit and I have to know- are you just trolling/kidding...<p>OK, Bob, I've been staring at your comment for a bit and I have to know- are you just trolling/kidding around, or are you really that dense? Seriously, please let me know. I'm fairly confused right now, that's like saying I'm not an American because I'm from Kentucky.</p>Bob commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e2015438e6f9de970c2011-12-25T18:21:15Z2011-12-25T18:21:15ZBobHitler wasn't a Christian, rather a Roman Catholic. Citation : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler's_religious_views<p>Hitler wasn't a Christian, rather a Roman Catholic.</p>
<p>Citation : <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler's_religious_views" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler's_religious_views</a></p>Steve Phelps commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e20162fe681245970d2011-12-25T18:05:33Z2011-12-25T18:05:33ZSteve PhelpsYou said, "Pottersville doesn’t even show us what life would be like without religion, it just shows what life would...<p>You said, "Pottersville doesn’t even show us what life would be like without religion, it just shows what life would have been like if just one man hadn’t been born. "</p>
<p>Perhaps that was his point. Maybe you just missed who that "one man" was... Jesus. </p>Pat commented on 'A Wonderful Life - Without Religion'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d83451df0c69e2015438dd4fbe970c2011-12-25T04:19:57Z2011-12-25T04:19:57ZPatI was shocked by CNN putting the opinion piece as the main story too. But that was because nothing good...<p>I was shocked by CNN putting the opinion piece as the main story too. But that was because nothing good is ever posted on CNN about Christianity.</p>
<p>It appears of your critique of the article that you are not a Christian. Please reconsider your position because this irrational world needs critical thinking. </p>