K
I've been reading a lot of church history lately.I had learned years ago about Martin Luthers anti-Semitic views.Down through the years both Catholic and Protestant alike have been guilty of persecuting the Jews.It still goes on today in some circles.The teaching of the Replacement Theology did much to spur on antisemitism.The idea that the church has replaced the Jews as Gods chosen people.Both the Catholic and Protestant churches have since renounced this belief.
I dont want to offend anyone,I realize we all attend different churches.But we have a history that we must face and repent of.Jews were persecuted long before Hitler began.The horror of that is it is the Christians {not all} that gave Hitler at least the idea of separating the Jews in society.The Catholic church gave the yellow star of David to Jews to wear long before Hitler did.Both Catholic and Protestants blamed the Jews for deicide.The persecution of the Jews began in earnest when the replacement theology began to be preached. Jews were blamed for poising wells,child sacrifice, blood libels.
The belief that the Jews killed Christ and lost their place in Gods favor with the church replacing them led to antisemitism that led straight to the door of the concentration camps. When an atheist would say to me "Hitler was a Christian,Christians were responsible for the Holocaust" I would vehemently deny it.Now it seems I must apologize at least in part.At the beginning of Hitlers rise and persecution of the Jews like during Kristallnacht polls said 95 % of Germans considered themselves Christians.That is appalling to me!! I know,I know many people stood against Hitler,but not enough.Not nearly enough.Had the churches been teaching Gods chosen people were the Jews would the church have stood more firmly against Hitler and his madness? I wonder.
I still hear the replacement theology from time to time and it angers me so.A friend at my husbands work says "why are the Jews so important?" He proclaims to be a Christian.So why are we afraid to speak of our past? Its no wonder Jews dont trust Christians.But Christians certainly should be supporting the Jews and Israel.They are and always have been Gods chosen people.So,can we talk about it?
[h=1][/h]
I dont want to offend anyone,I realize we all attend different churches.But we have a history that we must face and repent of.Jews were persecuted long before Hitler began.The horror of that is it is the Christians {not all} that gave Hitler at least the idea of separating the Jews in society.The Catholic church gave the yellow star of David to Jews to wear long before Hitler did.Both Catholic and Protestants blamed the Jews for deicide.The persecution of the Jews began in earnest when the replacement theology began to be preached. Jews were blamed for poising wells,child sacrifice, blood libels.
The belief that the Jews killed Christ and lost their place in Gods favor with the church replacing them led to antisemitism that led straight to the door of the concentration camps. When an atheist would say to me "Hitler was a Christian,Christians were responsible for the Holocaust" I would vehemently deny it.Now it seems I must apologize at least in part.At the beginning of Hitlers rise and persecution of the Jews like during Kristallnacht polls said 95 % of Germans considered themselves Christians.That is appalling to me!! I know,I know many people stood against Hitler,but not enough.Not nearly enough.Had the churches been teaching Gods chosen people were the Jews would the church have stood more firmly against Hitler and his madness? I wonder.
I still hear the replacement theology from time to time and it angers me so.A friend at my husbands work says "why are the Jews so important?" He proclaims to be a Christian.So why are we afraid to speak of our past? Its no wonder Jews dont trust Christians.But Christians certainly should be supporting the Jews and Israel.They are and always have been Gods chosen people.So,can we talk about it?
[h=1][/h]