Preface
As we move beyond the five-hundred-year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, it is worth examining the legacy of its founder. Martin Luther is often celebrated as a hero of Scripture and conscience, yet his own writings reveal a man whose theology was unstable, whose rhetoric was violent, and whose views were often shockingly irreverent.
This article presents 38 of Luther’s most troubling statements, each followed by brief historical context. These quotes are taken directly from Luther’s own works, sermons, letters, and Table Talk, and they show the real theological and moral foundations of early Protestantism.
SECTION 1 — Luther on God and Christ
1. “I look upon God no better than a scoundrel.”
Weimar, Vol. 1, Pg. 487. Cf. Table Talk, No. 963.
Context: This remark comes from Luther’s Table Talk, recorded informally by students. It reflects his spiritual despair and his belief that God predestines some to damnation. Even Lutheran scholars acknowledge that Luther often spoke of God in shocking, irreverent terms during these periods.
2. “Christ committed adultery first of all with the women at the well about whom St. John tells us. Was not everybody about Him saying: ‘Whatever has He been doing with her?’ Secondly, with Mary Magdalen, and thirdly with the woman taken in adultery whom He dismissed so lightly. Thus even Christ who was so righteous must have been guilty of fornication before He died.”
Trishreden, Weimer Edition, Vol. 2, Pg. 107.
Context: This is one of Luther’s most blasphemous statements. He said it during a polemical tirade against clerical celibacy. No Protestant scholar defends this quote. It is universally condemned as grotesque and deeply inconsistent with Scripture.
3. “I have greater confidence in my wife and my pupils than I have in Christ.”
Table Talk, 2397b.
Context: Another Table Talk remark. It reveals Luther’s tendency to elevate subjective experience over objective faith and his growing distrust of traditional Christology.
4. “It does not matter how Christ behaved – what He taught is all that matters.”
Erlangen Vol. 29, Pg. 126.
Context: Here Luther separates Christ’s moral example from His teaching. This anticipates later Protestant liberalism and contradicts centuries of Christian moral theology.
SECTION 2 — Luther on the Moral Law and Good Works
5. “[The commandments] only purpose is to show man his impotence to do good and to teach him to despair of himself.”
Denifle, vol. III, p. 364.
Context: Luther’s doctrine of total depravity led him to view the Law as purely condemnatory. This is the root of the Protestant rejection of the Catholic understanding of cooperation with grace.
6. “We must remove the Decalogue out of sight and heart.”
De Wette 4, 188.
Context: Luther believed the Law had no role in the Christian life except to accuse. Even Protestant scholars cite this as an example of his antinomian tendencies.
7. “If we allow them – the Commandments – any influence in our conscience, they become the cloak of all evil, heresies and blasphemies.”
Comm. ad Galat, p. 310.
Context: Luther feared that moral effort would lead to pride. His solution was to minimize the role of the Commandments in Christian conscience.
8. “It is more important to guard against good works than against sin.”
Trischreden, Wittenberg Edition, Vol. VI., p. 160.
Context: This reflects Luther’s belief that good works are spiritually dangerous because they tempt a person to trust in themselves rather than in Christ.
9. “Good works are bad and are sin like the rest.”
Denifle, vol. III, pg. 47.
Context: Luther’s doctrine of the sinfulness of all works was a radical departure from Christian tradition. Catholic theologians immediately condemned this as heresy.
10. “There is no scandal greater, more dangerous, more venomous, than a good outward life, manifested by good works and a pious mode of life. That is the grand portal, the highway that leads to damnation.”
Denifle, vol. II, pg. 128.
Context: Luther feared that visible holiness would lead to pride. This reveals the psychological roots of his theology.
SECTION 3 — Luther on Free Will and Human Nature
11. “…with regard to God, and in all that bears on salvation or damnation, (man) has no ‘free-will’, but is a captive, prisoner and bond slave, either to the will of God, or to the will of Satan.”
Bondage of the Will, ed. Dillenberger, p. 190.
Context: Luther’s debate with Erasmus produced one of his most extreme works. He denied free will entirely, a position rejected by every Church Father before him.
12. “Man is like a horse. Does God leap into the saddle? The horse is obedient… Does God throw down the reins? Then Satan leaps upon the back… Therefore, necessity, not free will, is the controlling principle of our conduct.”
De Servo Arbitrio; quoted in O’Hare, pp. 266–267.
Context: This analogy is foundational to Calvinism. Luther believed humans have no agency in salvation or damnation.
13. “His (Judas) will was the work of God; God by His almighty power moved his will as He does all that is in this world.”
De Servo Arbitrio.
Context: Luther attributes Judas’ betrayal to God’s direct action. This is one of the most troubling implications of his theology.
14. “No good work happens as the result of one’s own wisdom; but everything must happen in a stupor… Reason must be left behind for it is the enemy of faith.”
Trischreden, Weimer VI, 143.
Context: Luther frequently attacked reason, calling it “the Devil’s whore.” This anti-intellectualism shaped later Protestant fundamentalism.
SECTION 4 — Luther on Christian Living and Conscience
15. “Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong… No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day.”
Letter No. 99, 1 Aug. 1521.
Context: This is Luther’s most infamous quote. He was encouraging Melanchthon to trust in justification by faith alone, but the language is reckless and has been used to justify antinomianism for centuries.
16. “Do not ask anything of your conscience… if necessary, commit some good big sin… Conscience is the voice of Satan.”
Dollinger, vol. III, pg. 248.
Context: Luther often distrusted conscience because it accused him. This reflects his lifelong spiritual scrupulosity.
SECTION 5 — Luther on Heresy, Violence, and Civil Authority
17. “If some were to teach doctrines contradicting an article of faith… such teachers should not be tolerated, but punished as blasphemers.”
Luther’s Works, Vol. 13, 61–62.
Context: Luther supported the death penalty for theological dissent. This contradicts the modern Protestant narrative of “freedom of conscience.”
18. “The stubborn sectaries must be put to death.”
Janssen, Vol. X, 222–223.
Context: Luther endorsed the execution of Anabaptists for rejecting infant baptism and forming independent congregations.
19. “Peasants are no better than straw… they must be compelled to hear the crack of the whip.”
Erlangen Vol 24, Pg. 294.
Context: During the Peasants’ War, Luther sided with the princes. His rhetoric contributed to the slaughter of over 100,000 peasants.
20. “To kill a peasant is not murder; it is helping to extinguish the conflagration… stab, strangle, and kill them like mad dogs.”
Erlangen Vol 24, Pg. 294.
Context: This statement was used by German nobles to justify brutal crackdowns on revolting peasants.
21. “Like the drivers of donkeys… rulers must drive, beat, throttle, hang, burn, behead and torture, so as to make themselves feared.”
Erlangen Vol 15, Pg. 276.
Context: Luther believed strong authoritarian rule was necessary to maintain order. His political theology influenced later German authoritarianism.
SECTION 6 — Luther on the Jews
22. “My advice… is: First, that their synagogues be burned down… toss sulphur and pitch… throw in some hellfire.”
On the Jews and Their Lies.
Context: Luther’s late-life antisemitic writings were used by Nazi propagandists in the 1930s. Historians universally condemn this work.
23. “All their books… be taken from them, not leaving them one leaf.”
On the Jews and Their Lies.
Context: Luther advocated banning Jewish worship and confiscating Jewish religious texts.
24. “They be forbidden on pain of death to praise God, to give thanks, to pray, and to teach publicly among us.”
On the Jews and Their Lies.
Context: Luther wanted to criminalize Jewish prayer. This contradicts basic Christian teaching on religious freedom.
25. “Drive them away like mad dogs.”
O’Hare, The Facts About Luther, p. 290.
Context: This reflects Luther’s disappointment that Jews did not convert to his version of Christianity.
26. “If I had to baptize a Jew, I would take him to the bridge of the Elbe, hang a stone round his neck and push him over.”
Grisar, Vol. V. pg. 413.
Context: This statement is often cited as evidence of Luther’s violent antisemitism.
27. “The Jews deserve to be hanged on gallows seven times higher than ordinary thieves.”
Weimar, Vol. 53, Pg. 502.
Context: This quote is frequently referenced in discussions of Luther’s influence on German antisemitism.
SECTION 7 — Luther on Marriage, Sexuality, and Women
28. “If the husband is unwilling, there is another who is; if the wife is unwilling, then let the maid come.”
Of Married Life.
Context: Luther’s marriage ethics were shaped by his belief that concupiscence is unconquerable.
29. “Suppose I should counsel the wife of an impotent man… to give herself to another… Is such a woman in a saved state? I answer, certainly.”
On Marriage.
Context: Luther endorsed forms of marital arrangement that contradict Christian teaching on fidelity.
30. “It is not in opposition to the Holy Scriptures for a man to have several wives.”
De Wette, Vol. 2, p. 459.
Context: Luther defended polygamy in certain cases, including the bigamous marriage of Philip of Hesse.
31. “The word and work of God is quite clear, viz., that women are made to be either wives or prostitutes.”
On Married Life.
Context: This reflects Luther’s low view of women and sexuality.
32. “In spite of all the good I say of married life… no conjugal due is ever rendered without sin… The matrimonial duty is never performed without sin.”
Weimar, Vol 8. Pg. 654.
Context: Luther believed sexual desire itself was sinful, even within marriage.
33. “To marry is a remedy for fornication… The body asks for a woman and must have it.”
Grisar, Vol. IV, pg. 145.
Context: Luther saw marriage primarily as an outlet for uncontrollable lust.
SECTION 8 — Luther on Truth, Humility, and Scripture
34. “What harm could it do if a man told a good lusty lie in a worthy cause and for the sake of the Christian Churches?”
Lenz: Briefwechsel, Vol. 1. Pg. 373.
Context: Luther occasionally justified lying for religious purposes.
35. “To lie in a case of necessity or for convenience or in excuse… such lying would not be against God.”
Lenz: Briefwechsel, Vol. 1. Pg. 375.
Context: This contradicts the Christian moral tradition on truthfulness.
36. “If your Papist annoys you with the word (‘alone’ – Rom. 3:28), tell him straightway, Dr. Martin Luther will have it so: Papist and ass are one and the same thing. Whoever will not have my translation, let him give it the go-by: the devil’s thanks to him who censures it without my will and knowledge. Luther will have it so, and he is a doctor above all the doctors in Popedom.”
Amic. Discussion, 1, 127; cited in O’Hare, p. 201.
Context: Here, Luther defends inserting the word “alone” into Romans 3:28, even though it does not appear in the Greek text. When Catholics objected, he appealed not to scholarship but to his own authority, mocking “Papists” and insisting “Luther will have it so.”
37. “The history of Jonah is so monstrous that it is absolutely incredible.”
O’Hare, The Facts About Luther, p. 202.
Context: Luther rejected several biblical books and narratives that did not align with his theology. His skepticism toward Jonah reflects his willingness to judge Scripture by his own standards.
38. “To my mind it (the book of the Apocalypse) bears upon it no marks of an apostolic or prophetic character… Everyone may form his own judgment of this book; as for myself, I feel an aversion to it, and to me this is sufficient reason for rejecting it.”
Sammtliche Werke, 63, pp. 169–170; cited in O’Hare, p. 203.
Context: Luther rejected Revelation, Jonah, Esther, and James. His dismissal of Revelation shows how freely he felt entitled to reshape the biblical canon.
Conclusion
Martin Luther was not merely a tool being used by the German Nobles to find cause to stop sending their wealth to Rome. He was a man of profound contradictions, violent rhetoric, and theological innovations that fractured Christian unity. His own words reveal his mental and emotional instability, which remains at the root of Protestantism.
Five hundred years later, the fruit of the tree reflects the root.
How to Read Luther Responsibly
- Luther was not a systematic theologian. He contradicted himself frequently and admitted he was driven by emotion.
- Much of his writing was produced during periods of depression, illness, or rage.
- “Table Talk” quotes are not doctrinal, but they reveal his interior worldview.
- Luther’s rhetoric shaped Protestantism more than his biblical exegesis.
- Protestants often claim these quotes are “out of context,” but the context usually makes them worse, not better.
Even though you can find all of these quotes online, this compilation, ever since its publication, has received a lot of attention from our brothers and sisters in the protesting community. I have read all the comments on the blogs and message boards linked to this article, and here are some of their conclusions. (1) The book Table Talk is not a reliable reference for Martin Luther’s work (ONLY TWO quotes above come from Table Talk). (2) There is a problem with translating some of the quotes because some are from German or Latin to French to English rather than from German or Latin to English. (4) Luther’s violent comments against the peasants are to be contextualized in light of the Peasant Revolt in which he sided with the German Princes. (5) Luther’s violent comments against the Jews are to be contextualized in light of his disappointment that they didn’t receive his reformulation of the Gospel. (6) Luther’s comments against Scripture are true. (7) Luther’s comments against monogamous marriage are true (probably). (8) Luther’s violent comments against the Anabaptists are true, (9) Luther’s comments against the Catholic understanding of Freewill are true, and (10) The only writings of Luther that conservative Lutheran pastors are required to subscribe to (because they strictly reflect biblical doctrine) are the Small Catechism, the Large Catechism, and the Smalkald Articles.
Regarding one of the sources of this compilation (Luther, Exposing the Myth), Reformed protester and Martin Luther Apologist James Swan of William Paterson University has written a detailed critique. In crafting this compilation, I considered Swan’s response and ended up not including many of the quotes he had a good case against. In some cases, Swan was spot on, but in other cases, he would have been much better off not trying to contextualize or excuse Luther. In those cases, Swan’s intellectual honesty is betrayed by his passion for Luther.
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Martin Luther the father of Protestantism!
Shocking! Do protestants know about this blasphemous and heretic things he said or wrote?
Shocking! Do protestants know about this blasphemous and heretic things he said or wrote?
Martin Luther the father of Protestantism!
Protestantism is founded by one man's MENTAL ILLNESS above. He is their hero 🙂
Protestantism is founded by one man’s MENTAL ILLNESS above. He is their hero 🙂
My guess is that 99% of Protestants do Not have a Clue at what Luther wrote or did. I would also guess that 90% don't even know what the word "Protestant" means or what they are protesting.
My guess is that 99% of Protestants do Not have a Clue at what Luther wrote or did. I would also guess that 90% don’t even know what the word “Protestant” means or what they are protesting.
It was never Bible Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone. It was LUTHER ALONE.
It was never Bible Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone. It was LUTHER ALONE.
I'd love to repost this, but it could stand a careful proofreading to make it really compelling. The "news" about Luther really does need to get out.
I’d love to repost this, but it could stand a careful proofreading to make it really compelling. The “news” about Luther really does need to get out.
I'm a former Lutheran, and when I found out about the real Luther, I realized the Lutheran Church lied to me about the founder.
I’m a former Lutheran, and when I found out about the real Luther, I realized the Lutheran Church lied to me about the founder.
Now do an articla on all the other nutty things protestants have said since then.
Now do an articla on all the other nutty things protestants have said since then.
Like allow people to have bibles?
now this article has made it clear to me that protestantism is the root of all that is happening in society today: legalization of prostitution and abortion. he promoted lies and the breaking of the ten commandments. he is that one step towards atheism. and i pray that our protestant brothers see this before it's too late. thank you, david! praise God! may He bless you with more wisdom to share.
now this article has made it clear to me that protestantism is the root of all that is happening in society today: legalization of prostitution and abortion. he promoted lies and the breaking of the ten commandments. he is that one step towards atheism. and i pray that our protestant brothers see this before it’s too late. thank you, david! praise God! may He bless you with more wisdom to share.
Great, more like Martin Lucifer!
Thanks for putting this together.
Thanks for putting this together.
Of course, all of these are taken out of context. I could have done the same thing with many a Catholic saint. I am not going to engage in polemics with Roman Catholics because I consider them by brothers and sisters in Christ. Lutheran was a faithful son of the Church who spoke out against some very
bad abuses. In truth, Roman Catholics should be thankful for his witness and his faithfulness. He was not the crackpot heretic you are trying to make him out to be.
Of course, all of these are taken out of context. I could have done the same thing with many a Catholic saint. I am not going to engage in polemics with Roman Catholics because I consider them by brothers and sisters in Christ. Lutheran was a faithful son of the Church who spoke out against some very
bad abuses. In truth, Roman Catholics should be thankful for his witness and his faithfulness. He was not the crackpot heretic you are trying to make him out to be.
What an eye opener! Thanks for writing this.
You may wish to google these other two well written articles:
1. The Lutheran Landslide – Increasing Number of Lutherans are Coming into the Catholic Church by Tim Drake
2. Reformation Day – and What Led Me To Back to Catholicism By Francis J. Beckwith
What an eye opener! Thanks for writing this.
You may wish to google these other two well written articles:
1. The Lutheran Landslide – Increasing Number of Lutherans are Coming into the Catholic Church by Tim Drake
2. Reformation Day – and What Led Me To Back to Catholicism By Francis J. Beckwith
Dear brother, don’t point out the speck in your brother’s eye so you can ignore the plank in your church (Mt 7:3-5).
I already knew some of these statements were true, but who has ever said Martin Luther was perfect? That’s why several progressive stages of reformism were necessary to be able to clean all heresies promoted by the church. Have you consider that your church states your leader makes no mistakes? (yes, even when they imposed torture, wars, extermination of peoples, banned the Bible, and many other worse things than the ones mentioned in this article).
If Luther had some wrong believes, it was because previously he was highly influenced by the catholic theology (in which he was an expert). The church has been obliged to hide its position in many matters because most catholics would not support it if they find out.
Dear brother, don’t point out the speck in your brother’s eye so you can ignore the plank in your church (Mt 7:3-5).
I already knew some of these statements were true, but who has ever said Martin Luther was perfect? That’s why several progressive stages of reformism were necessary to be able to clean all heresies promoted by the church. Have you consider that your church states your leader makes no mistakes? (yes, even when they imposed torture, wars, extermination of peoples, banned the Bible, and many other worse things than the ones mentioned in this article).
If Luther had some wrong believes, it was because previously he was highly influenced by the catholic theology (in which he was an expert). The church has been obliged to hide its position in many matters because most catholics would not support it if they find out.
If anyone wants a small glimpse into the tormented and vulgar heart of "Dr. Martin Luther" should read his magnificent condemnation of the Jews and call for open persecution in his "The Jews and Their Lies" . It was the foundation Nazi anti-Jewish propaganda and Hitlers maniacal and genocidal attack on the Jews. This the man who wanted to eviscerate the bible not only of the deuterocanonical texts of the Old Testament (a full tithe) but also the 4 New Testament Antilegomena books ( James,JUde, Revelation, Hebrews) but his wealthy German Royal sponsors said "NO" as it was too radical a notion even for them. Think about all the Protestant judges who forced Catholics to put their hand on the bible that was eviscerated of a tithe of the truth for Satan then made them swear to "tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth" on that abomination that was purged of the texts that got in the way of Luther's new Christian-Lite invention. The man was living proof that inanity and scrupulosity and hysteria are highly contagious mental disorders that can inflict 100s of millions of otherwise well meaning people. We call these liberals today – the most happy in their status of invincible ignorance.
Luther and the establishment of the church that bears his name (and which not even Luther would today recognize as a practitioner of his brand of neo-Christianity) was Satan's most spectacular successes…
See here On the Jews and Their Lies – shocking excerpts: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Jews_and_Their_Lies
If anyone wants a small glimpse into the tormented and vulgar heart of “Dr. Martin Luther” should read his magnificent condemnation of the Jews and call for open persecution in his “The Jews and Their Lies” . It was the foundation Nazi anti-Jewish propaganda and Hitlers maniacal and genocidal attack on the Jews. This the man who wanted to eviscerate the bible not only of the deuterocanonical texts of the Old Testament (a full tithe) but also the 4 New Testament Antilegomena books ( James,JUde, Revelation, Hebrews) but his wealthy German Royal sponsors said “NO” as it was too radical a notion even for them. Think about all the Protestant judges who forced Catholics to put their hand on the bible that was eviscerated of a tithe of the truth for Satan then made them swear to “tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth” on that abomination that was purged of the texts that got in the way of Luther’s new Christian-Lite invention. The man was living proof that inanity and scrupulosity and hysteria are highly contagious mental disorders that can inflict 100s of millions of otherwise well meaning people. We call these liberals today – the most happy in their status of invincible ignorance.
Luther and the establishment of the church that bears his name (and which not even Luther would today recognize as a practitioner of his brand of neo-Christianity) was Satan’s most spectacular successes…
See here On the Jews and Their Lies – shocking excerpts: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Jews_and_Their_Lies
Frankly, I would suggest that the rancor and misplaced enmity Luther exhibited towards the Jews more than likely had its origins in Roman Catholicism; after all, didn’t the Jews suffer horribly at the hands of”Holy Mother Church” for untold centuries? Speck, meet Beam.
David, I have done the research on these quotes. From a cursory look over what you posted, all but two of the quotes come from the web page, "Luther Exposing the Myth." "Luther, Exposing the Myth" is one of the worst Luther web-pages I’ve ever come across: context, history, and truth don’t seem to be any sort of factor in its analysis of Luther. The hosting website is Catholic Apologetics Information, an Australian Roman Catholic website. Luther, Exposing the Myth appears to have been partially plagiarized from: Verbum the newsletter of St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Ridgefield, CT, Spring 1985.
I've worked through the majority of the quotes, showing their context and historical setting:
http://beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com/p/luther-exposing-myth.html
Catholic Apologetics Information knows of my review, and has never responded. You're welcome also to respond to my analysis.
David, I have done the research on these quotes. From a cursory look over what you posted, all but two of the quotes come from the web page, “Luther Exposing the Myth.” “Luther, Exposing the Myth” is one of the worst Luther web-pages I’ve ever come across: context, history, and truth don’t seem to be any sort of factor in its analysis of Luther. The hosting website is Catholic Apologetics Information, an Australian Roman Catholic website. Luther, Exposing the Myth appears to have been partially plagiarized from: Verbum the newsletter of St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Ridgefield, CT, Spring 1985.
I’ve worked through the majority of the quotes, showing their context and historical setting:
http://beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com/p/luther-exposing-myth.html
Catholic Apologetics Information knows of my review, and has never responded. You’re welcome also to respond to my analysis.
Thank you so much for pointing out the speck in Luther's eye. Now about that giant log in your own… Where should we begin? For brevity's sake, let's stick to just the past 100 years (ignoring, as the Church does, the Inquisition, the Crusades, etc.). You have collaboration with the Nazis and Fascists, Liberation Theologians aiding Marxist terrorists, the scandals at the Vatican bank and the associated murders and suicides, the pedophile priests and the resultant cover up… we could go on.
I’m no lover of Luther or of his many wicked heresies, but the blatant disregard for original context or accurate translation in this article is shameful and irresponsible. You have done no good service to right belief.
So much of this comes from the Table Talk – and it is taken terribly out of context. Luther was a theologian, and delighted in speculation and Devil’s Advocacy (something Aquinas also had a taste for) – but restricted it to his close circle of friends.
At least one of the quotes, by the way, is an *awful* translation. “Be a sinner and let your sins be strong” does horrific violence to Luther’s original Latin and his meaning. The context is Philipp Melanchthon writing concerned for the possibility of salvation – how can one but live in fear of sin? Luther responds with comfort, saying “Therefore, sin boldly, but believe more boldly yet and rejoice in Christ, who conquers all sin, death, and carnality” – a far more accurate translation that preserves the original sentiment to go forward without fear: we are all sinners, and if we fall into sin, we need only place our trust in Christ to save us from it. Far from being an admonition to go and sin, this is not far from contemporary Roman teaching on the matter. (It may be flawed, but it is hardly so malicious as this article makes it appear).
Finally, the section “Martin Luther on the Peasants” is garbage. There is nothing redeemable about this – it is completely ignorant of context and changes the translation of “rebel” to “peasant” in order to serve a dishonest polemic. Put aside the translation issue, and you ignore that the work those quotes come from “Wider die Mordischen und Reubischen Rotten der Bawren” (originally “Wider die sturmenden Bawren” (“Against the tempestuous Peasants”), the tract was written against those peasants participating in the Peasants War, which saw such chaos and indiscriminate murder as would make some of the Mongolian Khans blush. In the midst of this blood, fire, and death, Luther calls on the nobility to act drastically to put an end to it all – which is why responsible scholars translate even the word “bawren” as “rebel” throughout this tract (not that Luther always uses the word “bawren”; he sometimes uses “knaben” or “reuber”).
Thank you so much for pointing out the speck in Luther’s eye. Now about that giant log in your own… Where should we begin? For brevity’s sake, let’s stick to just the past 100 years (ignoring, as the Church does, the Inquisition, the Crusades, etc.). You have collaboration with the Nazis and Fascists, Liberation Theologians aiding Marxist terrorists, the scandals at the Vatican bank and the associated murders and suicides, the pedophile priests and the resultant cover up… we could go on.
Let's look at the first quote:
“I look upon God no better than a scoundrel” (ref. Weimar, Vol. 1, Pg. 487. Cf. Table Talk, No. 963).
"Luther, Exposing the Myth" probably lifted this quote from Peter Wiener, "Hitler's Spiritual Ancestor." Wiener lifted the quote from Frantz Funck-Brentano's biography of Luther. Neither Wiener nor Funck-Bretano documented Luther correctly.
A translation and editorial comment of this Table Talk comment was provided by Ewald Plass in What Luther Says, Volume 1, page 456. Look for the phrase, "God is a rogue" …that's what got translated as "I look upon God no better than a scoundrel."
The Doctrine of election by the sovereign God was not central in the theology of Luther as it was in the body of Calvin's teaching. In fact, the Reformer cautioned against concerning ourselves too much with it lest we lose ourselves in its incomprehensible aspects. So, according to the report of Cordatus, he once remarked at table (September 10-28, 1532).
1348 Do Not Brood About the Mysteries Connected with Election
A dispute about predestination should be avoided entirely. Staupitz said: if you want to dispute about predestination, begin with the wounds of Christ, and it will cease. But if you continue to debate about it, you will lose Christ, the Word, the sacraments, and everything. I forget everything about Christ and God when I come upon these thoughts and actually get to the point to imagining that God is a rogue. We must stay in the word, in which God is revealed to us and salvation is offered, if we believe him. But in thinking about predestination, we forget God. Then the laudate (praise) stops, and the blasphemate (blaspheme) begins. However, in Christ are hid all the treasures (Col. 2:3); outside Him all are locked up. Therefore, we should simply refuse to argue about election. (W-T 2, No. 2654a – SL 22, 832, No. 75).
Interestingly, the quote can be read as if not being Luther's words at all, for he attributes the statement to Staupitz. Nevertheless, one would think even a Roman Catholic wouldn't find fault with these words, once placed in their context. Luther, Exposing the Myth said the statement is in opposition to Matthew 22:37. such is hardly the case.
For a complete review of this particular quote, see:
http://beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com/2010/10/luther-i-look-upon-god-no-better-than.html
Let’s look at the first quote:
“I look upon God no better than a scoundrel” (ref. Weimar, Vol. 1, Pg. 487. Cf. Table Talk, No. 963).
“Luther, Exposing the Myth” probably lifted this quote from Peter Wiener, “Hitler’s Spiritual Ancestor.” Wiener lifted the quote from Frantz Funck-Brentano’s biography of Luther. Neither Wiener nor Funck-Bretano documented Luther correctly.
A translation and editorial comment of this Table Talk comment was provided by Ewald Plass in What Luther Says, Volume 1, page 456. Look for the phrase, “God is a rogue” …that’s what got translated as “I look upon God no better than a scoundrel.”
The Doctrine of election by the sovereign God was not central in the theology of Luther as it was in the body of Calvin’s teaching. In fact, the Reformer cautioned against concerning ourselves too much with it lest we lose ourselves in its incomprehensible aspects. So, according to the report of Cordatus, he once remarked at table (September 10-28, 1532).
1348 Do Not Brood About the Mysteries Connected with Election
A dispute about predestination should be avoided entirely. Staupitz said: if you want to dispute about predestination, begin with the wounds of Christ, and it will cease. But if you continue to debate about it, you will lose Christ, the Word, the sacraments, and everything. I forget everything about Christ and God when I come upon these thoughts and actually get to the point to imagining that God is a rogue. We must stay in the word, in which God is revealed to us and salvation is offered, if we believe him. But in thinking about predestination, we forget God. Then the laudate (praise) stops, and the blasphemate (blaspheme) begins. However, in Christ are hid all the treasures (Col. 2:3); outside Him all are locked up. Therefore, we should simply refuse to argue about election. (W-T 2, No. 2654a – SL 22, 832, No. 75).
Interestingly, the quote can be read as if not being Luther’s words at all, for he attributes the statement to Staupitz. Nevertheless, one would think even a Roman Catholic wouldn’t find fault with these words, once placed in their context. Luther, Exposing the Myth said the statement is in opposition to Matthew 22:37. such is hardly the case.
For a complete review of this particular quote, see:
http://beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com/2010/10/luther-i-look-upon-god-no-better-than.html
Thank God for the crusades or we would all be Muslim now! Learn your history.
So… you don't care if the quotes you posted are accurate or not? How is it you consider yourself an "author" that has written a book on apologetics, and history isn't important to you?
The goal of going through particular quotes is not to defend Luther as a Protestant saint. I see the study of any person in church history as an exercise in the love of God and neighbor. How do I love my neighbor in the study of church history? There probably are many ways, but the one that applies here is in my words. If I bear false witness against my neighbor, even if he's been dead for hundreds of years, I am not loving him. I say let the people in church history be exactly who they were, warts and all. Luther certainly had warts and sins, but he did not "kick the cat" as well on the way to posting the 95 Theses. That is, he is not as bad as many portray him to be.
Why would you want to bear false witness? Zeal without truth= nothing.
"The ones that I did include are the ones I felt that no matter how well put in context they were either still horrible or even worse once put in context"
I've already demonstrated the very first quote you used was bogus, and I can go down the line and demonstrate the same for many of the others. I suggest you take down your post before you further embarrass yourself and Roman Catholicism.
So even though I can demonstrate the very first quote you posted is bogus, that just "my opinion"?
Wow. Amazing.
David,
I am absolutely certain you have no desire "to keep going back and forth about this," because frankly, you don't appear to want to do the hard work that truth demands.
Ah well, it's the Internet. Responsibility isn't always a top priority.
I for one am deeply amused to see the Protestant-Catholic beef reinstated. As small-minded as it may be, I don't see why more people don't indulge in sticking up for their team.
I for one am deeply amused to see the Protestant-Catholic beef reinstated. As small-minded as it may be, I don’t see why more people don’t indulge in sticking up for their team.
David L. Gray Anyone leaving Lutheran church back to the Catholic church would be like one jumping from the frying pan back to the fire
The fact is that as a christian my faith is not built on Luther or the Roman Catholic church which is simply Satan's own pseudo church he created and disguised as the church of Christ to deceive many. Even if we assume that Martin Luther was guilty of all these things he has been accused of saying, it will still not make the Roman Catholic church a suitable alternative. The Roman Catholic church is the church of the Antichrist. Its satanic workings over the centuries speaks volumes of the Spirit which animates that church.
Folks, neither put your faith in Luther or the Roman Catholic church. Rest your faith in Christ and Christ alone.
God bless
Luther was not an anti semite.
Lutheranism combines the work of Luther, Melancthon, Chemnitz, Andrae, and a few others. It was not the work of one man. They were all godly men.
Don't shade your eyes; plagiarize. It's the modern form of "research."
Rules for Radicals comes to mind.
Rules for Radicals comes to mind.