So, to address the issue even more head on, Pedrito will expand the two former either-or questions into three specific questions, requesting a definitive “Yes” or “No” to each. The first two pertain to Martin Luther’s overt hatred of Jews and the sickening language he used to express the depth of that hatred.
Remember, Yes or No.
1. Does the Lutheran Church totally and publicly repudiate Martin Luther’s words and attitudes with respect to Jews?
2. Does the Lutheran Church still harbour antipathy towards Jews in any overt (directly stated) or covert (veiled) form?
3. Does the Lutheran Church teach that Israel as a nation has no place in God’s revealed future for Mankind (as indirectly stated in Post #36)?
Who would like to prove the Poster of Post #34 wrong by issuing direct, truthful answers to the above three questions?[/color]
Why does Pedrito get to control both the form of the questions and the answers?
Please answer "YES" or "NO": Does Pedrito STILL beat his wife?
(See that the question cannot be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no' ... I assume that you have never beat your wife, but if you answer 'no' then you are claiming that you formerly beat your wife.)
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While I am NOT a Lutheran, and even if I were a Lutheran I would be reluctant to speak for all Lutherans, I'd like to take a shot at answering the 3 questions (because they deserve better than simply being ignored). The following answers are for Me and Me alone (as an admirer of both Luther and Calvin as well as many other historic theologians.)
1. Does Arthur totally and publicly repudiate Martin Luther’s words and attitudes with respect to Jews?
No.
In our age, the Coptic Christians living in Egypt are building the largest Coptic Church ever constructed to house the bodies of all the saints being murdered for the 'crime' of daring to BE Christian. The Coptics advocate non-violence towards their murderers. If someone rose up and advocated that Christians in Egypt should arm themselves and fight back, completely driving into submission those who delight in the murder of Egyptian Christian men, women and children ... I would not raise my voice in condemnation of them.
Luther was not Hitler. His hatred was not directed at innocent victims. Luther advocated driving from the land, or driving to their grave, those who had rejected Jesus Christ, were fianancially oppressing the poor and were actively working to destroy the Church. I will grant his words were harsh, but were they really much harsher than calling people "broods of vipers" and "whitewashed coffins" or suggesting, like Paul did, that the Jews trying to convert the Christians back to the Law should 'emasculate themselves'? It is my opinion that Christans have become too afraid of offending sinners. Jesus said that if they will not listen, then shake the dust off your feet as a warning that you don't even want their dust on you ... and Soddom and Gamorah will get off lighter on Judgement Day than those people.
Do you believe that any Jew (or anyone else) can reject Jesus Christ and still be saved?
If not, than just how encouraging should we be to the reprobate leading others along their same path to damnation? W.W.J.D.?
2. Does Arthur harbour antipathy towards Jews in any overt (directly stated) or covert (veiled) form?
No.
The Jews are not the ones killing Christians or spreading lies about Jesus to the masses. I do harbor antipathy towards Islam and Mormonism and the Jehovah's Witnesses Church. I have pity for the individuals, all of whom are working so hard to earn what they can never achieve (without Jesus), but I lothe the religions spawned by demons to trap men and destroy Christians.
I know some people born Jewish that converted to Christianity, they all seemed pretty cool for the most part. I know some Christians who seem overly impressed with anything Jewish (as if saying a word in Hebrew makes it magical) that seemed like they were more faking spirituality than walking around with a new heart.
3. Does Arthur teach that Israel as a nation has no place in God’s revealed future for Mankind?
No ... but this is a trick question for me.
Arthur doesn't teach anything at all about end times that isn't found in the gospels. Jesus will return. He is coming for us. We will be raised from the dead. I avoid speculations on Revelation and Daniel since those conversations always generate more smoke and heat, than light.
Now I have read the arguments for both sides and I have read both Revelation and Daniel. I think there are some OT promises that are hard to really view as fulfilled unless Jesus 'lifts the veil' from the eyes of Israel, however the Revelation proof texts really do not seem as iron clad as most proponents like to claim. It is hard to skim over the dragon and child as symbolic and then suddenly claim that other parts MUST BE 100% literal.
So my honest answer to question 3 is: Maybe. God may have plans for Israel, or God may be content with the remanent of Israel that followed Jesus and started this whole Christian Church in Jerusalem. It is a question above my pay grade.
Good luck finding your 'official' Lutheran answers.
