Embarrassed at the murderous legacy of atheist Communist regimes in the twentieth century, leading atheists seek to even the score with believers by portraying Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime as theist and specifically Christian. Christopher Hitchens in God Is Not Great depicts Hitler as a pagan polytheist-not exactly a conventional theist but still a theist. Atheist websites routinely claim that Hitler was a Christian because he was born Catholic, he never publicly renounced his Catholicism, and he wrote in Mein Kampf, "By defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord." Atheist writer Sam Harris writes that "the Holocaust marked the culmination of...two hundred years of Christian fulminating against the Jews" and therefore "knowingly or not, the Nazis were agents of religion."
How persuasive are these claims? My New York Times bestseller What's So Great About Christianity has the full story and the requisite citations but here's the condensed version. Hitler was born Catholic just as Stalin was born into the Russian Orthodox Church and Mao was raised as a Buddhist. These facts prove nothing as many people reject their religious upbringing, as these three men did. From an early age, historian Allan Bullock writes, Hitler "had no time at all for Catholic teaching, regarding it as a religion fit only for slaves and detesting its ethics."
How then do we account for Hitler's claim that in carrying out his anti-Semitic program he was an instrument of divine providence? During his ascent to power, Hitler needed the support of the German people-both the Bavarian Catholics and the Prussian Lutherans-and to secure this he occasionally used rhetoric such as "I am doing the Lord's work." To claim that this rhetoric makes Hitler a Christian is to confuse political opportunism with personal conviction. Hitler himself says in Mein Kampf that his public statements should be understood as propaganda that bears no relation to the truth but is designed to sway the masses.
The Nazi idea of an Aryan Christ who uses the sword to cleanse the earth of the Jews-what historians call "Aryan Christianity"-was obviously a radical departure from the traditional Christian understanding and was condemned as such by Pope Pius XI at the time. Moreover, Hitler's anti-Semitism was not religious, it was racial. Jews were targeted not because of their religion-indeed many German Jews were completely secular in their way of life-but because of their racial identity. This was an ethnic and not a religious designation. Hitler's anti-Semitism was secular.
Hitler's Table Talk, a revealing collection of the Fuhrer's private opinions, assembled by a close aide during the war years, shows Hitler to be rabidly anti-religious. He called Christianity one of the great "scourges" of history, and said of the Germans, "Let's be the only people who are immunized against this disease." He promised that "through the peasantry we shall be able to destroy Christianity." In fact, he blamed the Jews for inventing Christianity. He also condemned Christianity for its opposition to evolution.
Hitler reserved special scorn for the Christian values of equality and compassion, which he identified with weakness. Hitler's leading advisers like Goebbels, Himmler, Heydrich and Bormann were atheists who hated religion and sought to eradicate its influence in Germany.
Recognizing the absurdity of equating Nazism with Christianity, Christopher Hitchens seeks to push Hitler into the religious camp by portraying his ideology as a "quasi-pagan phenomenon." Hitler may have been a polytheist who worshipped the pagan gods, Hitchens suggests, but polytheism is still theism. This argument fails to distinguish between ancient paganism and modern paganism. It's true that Hitler and the Nazis drew heavily on ancient archetypes-mainly Nordic and Teutonic legends-to give their vision a mystical aura. But this was secular mysticism, not religious mysticism.
The ancient Germanic peoples truly believed in the pagan gods. Hitler and the Nazis, however, relied on ancient myths in the modern form given to them by Nietzsche and Wagner. For Nietzsche and Wagner, there was no question of the ancient myths being true. Wagner no more believed in the Norse god Wotan than Nietzsche believed in Apollo. For Hitler and the Nazis, the ancient myths were valuable because they could give depth and significance to a secular racial conception of the world.
In his multi-volume history of the Third Reich, historian Richard Evans writes that "the Nazis regarded the churches as the strongest and toughest reservoirs of ideological opposition to the principles they believed in." Once Hitler and the Nazis came to power, they launched a ruthless drive to subdue and weaken the Christian churches in Germany . Evans points out that after 1937 the policies of Hitler's government became increasingly anti-religious.
The Nazis stopped celebrating Christmas, and the Hitler Youth recited a prayer thanking the Fuhrer rather than God for their blessings. Clergy regarded as "troublemakers" were ordered not to preach, hundreds of them were imprisoned, and many were simply murdered. Churches were under constant Gestapo surveillance. The Nazis closed religious schools, forced Christian organizations to disband, dismissed civil servants who were practicing Christians, confiscated church property, and censored religious newspapers. Poor Sam Harris cannot explain how an ideology that Hitler and his associates perceived as a repudiation of Christianity can be portrayed as a "culmination" of Christianity.
If Nazism represented the culmination of anything, it was that of the nineteenth-century and early-twentieth century ideology of social Darwinism. Read historian Richard Weikart's revealing study, From Darwin to Hitler. As Weikart documents, both Hitler and Himmler were admirers of
The Nazis also drew on the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, adapting his atheist philosophy to their crude purposes. Nietzsche's vision of the ubermensch and his elevation of a new ethic "beyond good and evil" were avidly embraced by Nazi propagandists. Nietzsche's "will to power" almost became a Nazi recruitment slogan. I am not for a moment suggesting that Darwin or Nietzsche would have approved of Hitler's ideas. But Hitler and his henchmen approved of Darwin's and Nietzsche's ideas. Harris simply ignores the evidence of the Nazis' sympathies for
So in addition to the mountain of corpses that the God-hating regimes of Stalin, Mao, Pot Pot and others have produced, we must add the body count of the God-hating Nazi regime. The Nazis, like the Communists, deliberately targeted the churches and the believers because they wanted to create a new man and a new utopia freed from the shackles of traditional religion and traditional morality. In an earlier blog, I asked what is atheism's contribution to civilization? One answer to that question: Genocide.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 39)
1. “We were convinced that the people needs and requires this faith. We have therefore undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not merely with a few theoretical declarations: we have stamped it out.”
( Adolf Hitler, in a speech delivered in Berlin, October 24, 1933. )
“The advantages of a personal and political nature that might arise from compromising with atheistic organizations would not outweigh the consequences which would become apparent in the destruction of general moral basic values. The national government regards the two Christian confessions as the weightiest factors for the maintenance of our nationality: their rights are not to be infringed.”
( Adolf Hitler, in a speech at Reichstag, Berlin, March 23, 1933; published in his My New Order )
“And now Staatspräsident Bolz says that Christianity and the Catholic faith are threatened by us. And to that charge I can answer: In the first place it is Christians and not international atheists who now stand at the head of Germany. I do not merely talk of Christianity, no, I also profess that I will never ally myself with the parties which destroy Christianity. If many wish today to take threatened Christianity under their protection, where, I would ask, was Christianity for them in these fourteen years when they went arm in arm with atheism? No, never and at no time was greater internal damage done to Christianity than in these fourteen years when a party, theoretically Christian, sat with those who denied God in one and the same Government.”
( Adolf Hitler, in a speech delivered at Stuttgart, February 15, 1933.
“Secular schools can never be tolerated because such schools have no religious instruction, and a general moral instruction without a religious foundation is built on air; consequently, all character training and religion must be derived from faith.”
( Adolf Hitler, in 26 April 1933, from a speech made during negotiations leading to the Nazi-Vatican Concordant of 1933. )
Dave at 1:50AM on Nov 2nd 2007
2. wow! well written. thank you!
Jody at 1:56AM on Nov 2nd 2007
3. oops. I meant the original blog was well written (and well thought through)...I wasn't referring Dave's quotes of Hitler's Nazi propoganda speeches.
Jody at 1:56AM on Nov 2nd 2007
4. There is a fine distinction that is made by neither side in this rather odd debate, that belief or disbelief in a deity is ideological. I would posit that while ideologies can (de)evolve from either of these suppositions, that neither belief or disbelief in a god is sufficient for the atrocities or the benefits members of each of these larger categories have committed. It is somewhat like blaming the son for the iniquities of the father. If belief or disbelief is personal, then to blame a category of belief or disbelief for the actions of an individual is actually disingenuous. As a practicing Buddhist (Somewhat after the strain of Dr. Ambedkar, but also looking back to the Pali texts, and interestingly enough by definition atheist), I have learned that god is not a necessary component of morality and neither do Christians have a monopolistic claim on moral or right action. THERE ARE TRADITIONS THAT PREDATE CHRISTIANITY THAT POSIT WHAT WOULD TODAY BE CALLED MORAL BEHAVIOUR: Buddhism is one such tradition, there are several Greek philosophies, most notable that of Democritus, and if the oral histories are reliable, there are numerous cases of moral behaviors in North and South America that appear moral (As an aside, many historians now question the validity of claims to cannibalism in "pre-historical" societies, suggesting that like Sati these were rare or extreme situations that became popularized by a scandalized populous, much like the perception of increased violence today despite evidence to the contrary). Human history is not a single narrative of Human civilization, but a multiplicity of narratives and perspectives. Certainly, not all of these perspectives are equally valid, but the acrimony of the current debate is creating a dichotomy where one does not exist, this is not about faith or non faith, belief or disbelief, this is really about deriving power for moral or immoral ends using whatever means necessary which, from my perspective is itself an immoral act.
Julian at 2:05AM on Nov 2nd 2007
5. Wow! I don't believe I have ever seen or heard of a man who hates people that don't believe in gods more than Dinesh D'souza. This man is chock full of venom for non-godbelievers. The logic is strange. If you believe in a god, any god, even one that he doesn't believe in then you are exempt from the hatred. But, if you don't play the "belief" ballgame then you are the target of his hatred, slander, and demogoguery. This article is particularly amazing. What an astounding attempt at spinning the fact that Hitler was a god-believing Christian. Mr. D'souza, there is no getting around this one. Despite what you say, or write, everyone knows, as well as you know, that Hitler was a Christian. You try to spin Hitler's very words attesting to that fact from his very autobiography.
You also keep attempting to link atheism as the reason for genocides by Stalin and Pol Pot. Those despots didn't kill people because they believed in god(s), they killed anyone who disagreed with their political views and their leadership regardless of whether they were theists or atheists. You keep attempting to link those genocides to some kind of atheist "ideology". Atheism is not an ideology. Atheism is simply the nonbelief in god(s). It is not an ideology, their is no bible, or text that has all the rules and tenets for atheism. So, attempting to link communist genocides of the past to "atheist ideology" is simply a false argument - period.
Since you show such strenuous, yet failed, attempts at making atheists the "kings" of genocides, why don't we examine another genocide you might be familiar with? It is the original, largest, greatest "mother-of-all" genocides in world history. Who is responsible for this most horrible of all genocides? Why none other than the "God" of the Bible himself. Remember the story about Noah and the flood. Yes, that story that is told to millions of children as an endearing bible tale about all the wonderful mommy and daddy animals going on the boat? Yes, Mr. D'souza, "God" murdered every man, woman, child, toddler, infant, fetus, animal, and every "living substance" that walked or crawled on the face of planet earth - except for the family of eight humans and the cute mommy and daddy animals on the boat. Now, Mr. D'souza, who was it that gave us genocide? Well, at least that's what the Bible says. But you know the typical argument when it comes to the Bible: The Bible says it! You believe it! That settles it!
Frank at 2:25AM on Nov 2nd 2007
6. The Judo-Christian tradition is God's revelation of Himself and the presenter of the only absolutes we have. There are no absolutes in science. The other religions are what are called "natural religions" that is man made rather than God's revelation of Himself. This important thing regarding the natural religions has never been done. No one has ever studied the natural religions to see how they have cleaned themselves up with "borrowings" from the Judo-Christian tradition. Scholars of comparative religion have falsely taught that there is a common core to all religions. Not true. The natural religions are all violent. People who perceive the Judo-Christian tradition as violent have poor reading comprehension. The claims of atheists should be laughed off for that very reason. God himself says in His Book, the Bible, in Proverbs: "The fool says in his heart, there is no God." Atheists are fools. Laugh at these court jesters. Laugh them to scorn.
Ronald B. Zeh at 2:34AM on Nov 2nd 2007
7. Proof That God Doesn't Exist: If god exists, then there would be no suffering in the world, because he's so good that he would eliminate all suffering. Now there's suffering in the world. Therefore he doesn't exist.
Pheng Kim Ving at 3:04AM on Nov 2nd 2007
8. Thank you, Dinesh, for writing about the issue of Nazi Germany being portrayed as a "terrible thing done in the name of Christianity," as I find many people who object to Christianity believe. Another reason to reject Christianity, they say.
It has also come to light that Hitler was heavily involved in the occult (which may contain invocation of ancient false deities). Many of his staff were also involved in the occult. Worship of false gods (which are demons) and involvement in the occult, is Satanism. Ultimately, occultists and paganists worship Satan. And Satan has a virulent, ancient hatred of the Jews because they are God's chosen people and He loves them. Satan hates what God loves, and if Satan can find a servant (Hilter, a suicide bomber) to carry out his hatred of God's Beloved, so you have atrocities. And Satan always tries to cast the blame on God, so as to cast aspersion on God's character. And since, as Christians know, Jesus is God, thus turn people away from Jesus...and thus, God! Why? Because in his hatred of all mankind, Satan wants to surreptitiously draw people away from Jesus Christ, and capture them for works of darkness and eternal destruction. And why do us Christians keep sounding this alarm??? Because WE LOVE YOU TOO, darn it, we love you! and we don't want you to suffer, especially for ALL eternity! OK?ok. :)
susanlynn at 3:48AM on Nov 2nd 2007
9. Was Hitler a Christian? No! Was he a theist? Probably! Does it matter? NO, because Torquemada and all of the architects of the "Holy Inquistion" which burned people for believing the "wrong things" were Christians and it was this idea of murdering people for holding the "wrong ideas" that inspired Hitler, Stalin, and Pol Pot, not to mention your right-wing buddies Francisco Franco and Augusto Pinochet. In other words, Holy Mother
Church invented the idea of murdering for ideology, and 20th century mass murders, both on the right and on the left, were merely following her example!
emelpe at 4:14AM on Nov 2nd 2007
10. You bet Hitler was a Christian and the right-wing uses his tactics. "All great movements are popular movements. They are the volcanic eruptions of human passiosn and emotions, stirred into activity by the RUTHLESS GODDESS of Distress or by the torch of the spoken word cast into the midst of the people." Adolf Hitler "All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to comprehension of the lest infelligent of those whom seek it." Adolf Hitler
This one is the one Most Right-wingers say "As a Christian I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but I have the DUTY to be a fighter for truth and justice." Adolf Hitler
"By the skillful and sustained use of propaganda, one can make a people see even heaven as hell or an extremely wretched life as paradise." Adolf Hitler I think President Bush does this so gracefully.
"Demoralize the enemy from within by surpise, TERROR, sabotage, assassination. This is the war of the future." Adolf Hitler Rep's use this also.
This tactic the Rep's have down pat
"HATE IS MORE LASTING THAN DISLIKE"
"He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future" Adolf Hitler I would say the young Rep's
"Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator--by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord." Adolf Hitler
Jew--In conservatives words could mean one of many words. Lib/Dem-ACLU--UNIONS--ect... ect.. Newt Gingrich put out 197 words of hate.
"I do not see why man should not be just as cruel as nature". Adolf Hitler This is how conservatives believe in their fellow Americans. "we just don't care"
"If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed." Adolf Hitler Iraq war---and have you every notice that Rep's have a way or repeating a word over and over. That's when I know it's a lie.
"IT IS NOT TRUTH THAT MATTERS, BUT VICTORY" ADOLF HITLER NEED I SAY MORE
"Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it and eventually they will believe it." Adolf Hitler
Fox news, Rep party and Consevative Christians.
"Strength lies not in defence but in attack" Adolf Hitler sound just like the Rep's
"The great mass of peole will more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a small one." Adolf Hitler Sound to me like the Iraq war and now the Iranian war.
These next few quotes sould to me like President Bush.
"Who says I am not under the special protection of God"
"The art of leadership...consists in condolidating the attention of the people against a single adversary and taking care that nothing will split up that attention."
"The great stregth of the totalitarian state is that ift forces those who fear it to imitate it."
"I believe today that my conduct is in accordance with the will fo the Almighty Creator."
Now to my point---YES I BELIEVE ADOLF HITLER WAS A CHRISTIAN JUST LIKE PRESIDENT BUSH.
Can you see how they are a like.
Dancerpl2 at 4:26AM on Nov 2nd 2007
11. It doesn't matter what views Hitler held. He was a monster and should not be held up as an example of anything but a psychopath.
Wiggy at 4:28AM on Nov 7th 2007
12. Atheism's contribution to civilization is genocide? No, whatever Hitler was, he was no atheist. But according to the Bible, Moses committed genocides against two Amorite nations. And Moses was a theist. So theism's contribution to civilization is genocide.
Tom Martin at 5:06AM on Nov 2nd 2007
13. Dave: I noticed that all of your quotes are from 1933. That was when he was in the process of seizing and solidifying his hold power and still needed the support of the Christians to carry that out. He had to act like a typical politician in public until he was able to establish his dictatorship. Once that happened, he was free to be himself at all times.
Dancerpl2: I have many issues with Bush's presidency. I also have a problem with someone like him spouting off Bible verses just to get vote. For all of the time he has spent talking like a Christian, I'm not aware of the being any evidence of him actually acting like a Christian. Speaking as one who has dedicated my life to serving my church in any capacity need, I'm simply not impress by his version of Republican Christianity witch should never be confused with Biblical Christianity.
Never-the-less, he has yet to disband congress nor declared himself ruler for life. He has not set up any kind of system for the mass extermination of anybody. In contrast, he over threw a murderous tyrant who had on many occasions. Your embellished allegations discredits all of your anti-Bush & anti-Christian positions.
Jason at 5:28AM on Nov 2nd 2007
14. Mr. Zeh:
Now you are being ridiculous. Want to know a religion that is and has been less violent than yours? Buddhism.
You call people fools because they feel differently than you. You encourage people to laugh at them. You exemplify the ignorance, intolerance, and bigotry that some atheists on these blogs try to paint Christians. It's a good thing that I've seen real Christians before, or else I might think that they were all like you.
Tem at 5:31AM on Nov 2nd 2007
15. Someone is always trying to have a "GOD" debate. I say, "Believe What You Want. I Shall Believe In Me!"
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JC at 5:57AM on Nov 2nd 2007