Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Vorkosigan · 04-20-2003, 05:42 PM

Here is an an excellent article on the topic of Hitler and his religious thought, containing new information from a study of the books in his library.

Quote:

Hitler's selective reading�Xor nonreading�Xof the pseudo-theological texts in his library makes those books he did read, and especially those in which he left marginalia, all the more significant. Here is where the Hitler Library is most useful. In the Fichte volumes given to him by Riefenstahl, I encountered a veritable blizzard of underlines, question marks, exclamation points, and marginal strikes that sweeps across a hundred printed pages of dense theological prose. Where Fichte peeled away the spiritual trappings of the Holy Trinity, positing the Father as "a natural universal force," the Son as the "physical embodiment of this force," and the Holy Ghost as an expression of the "light of reason," Hitler not only underlined the entire passage but placed a thick vertical line in the margin, and added an exclamation point for good measure.

As I traced the penciled notations, I realized that Hitler was seeking a path to the divine that led to just one place. Fichte asked, "Where did Jesus derive the power that has held his followers for all eternity?" Hitler drew a dense line beneath the answer: "Through his absolute identification with God." At another point Hitler highlighted a brief but revealing paragraph: "God and I are One. Expressed simply in two identical sentences�XHis life is mine; my life is his. My work is his work, and his work my work."

Vorkosigan

04-21-2003, 02:17 AM

Thanks for that Vork. An interesting article that appears to my inexpert eye to be right on the button. I will send it to a friend who knows a great deal more on the matter to get a more informed opinion. At least it kills the Hitler was a Christian/Atheist (and those are the only options) silliness.

Yours

Bede

Bede's Library - faith and reason

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04-21-2003, 02:17 AM	#2
Bede Guest Posts: n/a	Thanks for that Vork. An interesting article that appears to my inexpert eye to be right on the button. I will send it to a friend who knows a great deal more on the matter to get a more informed opinion. At least it kills the Hitler was a Christian/Atheist (and those are the only options) silliness. Yours Bede Bede's Library - faith and reason

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