When Hitler gained power, he had freethought organisations banned and launched campaigns to stamp out ‘godlessness’.

In 1933, Hitler declared “We have undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not merely with a few theoretical declarations: we have stamped it out.”

Point 24 of the German version of the constitution stood in defence of 'Positive Christianity'

'24. We demand liberty for all religious denominations in the State, so far as they are not a danger to it and do not militate against the morality and moral sense of the German race. The Party, as such, stands for positive Christianity,...

Today, priests and Christians also criticise the Church and other Christians - Hitler also on occasion criticised the leaders of his religion - It must be noted that the vast majority of Hitler's texts (at least 99%) were in favor of Christianity and God belief - not against.

Hitler detested the conflict between the Catholics and Protestants. This can be clearly seen in his book Mein Kampf. Here Hitler shows his racist, anti-Semitic views which were ingrained in Christian Europe (and elsewhere) at the time. He even blames the Jews for the conflict between Protestants and Catholics.

"In any case the Jew reached his desired goal: Catholics and Protestants wage a merry war with one another, and the mortal enemy of Aryan humanity and all Christendom laughs up his sleeve."

"Systematically these black parasites of the nation defile our inexperienced young blond girls and thereby destroy something which can no longer be replaced in this world. Both, yes, both Christian denominations look on indifferently at this desecration and destruction of a noble and unique living creature, given to the earth by God's grace." - Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf.

Hitler also mentions that 'true Christianity' is alien to the Jew, and writes about the great founder of Christianity (Jesus). He goes on to show his disdain towards atheistic Jewish parties, and the Christians who debase themselves and the faith.

"The best characterization is provided by the product of this religious education, the Jew himself. His life is only of this world, and his spirit is inwardly as alien to true Christianity as his nature two thousand years previous was to the great founder of the new doctrine. Of course, the latter made no secret of his attitude toward the Jewish people, and when necessary he even took to the whip to drive from the temple of the Lord this adversary of all humanity, who then as always saw in religion nothing but an instrument for his business existence. In return, Christ was nailed to the cross, while our present-day party Christians debase themselves to begging for Jewish votes at elections and later try to arrange political swindles with atheistic Jewish parties - and this against their own nation." - Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf.

"I am now as before a Catholic and will always remain so." - Adolf Hitler

Excellent article here showing the mistranslated and bogus quotes made by apologists.
http://ffrf.org/fttoday/2002/nov02/carrier.php

Photo of Hitler's 10ft Christian cross at his private retreat (odd behavior for an atheist). Check out the Church photos and Hitler's paintings of Mary and Jesus.
http://www.nobeliefs.com/mementoes.htm
http://www.nobeliefs.com/nazis.htm

Most of his policies and claims were identical to the claims made by Christian fanatics (usually those heading the Church) today.

He was anti-secularism, as the quote shows below:

"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"

He was anti-homosexuality.

Abortion was also strictly monitored - he opposed an individuals right to abortion and was against contraception. Women who had needless abortions were sent to hard labour camps.

Almost everything the Nazis did was identical to earlier Christians.

Christians in 692 were forbidden to visit Jewish doctors and associate with the Jews.

The Nazis also forbade Christians(98% of the German populace identified as Christian according to a 1939 census) to visit Jewish doctors.

1555-9 In Papal Bull Cum nimis absurdum, Pope Paul IV writes: "It appears utterly absurd and impermissible that the Jews, whom God has condemned to eternal slavery for their guilt, should enjoy our Christian love." He renews anti-Jewish legislation and installs a locked nightly ghetto in Rome. The Bull forces Jewish males to wear a yellow hat, females - yellow kerchief.

Jews were forced to live in walled of ghettoes from 1555 to the late 19th century by order of the many Popes. They were restricted to life in the ghetto through to the end of Pope Pius IX papacy(1846-1878). They were banned from working in most professions. In a speech in 1871 he called the Jews of Rome "dogs" and said: "of these dogs, there are too many of them at present in Rome, and we hear them howling in the streets, and they are disturbing us in all places."

Just over half a century later, Germany and its allies (Rome/Italy - the most Christianised country in Europe) were once again forcing Jews to wear the badge, and once again forcing Jews to life in the ghettoes.

"..far from any ideology of classes, firmly believing that the eternal values of a nation are its best sons and daughters, who, regardless of birth and rank, just as God gave them to us, must be educated and employed." - Adolf Hitler, February 24, 1945

Hitler was most definitely theist and a Christian.

And on a side note, read "Gulag Archipelago" by Solzhenitsyn for a good overview of the Communist persecution of the religious.

EbonMuse's point is that tooooooooooooo many people deliberately claim that Hitler CLAIMED to be an atheist when Hitler CLAIMED no such thing whatever, and in fact CLAIMED otherwise many a time. Was he a non-Christian? Very likely. Was he of another faith? Also very likely. Ultimately, he claimed to be a believer in a deity of some sort, said nothing to contradict that, and those that claim he ever specifically claimed to be an atheist are

L Y I N G !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The false claims in this regard that I've read rarely stop at merely saying "Oh, that man Hitler was just an atheist". Nine times out of ten, they are far more explicit and go much further -- and deliberately, maliciously, falsely so: they say specifically that Hitler specifically SAYS that he (Hitler) is an atheist! THAT is the BIG LIE that EbonMuse is addressing here. Hitler never SAID any such thing -- period, end of paragraph.

Secular Planet's point is ultimately a complete red herring: he(?) suggests that Hitler may have really been an atheist and none of us any the wiser on that. Well -- DUH! Any historical figure of whose private life we know little -- Shakspeare, for instance -- might have been an atheist and we none the wiser. So what? Obviously, any believer can impute atheism to ANY historical figure who appears as a shadowy figure in his private life, or who has come off as especially unethical in the pages of history, or both. Convenient, yes. Pertinent here, NO!!!!!!!

EbonMuse has called believers on their false claim that Hitler SAID he was an unbeliever. Hitler SAID no such thing. And saying that Hitler SAID such a thing happens to be one big lie. Secular Planet is deliberately(?) obfuscating the issue by introducing the notion that Hitler's private thoughts are somehow relevant here.

They AREN'T!!!!!!!!!

G Riggs

Do you have a single reputable source for either the 100 million statistic (the highest estimates I've seen for the total death toll from Soviet atrocities, including famine victims, was about 50 million, and 30 million is what I've usually seen quoted) or the claim that they were motivated in the fashion you claim?

Didn't think so.

Especially religious people.

A good example is Leon Trotsky, who absolutely got a thrill out of riding around Russia in his armored train burning churches and killing priests.

He killed BECAUSE of his atheistic hatred of religion. And at 100 million dead in the twentieth century ALONE, the record is the worst in history, exceeding by many times the casualties of all the so called religious wars in history.

Who ya kiddin, you abysmal hypocrite?

I will never submit to atheist rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111

Nazi Christmas

The War on Winter Solstice continues...

Well, of course Hitler did believe in god, even talks about it in his book. But pointing out that some guy that did bad things wasn't the same religion as you is pretty self righteous: instead of pointing the finger at a single person that isn't like you and saying they're bad, and this must make you good, why don't you set a good example and actually do some good in the world? Did Jesus say 'look at that Joe guy. He doesn't follow me, and he's a leper. And look at Shawna! She's a prostitute, and of COURSE, she doesn't follow me!' Of course he never said that. And I have read the bible. That's why I'm not a Christian, because it does say a lot of fucked up stuff.

There were scores of murderers who were not only Christian and/or religious, but they killed BECAUSE of religion. Jim Jones comes to mind. And the crusades. And the inquisition. Religion throughout history is hardly a bloodless entity. It may be the bloodiest, in fact.

Hilter and Stalin might also have been Libras as far as I know. But they weren't killing because they were libras. So it doesn't really matter.

I'm an atheist and I refuse to pick up a gun and go kill someone, no matter what the country tells me. Not many Christians can say that! Talk about hypocracy.