Opinion of Martin Luther

[H. Ross Peron]

In honour of Reformation Day.

One of the biggest FFs in human history.

[DC Al Fine]

Not as awesome as John Calvin but still a mega FF.

[afleitch]

In honour of Reformation Day.

One of the biggest FFs in human history.

Sweeping his 60,000 word treatise 'On Jews and Their Lies' under the carpet then?

[Oakvale]

Massive HP and one of the most destructive figures in history.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

FF, he took a stand against the Catholic church and won.

[DC Al Fine]

Massive HP and one of the most destructive figures in history.

(Catholic)

[DemPGH]

Massive HP.

His attitude toward Copernicus being a major reason - it really reveals so much. He also failed to support the peasants in their struggle against the injustices they faced. Awful.

Popular writers need to do a better job exposing Protestantism's own terrible history of authoritarianism and brutality. They do well exposing the Latin Church with regard to this, but not so much the Protestants.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Heretic.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Nailing s**t to doors like a boss.

I'm definitely a Wesleyite, though.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

FF for his religious views. But his views on Jews and the mentally retarded were awful, though it was the sixteenth century in his defense.

[H. Ross Peron]

In honour of Reformation Day.

One of the biggest FFs in human history.

Sweeping his 60,000 word treatise 'On Jews and Their Lies' under the carpet then?

Which probably wasn't anymore backward or bigoted than any of Luther's contemporaries. OTOH tho he did say he preferred a "Turk" as ruler over a "foolish German" which certain people in this country ought to keep in mind...

[afleitch]

In honour of Reformation Day.

One of the biggest FFs in human history.

Sweeping his 60,000 word treatise 'On Jews and Their Lies' under the carpet then?

Which probably wasn't anymore backward or bigoted than any of Luther's contemporaries. OTOH tho he did say he preferred a "Turk" as ruler over a "foolish German" which certain people in this country ought to keep in mind...

Very few contemporaries were willing to write 60,000 words on the matter...

[All Along The Watchtower]

Massive HP and one of the most destructive figures in history.

Obvious BRTD-bait is obvious.

[CatoMinor]

His antisemitism aside, he is a huge freedom fighter for the reforms he pushed. The price afterwards though was pretty high with everyone and there grandma starting a new denomination and dividing communities whenever there's a disagreement. Reform came at the price of unity.

[windjammer]

Massive HP and one of the most destructive figures in history.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Someone was going to be in his position at some point (i.e. the point at which someone actually got away with it), and it turned out to be him. Think it's fair to say that he acquitted himself pretty well, though he certainly had his bad points. A major historical figure, but no angel (and not a demon either). There were more interesting Reformers, of course.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Very few contemporaries were willing to write 60,000 words on the matter...

Some did write plays on the subject, alas...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Those wanting to knock Luther might want to note also his questionable role in the German Peasants War. Those wanting to do the opposite might consider his cultural contributions, which were considerable.

[bullmoose88]

Those wanting to knock Luther might want to note also his questionable role in the German Peasants War. Those wanting to do the opposite might consider his cultural contributions, which were considerable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXzubuENjHk

In all seriousness, Al's made a bunch of good points in a row.

I do wonder, as far as his HP status, if we're bit unfair calling him a HP using a more modern or totally present day standard (yes, by today's standards he's got some really horrible aspects to him)...I really wonder if any person in more distant history would be a FF under such a standard...the contra position to that, judging him by the standards of his time might be too much in the other direction (ie, he was better, maybe, than the other folks of his era).  Too lenient? Too easy to excuse bad actions in a contest of who has the least dirty hands.  I don't know.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Both. Very much so. I'll vote FF in this context though.

[Napoleon]

Massive FF!

[Napoleon]

Massive HP.

His attitude toward Copernicus being a major reason - it really reveals so much. He also failed to support the peasants in their struggle against the injustices they faced. Awful.

Popular writers need to do a better job exposing Protestantism's own terrible history of authoritarianism and brutality. They do well exposing the Latin Church with regard to this, but not so much the Protestants.

He had major flaws yeah but sk did Abraham Lincoln, the other Martin Luther guy and others...I gotta give him his due for his willingness to challenge conventional thinking and really breaking down the walls of organized religion that were sk common in his era.

[Peeperkorn]

HP.

[Peeperkorn]

Not as awesome as John Calvin

What's wrong with you?

[H. Ross Peron]

Not as awesome as John Calvin

What's wrong with you?

He's a Calvinist like me.