Friday, March 29, AD 2024 3:41am

Biographer of Dietrich Bonhoeffer Compares Obama Contraceptive Mandate to Nazi Germany

 

Hattip to Matthew Archbold at Creative Minority ReportEric Metaxas, biographer of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Protestant minister and theologian martyred by the Nazis, compares the contraceptive mandate to steps taken by the Nazis against the churches in the thirties.

 

 

“I met the president. I gave him a copy of my book on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, which he said he’s going to read,” Metaxas said during the interview. “In that book, you read about what happened to an amazingly great country called Germany…”
“In the beginning, it always starts really, really small. We need to understand as Americans — if we do not see this as a bright line in the sand — if you’re not a Catholic, if you use contraception — doesn’t matter. Because eventually, this kind of government overreach will affect you.”

Metaxas is no nutty fringe character, but rather a serious scholar.  I agree with his analysis.  The contraceptive mandate has aroused a storm of opposition and well it should.  The contraceptive mandate is a terrible infringement on religious liberty and frightening for what it could portend.

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T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Wednesday, February 8, AD 2012 7:30am

This is only partially about birth control.

It is all about control.

PM
PM
Wednesday, February 8, AD 2012 9:25am

Litmus test in progress …
Re: Free exercise of religion and 1st Amendment rights
We are the lab rats, but the cage isn’t scheduled for locking until after 11/12.

It’s so sickening that this test is based on connecting religion to birth control etc., the most private area of people’s lives. Like a replay of Satan, Eve, and the apple.

The test is invalid, but it is part of our reality now.

Anzlyne
Anzlyne
Wednesday, February 8, AD 2012 9:34am

“cage isn’t scheduled for locking until after 11/12” gives me chills– right now the other side still has to play ball with us because they still have to be elected– once they no longer have to worry about re-election– God help us.

Mary De Voe
Wednesday, February 8, AD 2012 12:17pm

The dismissal of God from the public square around 1962 has begotten an era of defining man as having no free will, no unalienable rights and no immortal soul made in the image and likeness of the Supreme Sovereign Being, God.

Mike Tefft
Mike Tefft
Wednesday, February 8, AD 2012 4:29pm

I hope our Catholic leadership realizes, belatedly as it is, that there should be no possibility of negotiating with the Obama administration. Even if they back down, they have proven they can not be trusted. Do not leave them with the power to do this again.

Tony Esolen
Tony Esolen
Wednesday, February 8, AD 2012 4:56pm

Imagine this instead: The Department of Education mandates that there be vending machines to distribute condoms, placed in every high school.

Or imagine this: The Department of Education mandates that a gay studies curriculum be part of every school’s offerings.

They’d do it in a heartbeat if they thought they could get away with it. As for the Stupidly Evil party (as opposed to the Evilly Stupid party), the words of Hamlet come to mind: “I will trust them as I do adders fanged.”

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Wednesday, February 8, AD 2012 5:48pm

[…] Dietrich Bonhoeffer Biographer Compares Mandate to Nazi Germany – D. McClarey, TAC […]

HV Observer
HV Observer
Wednesday, February 8, AD 2012 6:10pm

Dr. Esolen:

In Canada, the Department of Education of the Province of Ontario is “mandat[ing] that a gay studies curriculum be part of every school’s offerings.” That includes the Province’s state-supported Catholic schools. See this story from LifeSiteNews for the details.

Anzlyne
Anzlyne
Wednesday, February 8, AD 2012 10:18pm

Tony
those things you ask us to imagine are no longer unimaginable! I wonder how long it will be until the government tries to require Christian ministers to “marry” gays.
… already pharmacists in some states are required to sell morning after pills …the government banning bibles for soldiers who want to carry them in Afghanistan? Is the government going to come to catechism class and threaten the teacher…?

on another note I have been re reading your “rough beast” article- may take me a few more times through to get it– but if I am right – the danger is not in the attitude that leads to torturing nature so she can be dominated– but even less respectful than that–redefining nature God bless you

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Wednesday, February 8, AD 2012 11:48pm

[…] well-known author noted just a few days ago how the Nazi Party in Germany instituted similar dictates to its citizenry that was simply […]

Mary@42
Mary@42
Thursday, February 9, AD 2012 1:27am

From this ravaged Continent of Africa, we are supporting you – beloved American Catholics – with Prayers and Divine Mercy Chaplet at the Hour of Great Mercy. Fight courageously and fearlessly. Heaven is on your side.

jim l. sekerak
jim l. sekerak
Thursday, February 9, AD 2012 8:53am

I am heartened to learn about the Bonhoeffer book as it reminds us that democracy not only requires voting but also an understanding of history and philosophy. I recently learned that hole digging is a new and popular sport in Japan. I can’t believe that people sit around and cheer as competitors dig holes (by hand). Then I think about the complacency and ignorance we North Americans show when it comes to various ethical issues and wonder if this sport isn’t a metaphor for we intellectual couch-potatoes of the 21st century?

Ron Dreher
Ron Dreher
Thursday, February 9, AD 2012 7:00pm

I live in Denver and watched the Democratic Convention. Not too close mind you but the press did reveal much though they were not aware of doing such, the revealing of who were the fellow travellers on the ticket, Planned Parenthood, NARAL representatives and others with the same thoughts. So that clearly was a marker that it seems most people did not catch but was clear to myself. So you can only guess what were my choices? I voted for the other guy who I was in Vietnam the same time he was.
I was under fire further south as he was taken his beatings up north.

PM
PM
Thursday, February 9, AD 2012 11:09pm

TShaw, yes control.
The government should not force the Catholic Church to go against it teaching.

Regardless of the other subj. …
which it is using as a LCD tool to confuse enough catholics into not seeing the forest for the trees.

Not seeing that they need to stand and vote for Religious Liberty and Right of Conscience (H.R. 1179 S. 1467) no matter what.

Birth control will be intact. The Church needs everyone’s vote to be able to exist also.

T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Friday, February 10, AD 2012 5:47am

Think of the cruel scourging Our Lord suffered at the pillar and the heavy blows which tore His Sacred Flesh.

I desire a spirit of mortification.

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