Hate Groups’ Danger To America

 

Hating righteous and godly people has been a part of life for many millennia--maybe from the beginning of the human family.  While the word “hate” is not used of Cain, is there any doubt he hated his brother?  The sacred record says, “Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose against Abel his brother, and slew him” (Gen. 4:8).  The very first time the word “hate” appears in the King James Version the Bible is in connection with Jacob and Esau.  Jacob and his mother conspired to rob Esau of his inheritance.  “And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will slay my brother” (Gen. 27:41).  Jacob made a foolish mistake in showing favoritism toward Joseph.  He “loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors.  And when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably with him.  And Joseph dreamed a dream, and told it to his brothers: and they hated him yet the more.  And his brothers said to him, Shall you indeed reign over us?  Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?  And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words” (Gen. 37:3-5, 8).

 

Several hundred years later, king Ahab of Israel asked king Jehoshaphat of Judah if he would join with the army of Israel in attempting to recapture Ramoth-Gilead from the king of Syria.  Jehoshaphat asked Ahab to consult the prophets of God to ascertain if the battle had God’s approval.  Ahab gathered four hundred court prophets to ask them if he had God’s permission to march against Ramoth-Gilead.  The prophets apparently were Ahab’s “yes men.”  The prophets told Ahab to go to hide and the Lord would give him the victory.  For some reason, Jehoshaphat did not believe the court prophets were speaking of God He asked Ahab, “Is there not here another prophet besides, that we might inquire of him?”  Ahab replied, in effect, yes, there is another prophet, “Micaiah the son of Imalah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.  And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so” (1 Kings 22:4-8).  Incidentally, Ahab also hated Elijah, although the word “hate” is not used in the biblical story of Elijah and Ahab.  And can you imagine how much Jezebel hated Elijah?  It must have been about the same amount Hillary Clinton hated Judge Kenneth Starr and the so-called “vast right wing conspiracy.”

 

In the last twenty-five or thirty years, hate groups have proliferated at an alarming rate in the United States.  They have viciously attacked the nation that has granted them the greatest freedom of any nation on the face of God’s earth; in fact, the only nation on earth that would grant them the freedom to cause so much strife and confusion.  If such groups had existed in the former Soviet Union, they would have been wiped off the face of the earth.  Oh, I am aware that the communists used anarchists to stir up trouble in Russia so the communists could take over the government.  But as soon as the communists had gained control of Russia, they killed the anarchists.  The communists knew their revolution would not and could not succeed while the anarchistic troublemakers were still alive.  So they killed anarchists by the thousands.  Boris Pasternak’s novel, Dr. Shivago, and the movie based on the novel stress that fact.

A few days ago I received hate mail from the state of Texas.  I realize that the letter does not represent the good people in Texas.  Instead of a return address on the letter, these words appear where the return address was supposed to be: “Abort our Cowardly, Kosher, 501-C3 Preacher.”  In case you are wondering, I am that cowardly, Kosher, 501-C3 preacher,” although I am not involved in a 501-C3 arrangement.  Before I examine some of the leaflets this cowardly hatemonger sent me, I need to comment on what he wrote about the “cowardly, Kosher, 501-C3 preacher.”  If I were cowardly, I would keep my name secret from my radio audience.  I would do just what my Texas correspondent did--write a letter and keep my name from appearing anywhere in the letter.  I do not claim to be brave, but I do not hesitate to speak out publicly on the moral evils of our day, including the destructive hatemongering that comes from the white supremacist groups, such as, the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Nations, the so-called “Christian Identity Movement,” the Patriot Movement and similar ungodly, un-American and unchristian organizations.

 

If you have any doubt about the enormous damage these hate groups do, just think about Timothy James McVeigh and James Nichols.  These two men killed 168 innocent men, women and children--19 children whom Timothy McVeigh described as “collateral damage.”  And McVeigh lied when he said he did not know there were children in the federal building in Oklahoma City.  McVeigh claimed to have been motivated by the tragedies of Waco and Ruby Ridge.  I do not know all the circumstances surrounding Waco and Ruby Ridge, but I know and so do all right-thinking people--that killing 168 people is not the way to right the wrongs that were done, if indeed wrongs were committed.  Timothy McVeigh was simply looking for an excuse to take revenge against the government, particularly against Janet Reno.  He unquestionably was desperately searching for any excuse and found it when the government raided the Branch Dividian compound.  I so not wish to defend the government’s actions at Waco or at Ruby Ridge, but what Timothy McVeigh and James Nichols did was immeasurably worse than what the government did.  After all, David Koresh was a criminal.  And anyone who defends the actions of mass murderers like McVeigh and Nichols are guilty of supporting two of the worst criminals of all time.  Some of the lawyers who defended McVeigh made me sick at my stomach when they implied that he was just a misunderstood good ole’ boy.  He was a vicious killer who deserved to die for his heinous deed.  I sincerely hope McVeigh’s execution sent a chilling message to other hate mongers.

 

I reserve the right to criticize governments--ours as well as others--but murdering 168 people from a heart of hate and anger does nothing to correct the mistake our government has made and is making.  There are avenues we can use for making our government more responsive to the needs and desires of the American people.  In America, we can vote men and women in and out of office. We can use petitions, boycotts, letter-writing campaigns and prayers.  Yes, I said prayers.  Paul commanded a young preacher: I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all who are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Tim. 2:1-2).

 

The letter writer referred to me as “Kosher” because he probably believes I endorse what the nation of Israel has done and is doing.  He could not be more wrong.  I do not share John Hagee’s belief that God blesses modern nations as a consequence of their treatment of Israel.  That was unquestionably true when the Jewish nation was God’s elect people.  It is not true any more.  In fact, the nation God chose to be his elect nation does not even exist today.  It came to an end when Titus and the Roman army destroyed Israel.  Israel does not enjoy any blessing or honor that is not available to every other nation on earth.  Besides, the modern nation of Israel has taken billions and billions of dollars from the United States and yet sent spies into our country.  In my judgment, Israel is not a friend of this nation, except when it is paid to be.  I strongly oppose the Arab’s intention to drive Israel into the sea, but Israel has no greater reason to exist than any other nation.  Israel is a strongly secular society.  And the premillennial view that Israel will eventually be converted to Christ is a serious misreading of scripture.

 

There is much in the packet of material I received I would like to discuss with you, but I shall devote the rest of our time to one little leaflet that has no name and no title--a fact hard to understand when the sender calls me a cowardly preacher.  Please listen to these unbelievable stupid observations--observations no knowledgeable person could possibly make.  “Since the 1950’s Adolph Hitler has been portrayed by “our Jewish controlled media as the reincarnation of the devil.  Adolph Hitler and Robert E. Lee were the most morally pure historical figures in the last two centuries.  Hitler’s ‘sin’ was he choked the communistic Jews (Jews’ religion is communism) loose from control of Germany and set them to work.”

 

The cowardly author of this brief statement describes the American media as being Jewish controlled.  Of course, he provides no evidence for his foolish accusation.  Are there newspapers, television and radio stations that are controlled by Jews?  It would be strange indeed if that were not the case, but to insist that the American media are Jewish controlled cannot be proved.  But even if that were the case, would that mean the media would be more biased against Hitler and his cruel regime that media not controlled by the Jews?  I have no doubt many media outlets are biased in favor of liberal politics and religion, but that does not mean that the media are Jewish controlled.

 

Have the media portrayed Adolph Hitler as the reincarnation of the devil?  I have never heard or read that kind of language.  But there is not even the slightest doubt that the devil was thrilled and exhilarated by every move Hitler made.  Except for some of the Communist leaders, like Stalin, Castro, Poll Pot and Mao Tse Tung, there probably has never been a more thoroughly evil person on the face of God’s earth than Adolph Hitler.  He despised major portions of the human race, New Testament Christianity and the inspired word of God.  How could it have been otherwise when his chief influence in philosophy had been Friedrich Nietzsche and his favorite musician Richard Wagner?  A careful reading of his book, Mein Kampf, will convince any honest person that Adolph Hitler was under the devil’s influence.  So were all those Germans who followed the evil schemes of Hitler.  So are modern anti-Semites and white supremacists who exalt Hitler as if he were a saint.  How could Americans follow and honor Hitler in view of the great losses American families suffered because of Hitler’s beliefs and practices?  Thousands of American boys would be living today were it not for the greed and ambition of Hitler and the Nazi army.

 

One of the strangest incidents in my life as a preacher occurred about twenty years ago in Memphis, Tennessee, after I had delivered some lectures on the so-called Women’s Liberation Movement.  A fellow gospel preacher said to me: “What we really need in this country is a man like Hitler.  He would straighten out the mess that exists in our country.”  His comments absolutely shocked me.  For once in my life, I could not find the appropriate words to respond to that preacher’s comments.  If we had a ruler like Hitler, he would kill hundred of thousands of Americans--homosexuals, hundreds in the media, hundreds of thousands in America’s churches--in fact, anyone who opposed the prevailing philosophy.  To deny that fact shows great ignorance of historical events in the 20th century.

 

The author of the leaflet I am reviewing calls Adolph Hitler and Robert E. Lee the most morally pure historical figures in the last two centuries.”   I have no inclination to discuss General Robert E. Lee except to say: His fighting to keep human beings in abject slavery was evil--completely and inexcusably evil.  I hate slavery as much as I hate Nazism.  Come to think of it, Nazism was one of the worst systems of slavery ever known to the human family.  And how could some of the most brilliant minds in the world buy into Hitler’s philosophy?  Medical doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, military leaders, and other intellectuals swallowed Hitler’s philosophy hook, line and sinker.”  They joined in the slaughter of millions and millions of human beings.  If any part of hell is hotter than any other part, surely the hottest part will be reserved for Hitler, for his henchmen and for modern people who exalt and promote the worst hatred known to man.

 

I wonder what standards the author of the leaflet used for insisting that “Robert E. Lee and Adolph Hitler were the most morally pure historical figures of the last two centuries?”  Could it be that the more innocent people a ruler kills the more morally pure the hatemongers believe he is?  If that is the standard, Hitler qualifies as morally pure since he was responsible for the killing of some twenty million people during World War II.  He also shares some of the responsibility for the murder of 168 people in Oklahoma City.  Timothy McVeigh apparently thought Hitler was a great leader and killed those people--not only in the United States--but in Europe as well.  I am absolutely baffled that anyone would honor a vicious, cruel and bloodthirsty killer like Hitler.  Was he morally pure?  If Satan has ever had a more obedient servant than Hitler, I would not know who it was.

 

The leaflet says that Hitler’s “sin” was that he choked the communistic Jews loose from Germany and set them to work.  The word “sin” is in quotation marks.  Did Hitler hate the communists?  He hated them with a passion because they had the potential to do as much evil as he did.  But were the Jews of Nazi Germany communists?  Some of them probably were, but to call them communists has no basis in fact.  Millions of Jews hated communism as much as they hated Nazism.  Both systems were anti-Semitic and are today.  The number of Jews who were killed under communist regimes will never be known in this world, but the numbers are very disturbing.  To call the Jews’ religion “communism” defies good sense.

 

On the back of the little leaflet are these words “Hitler never killed unborn babies--just commies.”  Did the writer mean that Hitler never personally aborted unborn babies?  Although we have no way of knowing that, I doubt if he ever assisted a woman in having an abortion.  But Germany began to abort babies as early as 1909.  One of the reasons many Germans aborted babies was to keep the German nation from being free from mentally and physically handicapped people.  The eugenic movement had been in progress long before Hitler came on the scene, but he did nothing to bring a halt to it.  In addition, he supported the killing of sick old people and handicapped children.  One child with badly modeled ears was put to death.

 

If the hate groups who think Hitler was some kind of a god would just bother to read the works of reputable scholars, they would not make such grievous errors of judgment.  One of the most disturbing books ever written on the bigotry and cruelty of Nazism has title, The German Euthanasia Program (Cincinnati: Hayes Publishing Co., Inc.).  Dr. Fredric Wertham, an American psychiatrist, wrote the book.  The little book was originally chapters eight and nine of a larger book with the title, A Sign of Cain.  According to Dr. Wertham, the express purpose of the German Euthanasia Program was not specifically to kill Jews and other non-Aryans, but “to purify the German race by direct killing off of pure blooded German citizens who were physically, emotionally, or mentally defective” (p.3).  Dr. Wertham says the Nazis killed Jews, gypsies, Slavs, prisoners of war and undesirable civilians.  They may have confined as many as 7,500,000 to concentration camps.  A bare of 500,000 of those people survived.  Most reputable scholars believe that between 5,000,000 and 6,000,000 Jews in concentration camps and outside were brutally killed--either gassed or shot or starved or killed in some other way (pp. 8-9).

 

Adolph Hitler sent the following letter to Dr. Brandt, Hitler’s personal physician: You are “responsibly commissioned to extend the authority of physicians, to be designated by name, so that a mercy death may be granted to patients who according to human judgment are incurably ill according to the most critical evaluation of the state of their disease” (p. 38).  The Nazis with Adolph Hitler’s permission killed 275,000 German old people.  They euthanized their own old people as if they were euthanizing dogs or cats.  And that is morally pure?

 

Dr. David Rausch’s book, A Legacy of Hatred: Why Christians Must Not Forget the Holocaust (Chicago: Moody Press, 1984), points out that German murder squads used children for target practice.  They smashed infants’ heads against the wall to hear them pop (p. 4).  Dr. Rausch quotes these chilling words from Hitler’s book, Mein Kampf: “This also is only a touchstone for the value of the race, and that race which does not pass the test will die and make room for races healthier or at least tougher and of greater resistance” (p. 6).

 

If time permitted, I would like to review a number of other books about the Holocaust, such as, Helen Epstein’s book, Children of the Holocaust: Conversations With Sons and Daughters of Survivors (New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1979), Dr. Robert Jay Lifton’s masterpiece, The Nazi Doctors: Medical Killing and the Psychology of Genocide (New York: Basic Books, Inc., Pubishers 1986) and others, but time will not permit it today.

 

I close with a very simple question: Where were the churches when all of the brutality was going on? 

 

Winford Claiborne

The International Gospel Hour

P.O. Box 118

Fayetteville, TN 37334

 

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