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Once a christian, always a christian

We Never Know

No Slack
Take the atheist argument of since Hitler was raised a christian he stayed a christian. Does that hold any truth?

If that's true how many of you here are really atheists? I mean if you were raised a christian/in a religion, doesn't that mean you are still that?
 

Lain

Well-Known Member
Take the atheist argument of since Hitler was raised a christian he stayed a christian. Does that hold any truth?

If that's true how many of you here are really atheists? I mean if you were raised a christian/in a religion, doesn't that mean you are still that?

That's an argument atheists use? To what end? What does that even mean?
 

an anarchist

Your local anarchist.
Take the atheist argument of since Hitler was raised a christian he stayed a christian. Does that hold any truth?

If that's true how many of you here are really atheists? I mean if you were raised a christian/in a religion, doesn't that mean you are still that?
This has been a question that’s been on my mind as of late. As I have not been praying to God or doing any spiritual practice for a couple months now. I’ll wonder if I die today, if that will effect my judgement? Do I need to die while being close to God? What if I die while I’ve strayed? Once a Christian, always a Christian? A good question :^]
 

Audie

Veteran Member
Take the atheist argument of since Hitler was raised a christian he stayed a christian. Does that hold any truth?

If that's true how many of you here are really atheists? I mean if you were raised a christian/in a religion, doesn't that mean you are still that?
I was never a christian.
Never believed in any god / religion.
People raised as christians who say the became atheists, then returned...i dont
accept that they ever were atheists.
Teenage rebellion, then back to the old familiar is more likely.
A Viet ex catholic of my acquaintance is like an
ex - smoker, very against.

Of course in trying to generalize is what they
call " fraught".
 

anna.

but mostly it's the same
Take the atheist argument of since Hitler was raised a christian he stayed a christian. Does that hold any truth?

If that's true how many of you here are really atheists? I mean if you were raised a christian/in a religion, doesn't that mean you are still that?

I've not seen that argument used by atheists, I have seen it used by anti-Catholic Christians when saying Hitler was a Catholic.

I've regularly seen the reverse though, aka the no true Christian fallacy, usually used by Christians who explain away the bad behavior of other professed Christians by saying "well, that just proves they were never really a Christian anyway."

I go with what people themselves say. If they call themselves Christian, I take them at that. If they say they once were and are no more, I take them at that.
 

Wildswanderer

Veteran Member
Take the atheist argument of since Hitler was raised a christian he stayed a christian. Does that hold any truth?

If that's true how many of you here are really atheists? I mean if you were raised a christian/in a religion, doesn't that mean you are still that?
I don't see how it applies to Hitler. Being raised in a religion doesn't automatically make you a believer.
And of course people's beliefs can change. Many athiests become believers and vice versa.
 

We Never Know

No Slack
This has been a question that’s been on my mind as of late. As I have not been praying to God or doing any spiritual practice for a couple months now. I’ll wonder if I die today, if that will effect my judgement? Do I need to die while being close to God? What if I die while I’ve strayed? Once a Christian, always a Christian? A good question :^]

I can't answer that. Some will try but only a god knows.
 

We Never Know

No Slack
I've not seen that argument used by atheists, I have seen it used by anti-Catholic Christians when saying Hitler was a Catholic.

I've regularly seen the reverse though, aka the no true Christian fallacy, usually used by Christians who explain away the bad behavior of other professed Christians by saying "well, that just proves they were never really a Christian anyway."

I go with what people themselves say. If they call themselves Christian, I take them at that. If they say they once were and are no more, I take them at that.

Ive seen it both ways
 

lukethethird

unknown member
Take the atheist argument of since Hitler was raised a christian he stayed a christian. Does that hold any truth?

If that's true how many of you here are really atheists? I mean if you were raised a christian/in a religion, doesn't that mean you are still that?
Hitler never denounced his Christianity.
 

Sgt. Pepper

All you need is love.
Take the atheist argument of since Hitler was raised a christian he stayed a christian. Does that hold any truth?

If that's true how many of you here are really atheists? I mean if you were raised a christian/in a religion, doesn't that mean you are still that?

I tried to be a Christian for 30 years, while I willingly ignored the moral conflict I felt between believing in a loving God and suffering the ongoing emotional trauma of severe childhood abuse. It took me almost three decades to come to terms with the fact that I'll be okay if I'm not a Christian. It took me a very long time to overcome the guilt and fear of turning away from God, but I made it. I turned completely away from the Christian faith last year, so I don't consider myself to be a Christian anymore. I haven't prayed to God or regularly attended church or read the Bible in months. It took me several months to detox from Christianity, but I'm glad I separated myself from it. Honestly, I don't regret my decision to forsake my faith, and I don't feel guilty and afraid anymore, either. If anything, I feel liberated, and at peace. I've been in what I call a "spiritual limbo" for the last few months, but I'm okay with it.
 

SomeRandom

Still learning to be wise
Staff member
Premium Member
Can I ask, what this atheist argument involving Hitler’s religious upbringing entails specifically?

Yeah he was raised Catholic iirc. Yeah the Nazis used a lot of Christian imagery, symbolism and even phrases everywhere. In addition to appropriated (and some would argue, defiled) pagan imagery/symbols.
So? What am I missing?

Incidentally Hitler did privately lament the weakness apparently inherent in Christianity. A religion that he and his people “inherited.”

So I guess he didn’t like Christianity in private. Or more specifically didn’t like the more “peaceful” elements of Jesus’ teachings. That doesn’t equate to him choosing to leave Christianity though.
I don’t know if he even could officially denounce it. To do so publicly at the time probably would not have been taken very well by his supporters. At least his inner circle. Gobbles probably could have spun it to the public but eh.
 
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We Never Know

No Slack
Can I ask, what this atheist argument involving Hitler’s religious upbringing entails specifically?

Yeah he was raised Catholic iirc. Yeah the Nazis used a lot of Christian imagery, symbolism and even phrases everywhere. In addicted to appropriated (and some would argue defiled) pagan imagery/symbols.
So? What am I missing?

Incidentally Hitler did privately lament the weakness apparently inherent in Christianity. A religion that he and his people “inherited.”

So I guess he didn’t like Christianity in private. I don’t know if he ever officially denounced it. To do so publicly at the time probably would not have been taken very well by his supporters. At least his inner circle. Gobbles probably could have spun it to the public but eh.

From what I have read in history Hitler tried to use Christianity to his favor to gain trust v and popularity but in reality he despised it.
I've just seen several here argue Hitler was a christian, therefore christianity is bad.
 
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Orbit

I'm a planet
I've never heard an atheist say that Hitler wasn't Christian, because well, he was, and promoted Christian nationalism of a Nazi variety in Germany. Where do you get your information for this bizarre claim? I was raised Christian, and renounced it. Hitler never renounced it. You seem to be really confused about Nazi Germany.
 

We Never Know

No Slack
I tried to be a Christian for 30 years, while I willingly ignored the moral conflict I felt between believing in a loving God and suffering the ongoing emotional trauma of severe childhood abuse. It took me almost three decades to come to terms with the fact that I'll be okay if I'm not a Christian. It took me a very long time to overcome the guilt and fear of turning away from God, but I made it. I turned completely away from the Christian faith last year, so I don't consider myself to be a Christian anymore. I haven't prayed to God or regularly attended church or read the Bible in months. It took me several months to detox from Christianity, but I'm glad I separated myself from it. Honestly, I don't regret my decision to forsake my faith, and I don't feel guilty and afraid anymore, either. If anything, I feel liberated, and at peace. I've been in what I call a "spiritual limbo" for the last few months, but I'm okay with it.

Sorry for your turmoil. Only we know who we are and can make our own choices.
Finding ourselves, getting out from under the thumb of others, is the best liberating thing we can do in my opinion..which goes back to where I say people should live their life and let others live theirs.
 

SomeRandom

Still learning to be wise
Staff member
Premium Member
From what I have read in history Hitler tried to use Christianity to his favor but in reality he despised it.
I've just seen several here argue Hitler was a christian, therefore christianity is bad.
Oh I see. Yeah Hitler weirdly enough praised Islam because he saw it more as a “warrior’s religion” more than Christianity.
And yeah, claiming Christianity is bad because Hitler was Christian is a clear Godwin. A logical fallacy that ironically is mocked by Atheists, normally.
 

We Never Know

No Slack
I've never heard an atheist say that Hitler wasn't Christian, because well, he was, and promoted Christian nationalism of a Nazi variety in Germany. Where do you get your information for this bizarre claim? I was raised Christian, and renounced it. Hitler never renounced it. You seem to be really confused about Nazi Germany.

How many links do you want?

Nazi persecution of the Catholic Church in Germany - Wikipedia

Religious views of Adolf Hitler - Wikipedia

Word for Word/The Case Against the Nazis; How Hitler's Forces Planned To Destroy German Christianity (Published 2002)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/04/20/hitler-hated-judaism-he-loathed-christianity-too/
 

Warborg

New Member
I believe it's how you act.

Say a killer walks into a church and says he's suddenly a christian. For a week he does all the christian things, then he goes out and kills again. Then goes back to church again, then once again kills with no attempts to change himself. Then no I would not consider them to be a christian.
 

We Never Know

No Slack
I believe it's how you act.

Say a killer walks into a church and says he's suddenly a christian. For a week he does all the christian things, then he goes out and kills again. Then goes back to church again, then once again kills with no attempts to change himself. Then no I would not consider them to be a christian.

Same as most people in prison who claim to be a christian while in prison then are no longer a christian when they get out.
 
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