Would you have assassinated Hitler?

[ElijahFalling]

If you could go back in time to 1939, knowing what Hitler was going to do, would you have assassinated him if you had the chance?

I answer yes, I believe killing can be justified if done for the purpose of saving more lives than you're taking - there must be a mathematical net gain - in this case the net gain would have been 5 million.

[twistedsketch]

We got him in the end though. That's a tough call.

[Harlan Norris]

If you could go back in time to 1939, knowing what Hitler was going to do, would you have assassinated him if you had the chance?

I answer yes, I believe killing can be justified if done for the purpose of saving more lives than you're taking - there must be a mathematical net gain - in this case the net gain would have been 5 million.
It is true that Hitler's deeds live in infamy.Still,his reign was part of God's plan.Everything is part of God's plan.If it weren't,God would not be in control.Hitlers life and death were known by God before they ever happened.What should a Christian do?Live according to the gospel.Love God with all your heart and all your strength and all your mind.And love your neighbor as yourself,says Jesus.How does one do this?Well certainly not by assasinating Hitler.He could not die before his time,nor live past it.None of us can.We should be witnessing our faith in the hope that some might be saved.That is what we should be doing.

[TwinCrier]

No. Murder is still a sin.... unless God specifically commanded me to. Then I would obey.

[Desperate4Him2]

I agree with Harlan Norris and Twin Crier! I study prophecy and God has promised that his will is going to be done. Nothing happens that he does not work to his plan, now ours. Thank goodness! Our responsibility is to be open to his instruction!

[Cyberdyne1]

I agree with Harlan Norris and Twin Crier! I study prophecy and God has promised that his will is going to be done. Nothing happens that he does not work to his plan, now ours. Thank goodness! Our responsibility is to be open to his instruction!
I would not...

If I could go back in time, I would find myself 30 years ago and say "Lay off the burgers, just look at you now OINK OINK..."

:cry:

[ElijahFalling]

I would not...

If I could go back in time, I would find myself 30 years ago and say "Lay off the burgers, just look at you now OINK OINK..."

:cry:
At least your skull and bones desktop pattern is cool. :thumbsup:

[NewGuy101]

I think if God wanted to get rid of hitler he would have. A lot of people , especially German themselves try to get rid of him and no one was successful. So based on that, I don't think I would do it, I didn't vote though.:P

[No Swansong]

I would not...

If I could go back in time, I would find myself 30 years ago and say "Lay off the burgers, just look at you now OINK OINK..."

:cry:

I love this post :clap:

[Razorbuck]

If you could go back in time to 1939, knowing what Hitler was going to do, would you have assassinated him if you had the chance?

I answer yes, I believe killing can be justified if done for the purpose of saving more lives than you're taking - there must be a mathematical net gain - in this case the net gain would have been 5 million.
I voted no, without a clearer definition of "assasinate".

The scripture is clear. "Thou shalt not kill, "net mathematical gain" notwithstanding. Now, God has granted nations judgment, so I do not oppose the death penalty or preserving human life through taking human life (I speak here of the military) in a national sense, but I could not just gun down Hitler on my own. If I were a soldier in uniform, that's another matter altogether.

Perhaps if we could have met him as individuals, the proper course would have been to preach Christ to him, eh?

[ElijahFalling]

If I were a soldier in uniform, that's another matter altogether.
How is that any different? You are still an individual performing an action. In truth, there are no abstractions, only people. Abstractions only exist in the imaginations of people, who use them to deny responsibility for their actions.

[Razorbuck]

How is that any different? You are still an individual performing an action. In truth, there are no abstractions, only people. Abstractions only exist in the imaginations of people, who use them to deny responsibility for their actions.

You don't recognize the contrast between killing on your own authority and acting as an agent or representative of a nation or other civil authority? That's disturbing.

Can you define 'abstraction' in the sense you are using it here? I'm having trouble following your meaning.

[ElijahFalling]

You don't recognize the contrast between killing on your own authority and acting as an agent or representative of a nation or other civil authority? That's disturbing.

Can you define 'abstraction' in the sense you are using it here? I'm having trouble following your meaning.
What I mean is, people tend to think of things like governments and corporations and organizations as seperate entities, when in reality such things don't actually have an existence outside of our imaginations - they are just people, the same as you and me.

[No Swansong]

How is that any different? You are still an individual performing an action. In truth, there are no abstractions, only people. Abstractions only exist in the imaginations of people, who use them to deny responsibility for their actions.

I disagree with your contention that government is a human construct.
Actually I believe government to have been established by God. Scripture makes clear that governments have a responsibility to protect their people. Sometimes that protection calls for warfare.

[Razorbuck]

I disagree with your contention that government is a human construct.
Actually I believe government to have been established by God. Scripture makes clear that governments have a responsibility to protect their people. Sometimes that protection calls for warfare.
Exactly. Scripture is clear on that point. Well said.

[ElijahFalling]

I disagree with your contention that government is a human construct.
Actually I believe government to have been established by God. Scripture makes clear that governments have a responsibility to protect their people. Sometimes that protection calls for warfare.
Yeah, like the Antichrist for example. You going to take his mark?

[No Swansong]

How is that any different? You are still an individual performing an action. In truth, there are no abstractions, only people. Abstractions only exist in the imaginations of people, who use them to deny responsibility for their actions.

Yeah, like the Antichrist for example. You going to take his mark?

What is your implication here Elijah Falling?

[ElijahFalling]

What is your implication here Elijah Falling?
To provide a counter-example to the assertion that governments are of God.

[No Swansong]

So your assertion is that the government is the anti-christ? If this is true then why not simply say that?
Why would you not believe that government is ordained by God?

[ElijahFalling]

So your assertion is that the government is the anti-christ? If this is true then why not simply say that?
Why would you not believe that government is ordained by God?
No, I was saying that the when the Antichrist forms his one-world government, it will be an example of a government that is of satan and not of God. Meaning it is not the case that all governments are of God.

[No Swansong]

No, I was saying that the when the Antichrist forms his one-world government, it will be an example of a government that is of satan and not of God. Meaning it is not the case that all governments are of God.

Actually I don't figure that I will be here and I believe the Holy Spirit will be taken away from the earth so there will be no claim that God initiated that particular government. It is true that God has ordained that men will be governed by Governments and those governments have a responsibility and that sometimes that responsibility calls for war.

but hey opinions vary.

[ElijahFalling]

Oh, you believe in pre-trib rapture. I'm not a pre-tribber myself, but I hope I am pleasantly surprised.

I do believe God wants society to be civilized. This is precisely why I believe that totalitarian governments that abuse their power such as Hitler's must be actively opposed if we are to stand up for what is right.

[No Swansong]

No, I was saying that the when the Antichrist forms his one-world government, it will be an example of a government that is of satan and not of God. Meaning it is not the case that all governments are of God.

Oh, you believe in pre-trib rapture. I'm not a pre-tribber myself, but I hope I am pleasantly surprised.

I do believe God wants society to be civilized. This is precisely why I believe that totalitarian governments that abuse their power such as Hitler's must be actively opposed if we are to stand up for what is right.


It appears we are in agreement!

[MaidforHim]

I voted "yes" because there wasn't a "maybe" .... :scratch:

It seems like a simple question to answer, but I would have had to pray about it a lot. God would have had to be leading me in that direction, fueling my desire, making it possible. Obviously that wasn't the road history took, so it must not have been God's will.

I would have voted differently if there was a "maybe" or "other" option... Looking back at what all happened the desire to see Hitler dead and gone would be a strong one for all of us!!!!

[MikeMcK]

If you could go back in time to 1939, knowing what Hitler was going to do, would you have assassinated him if you had the chance?

I answer yes, I believe killing can be justified if done for the purpose of saving more lives than you're taking - there must be a mathematical net gain - in this case the net gain would have been 5 million.

No, but not for the reasons that you would think.

In the long run, the war against Hitler's Germany was good and necessary.

If the Allies had not conquered Germany and divided it amongst themselves, the chances are very good that the Soviet Union would have conquered Germany and it's occupied territories.

Had that happened, it would have been a gateway to Soviet expansion throughout Western Europe, as well as completing Soviet domination in Eastern Europe.

Let's remember that Stalin was much more brutal and killed many more people than Hitler did. The only difference between the two is that Stalin did what he did in secret and Hitler wanted the world to see what he was doing.

Had this happened, many, many millions more people would have been killed and an entire continent oppressed.

After that, the Cold War would have been very, very different for the US. Without the support of NATO and Great Britain, I truly don't know if we could have stopped the Soviets.

Basically, we allowed one evil to prevent a much greater evil.

[ElijahFalling]

No, but not for the reasons that you would think.

In the long run, the war against Hitler's Germany was good and necessary.

If the Allies had not conquered Germany and divided it amongst themselves, the chances are very good that the Soviet Union would have conquered Germany and it's occupied territories.

Had that happened, it would have been a gateway to Soviet expansion throughout Western Europe, as well as completing Soviet domination in Eastern Europe.

Let's remember that Stalin was much more brutal and killed many more people than Hitler did. The only difference between the two is that Stalin did what he did in secret and Hitler wanted the world to see what he was doing.

Had this happened, many, many millions more people would have been killed and an entire continent oppressed.

After that, the Cold War would have been very, very different for the US. Without the support of NATO and Great Britain, I truly don't know if we could have stopped the Soviets.

Basically, we allowed one evil to prevent a much greater evil.
that is a teleological argument, you realize.

[jlujan69]

"Time travel", specifically traveling into the past, is not possible as far as I know. So, if it actually became possible, and an opportunity existed to go back in time, destroy Hitler, and alter history, then I would have to conclude that God allowed this situation to develop. If, as part of the normal course of my duties, I'm presented with the opportunity to kill Hitler, then I'd have to conclude that God allowed me to be brought to this point to make this crucial decision. Because of this, I couldn't automatically assume that God necessarily didn't want Hitler to be killed. I'd have to consider the possibility that this would be a part of God's sovereign plan for the universe--altering history. Even if timeline altering were a part of God's overall plan, things would still turn out ultimately as God ordained in eternity past, my participation in it included. In summary, I'd have to be open to the possibility that the Lord indeed wanted me to kill Hitler and do some heavy praying and seek godly and wise counsel from others. Of course, this is all very hypothetical because I don't believe traveling into the past is possible and I don't see the Bible supporting, even in principle, its possibility.

[cavymom]

I voted NO.

Personally, I think that going back in time and rearranging history is wrong. The Lord is Almighty and Omnipotent, He knows everything. The Lord knows all of history and all the future... we have to trust in God and His wisdom.

IF Hitler had been killed (and he did survive an assassination attempt), if hitler was killed before he killed even one person during his reign of terror... Israel would NOT have been formed according to prophecy.

May 14, 1948 Israel became a nation in one day.

Isaiah 66:8 Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children.

Jeremiah 1:4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

[IndyRider]

It is true that Hitler's deeds live in infamy.Still,his reign was part of God's plan.Everything is part of God's plan.If it weren't,God would not be in control.Hitlers life and death were known by God before they ever happened.What should a Christian do?Live according to the gospel.Love God with all your heart and all your strength and all your mind.And love your neighbor as yourself,says Jesus.How does one do this?Well certainly not by assasinating Hitler.He could not die before his time,nor live past it.None of us can.We should be witnessing our faith in the hope that some might be saved.That is what we should be doing.
So, if you were to go ahead and assasinate Hitler would your choice be a part of God's plan that He knew before the world was created?

[RGL1]

I believe God requires the death penalty for murder, it's a matter of justice, obedience to God, and loving our neighbor and society enough to keep them safe.

"Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.
Genesis 9:6

Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
Matthew 26:52

If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.
Revelation 13:10

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.
Romans 13:3-4

[CardinalBaseball]

No. I would not change any part of history.

[tamtam92]

That's a difficult question that people like Bonhoeffer had to deal with.

Personnally i can't take the responsibility of killing people. Anyway, i would have a lot of work if i wanted to kill people that i believe to be dangerous!

And if you look at History, many attempts were made to assassinate Hitler, and all failed (some by miraculous happenstance). Clearly it wasn't God's will that he be killed that way.

[ScottF]

This is a tough one. Isn't there a whole episode from the old television show "The Twilight Zone" done about this very subject.

[Adammi]

No.

[cubanito]

Tough question, having voted yes I now wish I'd voted no after reading the posts here.

There were many evil forces contending for the heart of Germany. Even if you got rid of all the Nasi and SA, that might have handed Germany over to the communists, an Stalin killed off even more than Hitler.

I regret my vote of yes.

JR