• testfactor@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    To be fair, one of the big things he “presumed to correct” the church on was indulgences, which I think even the Catholic Church is now like, “yeah, that was bad…”

    • LopensLeftArm@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      Sure, and I never argued otherwise. The fact that he was able to point out an obviously unjust and despicable practice doesn’t detract from his horrible and unconscionable teachings on other subjects.

      • protist@mander.xyz
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        1 year ago

        But how do his teachings compare to others of the time, especially the Catholic Church? If you try to apply 21st Century morality to 16th Century ideas, you are bound to find ideas to consider “unconscionable.” People at large did some absolutely fucked up shit in the past, but in their times much of what they did was a societal norm

        • LopensLeftArm@sh.itjust.works
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          1 year ago

          Other people also having fucked up opinions at the time also don’t justify the truly fucked up opinions and teachings of one specific person.

          • protist@mander.xyz
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            1 year ago

            The social norms and cultural context of the time absolutely matter when you’re reviewing history

            • LopensLeftArm@sh.itjust.works
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              1 year ago

              the act of trying to justify or judge the actions of a someone from 5 centuries ago is doomed to failure.

              Sorry, but that’s horseshit. Teaching something like this:

              If I had to baptize a Jew, I would take him to the bridge of the Elbe, hang a stone round his neck and push him over with the words I baptize thee in the name of Abraham.

              is an objectively reprehensible stance regardless of the cultural context. The rejection of morality, conscience, and Christian teaching by an ordained priest is absolutely worthy of judgment, and the fact that he lived 500 years ago doesn’t change that a bit.

              • howsetheraven@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                It’s reprehensible now, and with the information we have on hand. If his entire worldview was shaped around hating jews, which wasn’t uncommon among gentiles, then that statement is understandable coming from him at that time.

                You need to separate yourself from being a 21st century, moral (at least in this case, I don’t know you), and critically thinking human being that can look in hindsight with centuries of lessons learned.

                You just can’t do that because it will never hold up to today’s standards. In 500 years, putting cheese on bread might be seen as taboo, but you would think that’s ridiculous today. It doesn’t matter how serious or silly the topic is, the point is that it will never compare fairly.

              • protist@mander.xyz
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                1 year ago

                Ok, so you think Martin Luther was “a piece of shit.” So now what? Are you saying the impact he had on western civilization should be ignored? Do you want to erase him from history? What are you trying to accomplish?

                • LopensLeftArm@sh.itjust.works
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                  1 year ago

                  How the hell did you get any of that out of what I said? His impact on Western civilization can’t be ignored, he fractured the Western Church and people should be made aware of the terrible views he espoused so history can rightly regard him as the miserable asshole he was rather than some force for good mythology has made him out to be.