Martin Luther
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MARTIN LUTHER: THE RELUCTANT REVOLUTIONARY<br />
PROF. M. M. NINAN<br />
or devilish than a rebel. It is just as when one must kill a mad dog; if you do not strike him,<br />
he will strike you, and a whole land with you...<br />
I will not oppose a ruler who, even though he does not tolerate the Gospel, will smite and punish<br />
these peasants without offering to submit the case to judgment... If anyone thinks this too hard,<br />
let him remember that rebellion is intolerable and that the destruction of the world is to be<br />
expected every hour.<br />
Thomas Müntzer shown on an East Germany bank note issued in 1975.<br />
25 May 1525<br />
<strong>Martin</strong> <strong>Luther</strong>, letter of Nicolaus von Amsdorf<br />
My opinion is that it is better that all the peasants be killed than that the princes and magistrates<br />
perish, because the rustics took the sword without divine authority. The only possible consequence<br />
of their satanic wickedness would be the diabolic devastation of the kingdom of God. Even if the<br />
princes abuse their power, yet they have it of God, and under their rule the kingdom of God at<br />
least has a chance to exist. Wherefore no pity, no tolerance should be shown to the peasants,<br />
but the fury and wrath of God should be visited upon those men who did not heed warning nor<br />
yield when just terms were offered them, but continued with satanic fury to confound everything...<br />
To justify, pity, or favor them is to deny, blaspheme, and try to pull God from heaven.<br />
July 1525<br />
<strong>Martin</strong> <strong>Luther</strong>, An Open Letter Against the Peasants<br />
All my words were against the obdurate, hardened, blinded peasants, who would neither see nor<br />
hear, as anyone may see who reads them; and yet you say that I advocate the slaughter of the<br />
poor captured peasants without mercy.... On the obstinate, hardened, blinded peasants, let no<br />
one have mercy.<br />
They say... that the lords are misusing their sword and slaying too cruelly. I answer: What has that<br />
to do with my book? Why lay others' guilt on me? If they are misusing their power, they have not<br />
learned it from me; and they will have their reward ...<br />
See, then, whether I was not right when I said, in my little book, that we ought to slay the rebels<br />
without any mercy. I did not teach, however, that mercy ought not to be shown to the captives and<br />
those who have surrendered.<br />
73