   |
|
Handout #152 |
|
The Peasant's War or, Different interpretations of scripture |
| The poor German peasants rose against the
nobles in the name of the gospel. Luther, somewhat conservative in the
social sphere, was frightened by such a reading of scripture. He wanted to
calm. things down, but when he did not succeed, for fear that his message
would be distorted, he called on the nobles to exterminate the peasants
without mercy. At their head they had a priest who was an enthusiast for
the Lutheran reform, Thomas Muntzer saw the gospel as a message addressed
to the poor, and felt that the doctors, like Luther, had monopolized it
and the nobility had distorted its meaning. Muntzer was captured and
tortured, and beheaded in 1525 A.D.
Poor people in need are deceived in an unspeakable way. With all their words and all their actions the doctors see to it that the poor man, preoccupied with his concern for food, cannot learn to read, and they have the impudence to preach that he must allow himself to be flayed and plucked by the tyrants. So when will he be able to learn to read? The doctors turn scripture into a covering which prevents the true nature of the Christian faith from shining in the eyes of the whole world. Nevertheless, even someone who has never seen the Bible or heard speak of it, would not be in any less of a position, thanks to the true teaching of the Spirit, to have an authentic faith, of the kind that those had who wrote holy scripture without the help of any book. That is why it is necessary to put down the mighty, the proud and the impious from their thrones because they are in themselves and throughout the world an obstacle to the true and holy Christian faith which seeks to spread throughout the world in all its original authentic nature. If only the poor censured peasants knew that, how it could benefit them! God scorned the great lords like Herod, Caiaphas and Annas and welcomed to his service the humble like Mary, Zachariah and Elizabeth ... They were not the bigwigs with prestigious titles which the church of the impious possesses today. The filthy source of usury, of theft and brigandage, is our princes and lords, who appropriate all creatures: the fish in the water, the birds in the air, the plants in the earth - all must belong to them (Isaiah 5.8). After that they proclaim the commandment of God among the poor and say: 'God has ordained: thou shalt not steal ... Anyone who commits the least crime must be hung, and Dr. Liar (Luther) says 'Amen'. Sleep calmly, my chunk of meat!* If the devil has to eat you (Ezekiel 24.3-13) I would prefer it to be in the pan and the oven (what a sweet smell!) In your pride by the divine wrath (Jer.1. 13) than by your stewing in your own juice. But your meat is that of an ass; you would take along time to cook, and the dish would be leathery for the milk teeth of your friends.*The reference is to Luther. Let him who can strike, strike. You rush at a mad dog and kill him; otherwise, he kills you and a whole country with you. That is a terrible thing. They hide their crimes under the cloak of the gospel. Let authority do its duty. Wherever the peasant does not heed reason, let the authority seize the sword and strike. Every prince here is a servant of God. The time of mercy is past it is the time of the sword and of anger. at a strange time it is in which a prince can gain heaven by shedding blood, as others gain it by their prayers! Do not forget that among these peasants there are a large number of misguided souls who are dragged along by force. At all costs they must be delivered and saved. That is why you must strike and slaughter. If you lose your life, you are happy, and could not desire a better death. Against the murdering and pillaging peasants (1525 A.D.). |
