Have you ever seen one of those blog posts which show stupid church signs?
Here is the dumbest church sign ever… A church in Alabama decided to put up a billboard… quoting Hitler!?
No, this does not appear to be a hoax. No, the image has not been photoshopped. A ministry in Alabama truly put up this billboard. Here is a news article about it.
Try to put yourself in the mind of whoever designed this billboard… what were they thinking? Did they think it was a good idea to quote Hitler? Did they think that he had a good point, even if it was Hitler? Are they saying that even Hitler got some things right? Are they maybe trying to say that we should protect our kids from leaders like Hitler?
Anyway, all I can do is sigh…
Credit goes to Zack Hunt at The American Jesus for finding this…
Here is my $.01 worth of comments….1. I don’t agree with Hitler and what he did during his reign of terror. But it is interesting…it’s what we do with truth that makes things loving, or hating…..
Well I mean, yea hitler was a freak and has a bad connotation, but doesn’t mean the quote isn’t good. What he said is true! That’s a good quote! Just like when people say “ugh, don’t quote Joel Osteen” why not if it’s a good quote? Just because you don’t like the person doesn’t mean the quote isn’t good and true.
Exactly. The kneejerk EMOTIONAL responses of people blow me away. As though just mentioning Hitler’s name is somehow evil in and of itself. George W Bush was painted as Hitler, called Hitler and even an assassination movie made about him- produced in Canada and shown in the USA- and nary a peep from most folks. But Christians compare and contrast a Biblical truth (how one brings up a child) with a quote from an evil man who brainwashed millions in Germany to follow an evil path of destruction and we are doing something evil. This nonsense and over emotional responses to things is becoming epidemic. I ask Christians to use their minds and ignore these appeals to kneejerk emotional diatribes. We need to become adults in our responses and quit following the world’s over reactions.
The context here has nothing to do with contrast. Just look at the design of the billboard. The font choice alone shows that the creators of the ad had no intentions of painting Hitler in a negative light; the bloody history associated with Hitler was invoked in absolutely no way in this sign. Not to mention the happy, smiling children. If anything, the Biblical quote seems to be -supporting- the Hitler quote preceding it. Whether or not that was the intent of the billboard is irrelevant, because that’s what the design (and thus the context) of the billboard says.
Why anyone would think Hitler was a person that should be quoted in any sort of positive way to support -or- contrast Biblical teachings for parents and children is beyond me. You simply cannot separate the man from the emotional response his name elicits–he’s responsible for one of the worst acts of human suffering in history. Looking past that fact is spitting in the face of the millions of people who were tortured and killed by his orders, as well as the thousands of American and Ally soldiers who laid down their lives to stop him. To say otherwise shows a staggering sense of entitlement and lack of empathy.
I believe you are totally off base. Contrast is the WHOLE point of it. To not see that defies understanding why a quote like that would be used. To say it was in bad taste is one thing. The obvious intent was one of contrast. The font size has everything to do with the contrast as a quote by Hitler and the associated history of his reign is being utilized to show the importance of how a child is inculcated with values. To suggest the church wants to put Hitler in a positive light is a stretch on many levels- 1st off the obvious history associated with his name, the fact this is a Christian church doing the contrast and the fact that any positive reference to Hitler would be suicidal. To say it was in bad taste would be potentially accurate in many peoples minds. To state the church had some nefarious agenda for promoting Hitler is a stretch I dont believe many would make. But hey everyone has an opinion. I guess if the KKK put it out I could see your point.
Yes! That is what I was trying to say. You nailed it, Kyle.
To associate a quote from Hitler with the raising of children is stupid.
Hitler said it and did it. The point is what you inculcate in your children comes to fruition later in life. That doesn’t lift up Hitler it just states a fact of life. The biblical quote that follows gives the context of the quote. Read the WHOLE billboard in CONTEXT to get the meaning. If the quote was made in isolation with no biblical contrast then people would have a legitimate point.
I’ve read it Mark in CONTEXT. I still think it was a stupid move.
Michelle you are free to say its stupid. I am free to say its true. Stupid is an opinion but truth is a matter of evidence.
Question? Is the statement true? Hitler was an evil monster. BUT a statement can be true not matter the source. The inability of this culture to think is mind boggling. The quote wasn’t meant to extol Hitler- quite the opposite. People wake up and use your brains. The message on the board was used as a contrast.
I’m from alabama and I don’t allow this message! Hitler should never be in the same breath as a positive message! Even this message sounds like brain washing! They have taken it down from what I heard.
Michael – whether you like it or not IS IT TRUE? Is the way you raise a child important. Hitler was an major historical figure who brainwashed a generation of people, so was Stalin and Pol Pot and Mao And Castro and others. Children were led to believe outright lies and turned NOT TO GOD but to the state and atheism or the occult for meaning. Out of these men and their philosophies over 130 million people were murdered and countless tortured. Hitler focused on the youth. The billboard contrasted that with the biblical injunction to raise up a child in God’s way. How that can be taken as a positive for Hitler is beyond me. I mean when a demon came out of a person in the Bible and declared Christ the Son Of God should we get rid of the passage because a demon spoke it? Makes no sense the way people are misinterpreting this.
I think people would rather embrace an inspirational message from a person who’s life reflected the message without too much of a disturbance to distract from the meaning. That’s why this sign provokes aversion.
I cannot believe the response to this. The billboard was used as a CONTRAST! Hitler was correct about THIS STATEMENT- NOT ABOUT WHAT HE DID- He did gain the minds of the youth of Germany! The contrast was with God’s Word- raising up a children to know God or raise up a child to know evil. I SIGH that the plain meaning of this is so blatantly missed. Perhaps its in poor taste but come on- its not NOT LIFTING UP HITLER.
Mark, using a verse from Scripture to give murderous, violent Hitler context is the problem.
Well if that were true I would agree. The context is about children and what they learn. In Nazi Germany they learned from Hitler that the state was god- the state being Germany and the race (that being Aryan) was god. They taught the children at a young age. As far as murderous violent Hitler given context- please read your Bible- many murderers and Satan himself are given context. The problem with people today is they want sunshine and bright skies all the time and the warnings of scripture and life are ignored because people want to FEEL GOOD. We are raising a generation incapable of seeing evil in its true light. When men place themselves or the state above God we are in trouble.
Satan is evil NOT STUPID. Hitler was evil NOT STUPID. The point is not giving Hitler props. The point is Satan will steal our children if we don’t raise them up in the Lord. The billboard in no way extols Hitler.—Many Christians today dont want to hear about hell, or Satan or anything negative. One of the goals of the enemy is to deny evil and to gather everyone under a flag of universalism and not focus on JESUS BEING THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE- The message of Christ will bring persecution. I bring this up because what I am increasingly seeing and hearing is a desire to fit in with the culture and not contrast with it. Because a billboard isn’t all sunny and positive people become emotionally bent out of shape and the truth is less and less important. Yes speak the truth in love but do not love without the truth. The truth is you raise a child up in secular society with deteriorating values and a focus upon government as the answer you are going to reap a whirlwind. God values children. Satan and Hitler and Mao and Castro and other despots know that and work to destroy their young minds early. That is the point of the billboard.
I’m from Alabama, and nothing here concerning Christianity surprises me anymore…
Great comments. I am with what most everyone else said. It is just a quote…a good one at that. Evil wants the minds of our children so it is our job to train our children to follow God. I like the contrast. I like the billboard. I was born and raised in Alabama though. 😉
They were not thinking.
That is how Hitler was able to dominate his people. If the church shows His children how much God loves them He alone will own the youth and their future. I think that is the point they were trying to get across.
I’m not especially a fan of the billboard but I agree with Cindy. Somebody has the youth. It’s worth thinking about who.
I doubt Hitler’s quote is a good quote.
First “owning” the youth is not possible and Hitler’s future was very short lived. Youth can be “indoctrinated”, as Hitler did, and as many congregations try to do, but winning their hearts through love is much more powerful and long lasting.
Many, many youth who were indoctrinated or “trained up in the way they should go” have since departed from that teaching. To really gain the future the youth need to be loved unconditionally and convinced that God loves them unconditionally.
The truth with love. Truth without love is condemnation. Love without the truth is hypocrisy.
Why do you equate truth with condemnation?
Jesus said ” I am the truth.”
He also said, “The Son of Man did not come to condemn the world, but to save it.”
The truth without love is condemnation. (CS Lewis and others stated this and it is biblical) IE: God has stated we are sinners deserving of death (TRUTH) He sent His Son to die for us (LOVE)- the first would be death for us without the second.
>First “owning” the youth is not possible
That literally depends upon how “owning’ is defined:
* Physical ownership;
* Psychological ownership;
* Political ownership;
* Sociological ownership;
* Physiological ownership;
* Philosophical ownership;
I see tge billboard using the quote to reinforce what the media and world are trying to do with children these days. There’s a brainwashing going on and the world is trying to own the children.
Anything with the name “Hitler ” on it gives a first impression of outrage but when you stop and think a moment ,the message is clear. Both good and evil are vying for the hearts of our youth and winner takes all.
Hitler and even Satan need to be exposed. Quote them for who they are. Mortal enemies.
Why do you sigh at that sign, I like it?
He who owns the youth gains the future.
It’s a true statement no matter who made it.
The truth in it is an encouragement.
The signature at the bottom makes it a warning.
The contrast in it makes it strong.
We should know our children, love our children, and honor our children. If we do that they will likely know God,
if we don’t, someone else will.
I like the sign.
The smaller letters at the bottom of the sign…
“Train up a child in the way that he should go and even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
I interpret that different than most.
I would say “Train up a child according to the calling and way that God has put on his heart, train a child according to his natural bent, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Most people would probably put a legalistic spin on this verse. Most people would say it’s about training a child to keep the ten commandments and have good moral character. I don’t think that’s what the verse is about. The law of God was called an administration of death and that law will bring death to us today just as it did to the ancient Israelites if we make it our objective.
You stirred the pot, lol.
I’m reminded of a sermon I heard on the radio last week. The radio pastor was talking about how God speaks to His people only through the church (as in church congregations). He quoted another pastor (whom he didn’t name) saying, “A person can have just as profound a spiritual experience over a cup of coffee with a friend as he can in a church”. The radio pastor then went on to say that this pastor he just quoted had an affair with another woman, an obvious attempt to discredit his quote. It fell flat on me since the beginning of my journey with God started about 22 years ago when I had conversations with two friends about a “new life” they had found, and these conversations took place over cups of coffee. My point is this: the truth is not tainted by the messenger.
I think it’s a very smart billboard. It’s grabbing attention and making people think. What/who should have the influence over our children?
Caught your attention, didn’t it?
Truth does not belong to Hitler. If so then all adages in the world would be copyrighted.
Hi all. Ok, so obviously, the statement by Hitler is true. I agree with that. But really, is it wise for a church to be quoting Hitler? What impression does it give? Let me ask the question another way…. would you still not mind it if the billboard said the same thing, but quoted Satan?
Natas? Who is that? 🙂
They could be trying to make a deep point that the world will try to control kids, so the kids should be taught right from wrong in an attempt to set them free from that control. But, it just doesn’t come across well…