tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422857.post5953000635620257848..comments2023-10-05T08:25:13.232-04:00Comments on Biblical Evidence for Catholicism: "Pope is God" Charge: Examples of Supposed "I Am God" Statements from Protestants Martin Luther and Heinrich BullingerDave Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771661758539438173noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422857.post-15721704458793124882011-02-25T13:24:24.448-05:002011-02-25T13:24:24.448-05:00Luther was obvisously suffering from spiritual and...Luther was obvisously suffering from spiritual and mental disorders. <br />The desire to be like God has been a temptation for man since the Garden of Eden. Most ancient kings and emperors deified themselves in life or were deified after death. God informs us what he thinks of this in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. He says elsewhere,"I'm God, and there is no other." Luther gives plenty of evidence in his own writings that self-exaltation was his middle name. The quotes you give in this short article shows the man blurred the line of distinction between himself and Deity. IMHO, the words of an egotist.<br />Mental Illness probably played a part in Luther's self deification. I've had several friends and relatives who had mental illnesses, so I had to read up on on it to understand what they were going through. In many of the books and articles that I read, claiming to hear God's voice or being God himself was a common delusion among many of the mentally ill. Many Luther scholars of various religious and secular leanings have made statements saying that Luther suffered from a mental disorder, probably bi-polar. Based on Luther's behaviour, I think this is a fair diagnosis. His writings show a man who was absolutely manic during periods of his life, then in deep prolonged depression for weeks at a time. <br />Demonic influence? I have no knowledge of wheather the poor man was oppressed or possessed by demons. What I do know is that he was obsessed with thoughts of the devil for most of his life. This obsession could come from either a mental illness, demonic influence, or a combination of both. Anyway you look at it, the man was a sick puppy. <br />What I find amusing about all of this, is the Protestants refuse to honestly look at these quotes from their founder with the same critical eye they cast upon any statement made by a Pope or a Catholic theologian about this subject. IMHO, they don't dare to do it. For if they did, they would be forced to live a lie, become Catholic, or if they can't stand the idea of Tiber-swimming, drop out of religion all together.Steve "scotju" Daltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17864544146213840928noreply@blogger.com