Martin Luther: Reluctant Revolutionary

Martin Luther: Reluctant Revolutionary

2003, History  -   44 Comments
7.18
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Ratings: 7.18/10 from 51 users.

Martin LutherFew if any men have changed the course of history like Martin Luther. In less than ten years, this fevered German monk plunged a knife into the heart of an empire that had ruled for a thousand years, and set in motion a train of revolution, war and conflict that would reshape Western civilization, and lift it out of the Dark Ages.

Luther's is a drama that still resonates half a millennium on. It's an epic tale that stretches from the gilded corridors of the Vatican to the weathered church door of a small South German town; from the barbarous pyres of heretics to the technological triumph of printing. It is the story of the birth of the modern age, of the collapse of medieval feudalism, and the first shaping of ideals of freedom and liberty that lie at the heart of the 21st century.

But this is also an intensely human tale, a story that hurtles from the depths of despair to the heights of triumph and back again. This is the story of a man who ultimately found himself a lightning conductor of history, crackling with forces he could not quite comprehend or control. (Excerpt from pbs.org)

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aqui
aqui
6 years ago

can anyone explain as to why the word reluctant is used in the title?

jiggy
jiggy
7 years ago

anastasius, i am so glad there are still people like you left in your orwellian countries. down with "thought crimes". keep up the good fight my friend.

anastasius
anastasius
9 years ago

I thought this video was pretty informative and balanced until the producers established Luther as a "hater". They did so by taking Luther's thoughts about the peasants out of context. Sure enough, that was quickly followed by Luther's attack on Jewry.
. The producers never mentioned one of Luther's books; "The Jews and Their Lies" but there was no need to since they already painted Luther as a "hater".
Luther loved mankind with the fervour he loved Jesus. His aforementioned book is now being published and sold by Texe Marrs. I strongly suggest obtaining a copy and reading it. It will help you understand why things are unfolding today as they are. Come back and watch this video again and I promise you will see it in a much different light.
I wish I could go on about this but I live in a land where free speech is illegal and those who hate are those having the laws against free speech passed.
In spite of the producers attempt to smear this great man, the documentary did offer a reasonable chronology and synopsis of Luther's work and how it led to the reformation.

shelsky
shelsky
10 years ago

why should we kneel and pray to a wood carved by human who was created by a real God who we should be praying to?

shelsky
shelsky
10 years ago

I think Martin Luther was really intelligent and strong to stand for what he thought was right. He was against the wrong interpretations of the words of God by the catholicism. He obviously believed in the bible and had a strong passion to it. His mind was so open to see all the wrong doings of the pope, cardinals and priests, living a luxurious life out of the pocket of the ordinary people. And the people were even punished if they oppossed to catholicism, forced to believe and to be a member.

shelsky
shelsky
10 years ago

the Spaniards brought catholicism in the Philippines and what these priest did was lived a luxurious life from the people's money and even raped some of the filipina.

Ksmormris
Ksmormris
11 years ago

When the Medicis put a former pirate and then two of their own family onto the Papal throne, and the latter began selling indulgences hand over fist in order to replenish Papal coffers their own personal extravagance had emptied, this was a test of Christian faith. It was a certainty that some Christian(s) would reject the Church corrupted by the non-believing Popes put into place by the Medicis, and stand for Christ and for God...to break away from a Church so corrupted, if necessary.

MsTruNorth
MsTruNorth
11 years ago

Videos on YouTube don't buffer any more. This is the death of YT.

madscirat
madscirat
11 years ago

A complex figure whom I understand far better after viewing this documentary. Luther was not perfect and a product of his time, but he did aid humanity in making a significant step toward mental freedom. This I can appreciate, despite not sharing his faith.

Bob Hope
Bob Hope
11 years ago

OK! Settle down, boys!

The 42 Commandments of Maat were what Moses learned in Egypt. They were condensed to 10 but the Israelites rejected them (Moses broke the tablets).

The first Priestly sacrifices offered by Aaron at the base of Mt Sinai were HUMAN & were offered to Moloch aka the Golden Calf (Read Exodus 32; Amos 5; Acts 7) Then Google Sanhedrin 64a-64b where you will read about how Jews are to offer Human Sacrifices to Moloch TODAY & not be guilty. The secret is to get someone else to do the dirty deed i.e., the Nazis & then you have your Holocaust (Burnt Offering) to Moloch, so as to get Palestine by demonic power.

The god of the Israelites/Jews is Moloch/YHWH, a blood thirsty. sadistic psychotic!

Bob Hope
Bob Hope
11 years ago

Get it right!

The church door was the NOTICEBOARD where notification was placed about forth coming debates. Martin NEVER intended in having these thesis printed UNTIL after the debate. Someone got their hands on the thesis & had it copied before Martin could do anything about it. In a letter to a friend, he said he intended to delete some of the thesis. If he had been given time to debate the thesis, maybe things would have turned out different?

Stephanie winham
Stephanie winham
12 years ago

I enjoyed this documentary. However, in the documentary,it is mentioned that Luther found only 2 sacraments. If you read Luther's Babylonian Captivity of the Church, you will find that Luther speaks of 3, not 2. I think the documentary left out several key factors including the influence of Greek philosophy in the Catholic church. Luther is "anti-Greek" and was opposed to the teachings of Aristotle, Aquinas, ect. in the Catholic churches and schools.

TonyIII
TonyIII
12 years ago

Entertaining but not very deep History or Theology. Luther's turning against the peasant revolts was entirely reasonable.They were communist beasts who stole, tortured and destroyed . They often shared wives and some groups abolished baptism. Read about Thomas Meunzer. These people were lawless and dependent upon private fantasies as the revelation of God.That leaves a religion entirely leaderless.
Breaking the power od the church may sound really democratic today ; but look at how Christianity has declined. It's even against the law to pray in school.

tomregit
tomregit
12 years ago

@Bill: I don't understand your slagging Tim without any explanation or counter argument. Maybe he does have a university "education". Your comment is more suited to primary school playground.

The Potter
The Potter
13 years ago

Of course he was the lesser of two evils; if he was not evil for encouraging the murder of 100,000 people, then what was he? The only thing these people seemed to be guilty of was a purer belief in the ideals of freedom and liberty, as compared with Martin Luther. The average person wanted to be free from all tyrants (including the Princes and Kings in Germany, not just from the Pope), whereas Martin Luther was still content for these people to be subjugated by a higher authority, with the power shifting to the nobleman. It took hundreds of years for the emancipation of peasants to become a reality.

Bill
Bill
13 years ago

"The lesser of two evils"

Wow, Tim...that kind of ignorance can only be the result of a University "education."

avidseeker
avidseeker
13 years ago

Can anyone make any sense out of Solomon S.Buyco?

naf
naf
13 years ago

Jesus was a Jew. How could you enslave yourself to a person and be primitive enough to believe he's a God????

It's the lowest one could get.

Montezuma believed Cortes was a God. Cortez killed him. same will happen to you. your Twisted faith will kill you.

David
David
13 years ago

Whether you like the man or not, the story of Martin Luther is one that all should know; few men hold the same impact on modern day society as Luther did!

Justin
Justin
13 years ago

Great Doc and Luther really is one of those rare men who truly and significantly 'changed the world' as we know it. Interestingly, even the RC has long since reformed many of the things Luther had railed against. So I guess you can say he was successful after all.
An amazing life really.. of tremendous pain, agony, love, passion, courage, humility.
Great Post. More people (esp in the west) really need to see this if they don't know how significant Luther really was and to this day.

Tia
Tia
13 years ago

I admire and respect a person with conviction, even when it means to lose his/her freedom or life for that matter.

Fudd72
Fudd72
13 years ago

thanks Vlatko!

Fudd72
Fudd72
13 years ago

how do i watch this? when i click play, it says it's a private video and i have to accept somebody's friend request.... anyone...?

Ryan H
Ryan H
14 years ago

Moises Alou was a baseball player for the Montreal Expos

Solomon S. Buyco
Solomon S. Buyco
14 years ago

@Rebellius. Don't get the issue entangled with fagots...

I "hate" liars especially and most of them are also on within every religions... but I admire those who 'hates' the hate that the fagots emotes. :o)

rebelliuss
rebelliuss
14 years ago

anyone who "Hates" anyone and claims to follow christianity, islam or judaism is a liar.. whether they know it or not...

Solomon S. Buyco
Solomon S. Buyco
14 years ago

@Tim,

"Do what I'm telling you to do but don't do what I do" = Governor of Rome's last words and committed suicide by drinking poison.

Confessions for repentance is not a Commandments.

Chaotic order!

Tim
Tim
14 years ago

Solomon, who/what is this Moises you're talking about?

Solomon S. Buyco
Solomon S. Buyco
14 years ago

I'm still amaze of the influential of Moises in terms of destroying leaderships, a chaotic scheming to endues and discredit someone of the true faith ... No wonder I have always thought that Moises and its free slaves really hated Jesus and David's Kingdom. Using one unto another for their own destruction and delusions.I also wonder where did King Saul's people have gone? 'Graft and Corruption' of what was written on the books of Hebrews? It is financial system that is deeply rooted on Christians.

What a fool we have been not to see an unbeliever telling us to believe in God. Beware of the "False Prophets." Self confession(ten commandments) is supposed to be not to be done again but instead it became a system... do it and I'll forgive as you are my beloved son.

Este
Este
14 years ago

Don't forget he was quite the misogynist, according to some of his pronouncements. But hey, nobody's perfect.

Tim
Tim
14 years ago

js: Not likely. Luther believed that Islam was an abomination and a punishment to Christianity for straying from God's word. He had read from the Qur'an, but he didn't much like it.

js
js
14 years ago

this man is very inspirational as depicted in this document. i think he is right to say that we must return to the word of God and the word of God alone rather than the sayings of people.

to be able to reach to God without the intermediary of someone seems to be a natural instinct and a right. it seems that it is exactly what the muslims, i know preach reach to God and ask from him alone... i'll like to know... was luther influenced by some of their (muslim's) teachings or literature..??

Tim
Tim
14 years ago

Very informative. If it weren't for his hatred of Jews, I could almost like the guy. I suppose he was just the lesser of two evils, the greater being the corruption of the Catholic Church.