Nazi Iran
With increasing attention given to Iran’s nuclear activity these days, there are a number of parallels to Nazi Germany & the situation that led to World War II (WW2) that are interesting. As a consequence of being a prime instigator of World War I (WWI), Germany had to sign the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. Among other things, the treaty stated that Germany could only have an army of 100,000 men (By comparison, Germany lost 2 million soldiers in WWI), 6 naval ships & Germany could not have tanks, submarines or an air force – it was demilitarized.
A moderate German government subscribed to this during the 1920’s. But economic weakness saw the Nazi Party rise in power & in 1933, Adolf Hitler became chancellor. The Nazis especially despised the Treaty of Versailles & Hitler began to push its limits. At first, it was secretive. Those in the army would serve a few years & then go in the reserves – technically they still only had 100,000 men on the books, but could readily muster many more. Submarine crews were trained abroad & would-be German air force pilots trained with civil aircraft. Hitler ordered his military to plan for a 300,000 man army & 1,000 war planes.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world assumed a mere treaty would keep them safe from Germany rearming itself. Any suspicions were met with Germany responding that they were just developing peaceful civilian aircraft & that its military exercises were merely protective in nature.
The Nazis took advantage of this global naivety & did exactly what everyone else didn’t think it would do or could do. The Great Depression of the 1930’s wrought global economic trauma & war was the last thing any allied nation wanted. By 1935, Hitler perceived countries like Britain & France (primary parties to the Treaty of Versailles) as economically weakened & began publicly defying the treaty. By this time, the German Luftwaffe (air force) had 2,500 war planes & its army was increasing to 550,000 men by a mandatory draft (conscription) which was also prohibited by the treaty. As the Nazis continued to flex their military muscle, the nations sat on the sidelines in nervous appeasement.
Then in 1939, the Nazis invaded Poland, decimating it in a matter of days. This was just the beginning of the Nazis’ conquest of Europe & the death of millions. Below is a comparison of the situation leading to WW2 & the situation with Iran.
A moderate German government subscribed to this during the 1920’s. But economic weakness saw the Nazi Party rise in power & in 1933, Adolf Hitler became chancellor. The Nazis especially despised the Treaty of Versailles & Hitler began to push its limits. At first, it was secretive. Those in the army would serve a few years & then go in the reserves – technically they still only had 100,000 men on the books, but could readily muster many more. Submarine crews were trained abroad & would-be German air force pilots trained with civil aircraft. Hitler ordered his military to plan for a 300,000 man army & 1,000 war planes.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world assumed a mere treaty would keep them safe from Germany rearming itself. Any suspicions were met with Germany responding that they were just developing peaceful civilian aircraft & that its military exercises were merely protective in nature.
The Nazis took advantage of this global naivety & did exactly what everyone else didn’t think it would do or could do. The Great Depression of the 1930’s wrought global economic trauma & war was the last thing any allied nation wanted. By 1935, Hitler perceived countries like Britain & France (primary parties to the Treaty of Versailles) as economically weakened & began publicly defying the treaty. By this time, the German Luftwaffe (air force) had 2,500 war planes & its army was increasing to 550,000 men by a mandatory draft (conscription) which was also prohibited by the treaty. As the Nazis continued to flex their military muscle, the nations sat on the sidelines in nervous appeasement.
Then in 1939, the Nazis invaded Poland, decimating it in a matter of days. This was just the beginning of the Nazis’ conquest of Europe & the death of millions. Below is a comparison of the situation leading to WW2 & the situation with Iran.
Global Economic Turmoil
Just prior to WW2, countries were experiencing the Great Depression & had recently cleared WWI that cost much financially & more importantly, in human lives.
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Now, we are trying to endure the Great Recession & have been fighting wars in Iraq & Afghanistan.
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Anti-Semitism
The Nazis demonized Jews & considered them a lesser “race” of humans. Beginning with discrimination & propaganda blaming “Zionists” for WWI & the ailing economy, their goal was to annihilate Europe’s 11 million Jews. By war’s end, the Nazis had murdered around 6 million Jews in the Holocaust.
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In addition to spreading propaganda & denying the Holocaust of WW2, Iranian leadership continually makes threats to wipe Israel off the map & eliminate the “Zionists”. Many Iranian leaders, such as former Iranian President Ahmadinejad, believe Israel is the "Little Satan" & the United States is the "Great Satan".
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State Controlled Media / Propaganda
The Nazis supervised all forms of media from the press to the arts. This allowed them to abolish any opposition & to influence the masses with continual & varied forms of propaganda to demonize Jews & “aggressor” nations while portraying Germany as invincible.
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The Iranian Supreme Leader has control over national radio & television networks as well as major religious institutions. In 1999-2000, opposing reformist newspapers were outlawed. Censorship & historical revisionism are widely used. Propaganda vilifying the US & Israel are mainstays. Internet censorship is increasingly restrictive & in 2012 the Supreme Leader setup a council to supervise the internet.
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Secret Military Developments
The Nazis covertly developed men & machines for an Army, Navy & Air Force (collectively
Wehrmacht) in defiance of the international Treaty of Versailles.
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Iran had secretly worked towards
developing nuclear fuel within underground facilities in defiance of the
international community.
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Deceptive Language
Prior to its public defiance of the Treaty, Germany claimed its military was only for defense & that it was just building cargo planes.
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Iran claims its nuclear activity is for peaceful purposes such as for power plants (concentrations of 3-5% Uranium 235). When international agencies discovered 20% U-235 enrichment in Iran, it was said to be for “research” (This level is 90% of the work needed to achieve weapons-grade).
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False Hope in Diplomatic Efforts
A war-weary world was hopeful the Treaty of Versailles would keep Germany demilitarized. There was further hope that the League of Nations, an international body formed after WWI & predecessor to the United Nations, could use various sanctions to restrain any aggressor nations & maintain peace. This devolved into “appeasement” of Nazi Germany by an impotent international community to avoid Hitler’s use of force.
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Since the mid-1990’s there has been a litany of objections, condemnations & sanctions against Iran by the U.S. & the United Nations over its terrorist ties, long-range missile development & violations of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Iran is regularly non-compliant, fails to meet deadlines & defies the IAEA (UN’s nuclear watchdog agency).
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Bold Military Developments
As the Nazi’s perceived international impotency, they outwardly flaunted their military might. Starting in 1936, they provided military support to fascists in Spain. In further defiance of the Versailles Treaty, the Nazis established control over Sudetenland (parts of modern Czech Republic) & Austria throughout 1938 & 1939.
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In February 2013, it was discovered that over 180 new IR-2m centrifuges were being installed in the Natanz facility that would allow 3-5 times faster uranium enrichment & thus allow quicker development of weapons-grade nuclear fuel (90+% Uranium 235). 3,000 more of these centrifuges are in the works. Iran continues to develop & test missiles in rebellion against the international community.
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Multi-National Alliances
The Tripartite Pact of the Axis Powers united Germany, Italy & Japan – if any of the 3 were attacked, the others would come to its defense. Similar agreements were established among the Allied Forces – Britain, France, Soviet Union, United States & Poland.
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Iran already has relationships with Russia & China who have provided uranium & technological input into its nuclear program. Iranian
nuclear scientists have even visited North Korea (a closed Communist country)
for nuclear testing. Islamic nations could unite against common enemies despite doctrinal divisions. Iran is of the Islamic Shi’a sect while other Arab nations are influenced by radical Islamist groups (i.e. the Muslim Brotherhood, Islamic State / ISIS / ISIL) that are Islamic Sunni. In
fact, on February 5, 2013 Iranian President Ahmadinejad visited Egypt during the presidency of Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood - the first time in over 3 decades for an Iranian leader.
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Attack
Germany invades Poland 1-Sept-1939 & WW2 begins.
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Iran attacks ________________ ???
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Am I trying to spread fear? Not at all. Just trying to point out that you cannot trust in the flawed humanistic ideology that all people are basically good & if you just talk nice with them, you can have peace. This ignores the grave condition of the human heart. Such hope in human effort solely relies on peace talks, negotiations, treaties, sanctions & international organizations.
When despotic tyrants are bent on conquest, diplomatic efforts will only get you so far & usually delay the inevitable. Tyrants typically take advantage of such naivety, political-economic weakness & any global distractions. While this may be the case, should we live in perpetual fear of nuclear war? Well, that depends on if you are a Christian or not. If you are not a Christian, you have much more to fear than nuclear war.
“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” - Jesus in Lk 12.4-5
The Bible tells us that such deception & wars will be rampant as we near the last days (Mt 24.4-8, Dan 11.27). While Christians are certainly not exempt from trouble in this life (Jn 16.33), they will ultimately be spared from the horrors of the forthcoming Great Tribulation & eternal hell (1 Thes 5.9-11, Jn 3.16-18).
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. – 1 Thes 5.1-3
The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time. – Dan 11.27
The Christian understands that God is sovereignly in control & has a plan for all things. And God’s plan for Christians is ultimately good – life with God here & forever. The reason why unbelieving people go to an eternal hell is because they must pay for their sins against an eternal God. God defines a moral law & when we break that law, we sin (1 Jn 3.4). And God not only requires moral perfection to enter heaven, but also must punish the sin because he is a God of justice. We humans, therefore have a problem because we have all sinned against God (Rom 3.23), failing to qualify for heaven & demanding God’s judgment.
There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins. – Eccl 7.20
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. – Jas 2.10
A Christian is someone who believes that Jesus Christ is God’s only son who was punished for their personal sin when He was hung on a cross & executed, but came back to life 3 days later, giving victory over sin & death. Upon believing this, God’s justice is satisfied & instead of judgment, God gives them eternal life based on Christ’s sinless record. This amazing act exemplifies God’s grace (Rom 6.23) & is known as the Gospel which means “good news”. Therefore, the Christian no longer has to fear God’s judgment (1 Jn 4.17-18, 1 Thes 5.9), but instead can trust God to direct their life. If you’re not a Christian, I strongly encourage you to become one by praying to God, confessing you’re a sinner in need of His forgiveness & salvation through Christ.
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. – 2 Cor 5.20-21
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit – 1 Pt 3.18
But this doesn’t mean that Christians should just sit back, do nothing & let evil run rampant. In fact, because God is a God of justice, he expects mankind to operate with justice (Pr 16.10, 29.4). Justice not only assumes that a standard of right & wrong has been established, but that it should be maintained. The Bible says that both God’s standard of righteousness & His justice are so important to Him that they are the foundation of His power & authority.
Your arm is endued with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. – Ps 89.13-14
As was stated, it is the reason He must deal with our sin. And it is the same reason that God is concerned about the oppressed (Ps 10.17-18). When God’s standard of morality is violated, injustice will result in oppression. This is of particular concern when governments stray from God’s standard because they carry authority & can inflict injustice on a massive scale. For instance, when the Nazis annihilated the Jews, they ignored God’s standard & replaced it with their own. Consequently, it was completely legal under Nazi law to kill off entire people groups, but because it was a violation of God’s law, millions of people were unjustly oppressed & murdered. God then sent the Allies to administer justice.
When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan. – Pr 29.2
The more evil regimes are allowed to carry out their own evil morality, the bolder they become & the more injustice will result. This snowball effect was seen with the Nazis when they went from violating the Versailles Treaty by building a few war planes & training a few men to building a prolific & powerful war machine. It was seen when they started by killing a few Jews in cargo vans to killing millions in concentration camps with gas chambers. And it has been seen with Iran generating an allegedly peaceful 3-5% uranium to now being well on their way to creating weapons-grade uranium. We’ve heard Iran threaten to eliminate her enemies including Israel, now they are nearly armed to accomplish those ends.
The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men. – Ps 12.8
Similarly, on a personal level we can start out sinning a little. When we seemingly get away with it, we push it a little further, all the while failing to realize that God is keenly aware of everything we do. It is to Him whom we are imminently accountable. And it is He who has the power & authority to deal with us in His perfect justice. You do not want that. If you have not confessed to God that you’re a sinner, nor trusted that Christ has paid the penalty for your sins, you will have to face God on judgment day. Has God’s justice against all your sin already been dealt with through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross? Or will you meet God’s punishment for all eternity? Have you believed the good news of the Gospel?
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” – Jn 3.16-21
When despotic tyrants are bent on conquest, diplomatic efforts will only get you so far & usually delay the inevitable. Tyrants typically take advantage of such naivety, political-economic weakness & any global distractions. While this may be the case, should we live in perpetual fear of nuclear war? Well, that depends on if you are a Christian or not. If you are not a Christian, you have much more to fear than nuclear war.
“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” - Jesus in Lk 12.4-5
The Bible tells us that such deception & wars will be rampant as we near the last days (Mt 24.4-8, Dan 11.27). While Christians are certainly not exempt from trouble in this life (Jn 16.33), they will ultimately be spared from the horrors of the forthcoming Great Tribulation & eternal hell (1 Thes 5.9-11, Jn 3.16-18).
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. – 1 Thes 5.1-3
The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time. – Dan 11.27
The Christian understands that God is sovereignly in control & has a plan for all things. And God’s plan for Christians is ultimately good – life with God here & forever. The reason why unbelieving people go to an eternal hell is because they must pay for their sins against an eternal God. God defines a moral law & when we break that law, we sin (1 Jn 3.4). And God not only requires moral perfection to enter heaven, but also must punish the sin because he is a God of justice. We humans, therefore have a problem because we have all sinned against God (Rom 3.23), failing to qualify for heaven & demanding God’s judgment.
There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins. – Eccl 7.20
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. – Jas 2.10
A Christian is someone who believes that Jesus Christ is God’s only son who was punished for their personal sin when He was hung on a cross & executed, but came back to life 3 days later, giving victory over sin & death. Upon believing this, God’s justice is satisfied & instead of judgment, God gives them eternal life based on Christ’s sinless record. This amazing act exemplifies God’s grace (Rom 6.23) & is known as the Gospel which means “good news”. Therefore, the Christian no longer has to fear God’s judgment (1 Jn 4.17-18, 1 Thes 5.9), but instead can trust God to direct their life. If you’re not a Christian, I strongly encourage you to become one by praying to God, confessing you’re a sinner in need of His forgiveness & salvation through Christ.
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. – 2 Cor 5.20-21
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit – 1 Pt 3.18
But this doesn’t mean that Christians should just sit back, do nothing & let evil run rampant. In fact, because God is a God of justice, he expects mankind to operate with justice (Pr 16.10, 29.4). Justice not only assumes that a standard of right & wrong has been established, but that it should be maintained. The Bible says that both God’s standard of righteousness & His justice are so important to Him that they are the foundation of His power & authority.
Your arm is endued with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. – Ps 89.13-14
As was stated, it is the reason He must deal with our sin. And it is the same reason that God is concerned about the oppressed (Ps 10.17-18). When God’s standard of morality is violated, injustice will result in oppression. This is of particular concern when governments stray from God’s standard because they carry authority & can inflict injustice on a massive scale. For instance, when the Nazis annihilated the Jews, they ignored God’s standard & replaced it with their own. Consequently, it was completely legal under Nazi law to kill off entire people groups, but because it was a violation of God’s law, millions of people were unjustly oppressed & murdered. God then sent the Allies to administer justice.
When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan. – Pr 29.2
The more evil regimes are allowed to carry out their own evil morality, the bolder they become & the more injustice will result. This snowball effect was seen with the Nazis when they went from violating the Versailles Treaty by building a few war planes & training a few men to building a prolific & powerful war machine. It was seen when they started by killing a few Jews in cargo vans to killing millions in concentration camps with gas chambers. And it has been seen with Iran generating an allegedly peaceful 3-5% uranium to now being well on their way to creating weapons-grade uranium. We’ve heard Iran threaten to eliminate her enemies including Israel, now they are nearly armed to accomplish those ends.
The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men. – Ps 12.8
Similarly, on a personal level we can start out sinning a little. When we seemingly get away with it, we push it a little further, all the while failing to realize that God is keenly aware of everything we do. It is to Him whom we are imminently accountable. And it is He who has the power & authority to deal with us in His perfect justice. You do not want that. If you have not confessed to God that you’re a sinner, nor trusted that Christ has paid the penalty for your sins, you will have to face God on judgment day. Has God’s justice against all your sin already been dealt with through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross? Or will you meet God’s punishment for all eternity? Have you believed the good news of the Gospel?
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” – Jn 3.16-21
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