In Third Reich, Michael Burleigh echoes the great anti-Nazi philosopher Eric Voegelin who said that the redemptionist political projects on the right and the left imitate religion in their superficial manifestations but they lack the depth of religion and they also lack transcendence. They are very much “of this world.”
The lack of the transcendent aspect is what makes these religion-like political movements so virulent. They don’t address their hopes for redemption to God. For them, there is no God. The only hope of redemption can come from people. If redemption isn’t coming, if the kingdom of heaven isn’t happening on Earth fast enough, this can only mean that people are very imperfect. But once again, there is no God to punish the sinners. So the righteous human beings are completely justified in eliminating the unrighteous human beings. The result is the opposite of “love thy neighbor” and “forgive their trespasses.” The neighbor is eternally suspect because if the kingdom of heaven on Earth isn’t happening, it can only be that bastard’s fault.
Clarissa's Blog 
I love your take on the books you read: you must be a formidable teacher! Oh, to be in Southern Illinois now that Indian summer is there…
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Thank you so much, Avi! The weather is horrid and my brain has turned to mush but I’m buoyed by your praise.
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“The result is the opposite of ‘love thy neighbor’ and ‘forgive their trespasses.'”
Amen. Lord have mercy!
This is a feature, not a bug, of most enlightenment and post-enlightenment political thought.
“So the righteous human beings are completely justified in eliminating the unrighteous human beings.”
Exactly – permanent peace can only be attained through total war against the reactionaries and naysayers.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/first-total-war-david-a-bell/1101470653#
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Thanks for this appraisal. This is next in my queue to read. I agree with Avi. Wish I could take one of your classes. Unfortunately, I don’t study or speak Spanish.
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