Most Evil man ever?

There was a man, who lived in the 16th century, who may have been the most evil man ever. His evil was so all encompassing that he causes conflicts to this day. He is directly responsible for more wars (“Bad” wars, where white Christians killed other white Christians not “good” wars, where white Christians killed “lesser” people or non-Christians.) than any man in history.

He was considered so evil, in his own time, that The Church excommunicated him. Excommunication is serious stuff. It's a punishment, so severe, that it lasts for all eternity. Excommunicees, according to dogma, are not allowed in Heaven. Surely, there can not be a more severe punishment, to a Christian.

During his time on Earth this man flouted authority. He set people against “true” knowledge. He shamelessly spread Heresy. He even opined that Men should be able to read the Bible, in their own language, and make their own determination regarding “The Word of God”.

Obviously, this was a bad idea.

In spite of many, patient, warnings he diabolically set Brother against Brother. He continued to stir things up when his silence would have prevented death and suffering. He was, clearly, evil.

Within a few, short, years people were killing each other over this man's dangerous ideas. Europe, where this man lived, was plunged into 150 years of savage religious warfare. No one will ever know how many innocents died due to this one man.

I have a feeling that American Evangelical Christians would hate this man. He was a dissenter. He encouraged people to think about Religion in new ways. He even promulgated the idea that Faith is personnel and different for each individual.

Yup. No doubt about it. Pat Robertson, the late Jerry Falwell and their ilk would be screaming for this man's head if he were unfortunate to be alive today.

Of course, there would be a flaw in their logic.

You see, the man I refer to is Martin Luther. The Father of the Reformation. The first Protestant. The man to whom Evangelicals owe their religion, if not their very existence.

And, if he were alive today, Evangelicals would hate him. For, I believe, he would speak out against their rigid thinking, their intolerance, their rejection of learning, and their dogma.

Ironic huh?