What was the reason for the holocaust?

[Will]

There are two types of selection: natural and artificial. Natural selection is a process that occurs without interference from any outside force. Humans developed through natural selection and gave birth to artificial selection. Humans began domesticating livestock and selectively breeding plants for food maybe 15,000 years ago. This process has given us everything from the myriad selection of dogs to the color and shape of a banana.

Unfortunately, some people through our history have come to believe that humans should be artificially bred. This may seem like a good idea at first, attempting to improve our species, but the truth is that it's quite a problem. First off, toying with someone's life or ability to reproduce is a serious breach of the social contract, and would generally be considered deeply immoral and unethical. Second, quite frankly we don't know enough about our current environment or the environments to come to make determinations about what direction to head in even if one were to overlook the moral issue.

In the case of WW2, artificial selection was used by members of the Nazi Party as a pretext to commit genocide. The true motivations were rooted deeply in ignorance, superstition, and racism. World War 1 devastated Germany, you see. It was as if the entire nation fell into a deep depression, and it's during these times that a society can become somewhat open to the dangers of extreme individuals and their views. Germany was in an economic depression, too, which exacerbated the situation only further, as we all know there is at least a correlative link between education and wealth (with the US as the obvious exception). Essentially, Germany (which was largely protestant and already had race issues) was ripe for an extreme voice. A young soldier and artist named Adolph Hitler was that voice.

[Graham]

Thank you very much everyone! You've helped me greatly.  

[nikkixsugar]

This may be a touchy subject for some but I was just wondering what reasons were behind the holocaust? It's for my philosophy class; my prof is a theist and it seems like he missed out on somethings. I kind of thought that Hitler killed the Jews because they didn't believe in Jesus. Does anyone know more?

You're exactly right. Don't let anyone tell you different. Hitler was raised a Xtian. He was good friends with a Pope (Pius the whatever) He killed EVERYONE who wasn't a Xtian, or in his opinion, went against the Bible (Jews, Homosexuals, black people, Gypsies, etc.) Be sure that your prof's faith doesn't get in the way of his teaching. If it does, report him.

[Wechtlein Uns]

Who was that guy that killed all those people in africa? The fat black dictaor who liked scotsmen? Didn't he commit some atrocities? He died recently, right? Who was he?

[DennisK]

Who was that guy that killed all those people in africa? The fat black dictaor who liked scotsmen? Didn't he commit some atrocities? He died recently, right? Who was he?

Idi Amin?

[curiosityandthecat]

Idi Amin?

Yeppers.

[youtube:niec9yjc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV_QgKJFZP0[/youtube:niec9yjc]

[McQ]

Wow! This is one of our better and more informative threads. Good going, Graham! I just learned some new things that I wasn't aware of regarding Hitler. Thanks to all who contributed to our knowledge here.  

[Wechtlein Uns]

Idi Amin! Yes! that's it! Thank you. I really need to hang on to that bit of info...