individual
Your post's make sense but do not join the mob in the character assassination's as they detract from the good points you have made.
Most educated people could bring much more simple devastation to any country with even a smaller effort than bombs and guns than any country can think of. But the thinking mind we have been shown to use show us we also loose to much. No examples will be given here as I'm not going to the camp delta concentration camp of America for stating basic knowledge taught at school. It ,only my limited opinion,comes down to desperate people will do desperate things. If we want an evil foe we ,to our demise ,maybe just get it.

stevenlmeyer - Forget the memorabilia!

If you could have stood the stench, then you could have looked under his armpit to see if his Waffen SS number was there in the form of a tattoo.

It it was, then instead of a few Marks you could have taken him to a bar and bought him whatever he wanted to drink and help him to keep right on drinking into oblivion. You could have assisted him under a tram. You could have . . . Well you could have done a lot of things!

We always have choices - regardless of the circumstances and if we make a choice we have to be prepared to face the consequences arising from those choices.

Not everyone chose to be part of the Waffen SS! Not everyone chose to commit atrocities.

The only thing I got from the film the "Downfall" was that some people were at least capable of taking responsibility for their decisions.

They were the ones who blew their brains out or took poison.

They KNEW that they had done the wrong thing and were petrified of facing the consequences.

I am more worried about the choices we make NOW about how we live and how we treat each other and how we think about and treat other people.

Hi Fester.. rather good question... I can best illustrate this with the interaction I once saw on a TV show between a child and the father.
Kid sits up at the table..
(DAD) "sitttttt DOWN!"

(KID) "I don't wannnnnt to !"

(DAD) "Sit down or I'll whack ur butt"

(KID) (Sits down, but has a big smile on his face)

(DAD) "What are you smiling so much about hmmmmm?"

(KID) "I'm sitting down on the 'out'side, but on the inside I'm still standing up" :)

So...the difference is... I'm speaking of "inner" transformation, and DEMOS is speaking about 'Outward' restriction.

Paul, after developing the idea of universal sinfulness of humanity in Romans 1-11 then..in chapter twelve declares:

[1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.]

Quite profound really. "Inner" transformation. It's a matter of not only 'not' doing things we previously happily did (which were wrong) but it's also not even wanting to.

When I was in the RAAF..I and others stole petrol. (Prior to my embracing of Christ).. we drove the Section Combi wagon to a remote area on the base, and then took out the jerry cans.. and siphoned out a few gallons, then drove back. When I was discharged (having come to Christ and desiring to attend Bible College), I repaid an estimate of how much I took. They were quite stunned. (and impressed) The difference for me was not even 'wanting' to do that any more. "Inner" :)

individual, you're still making the point that people who do good are causing evil.

Aside from the strong rhetoric, it's so broad it's plain ignorant. You can't make those kinds of claims without looking exceedingly stupid.

By that logic, nobody should do anything. Good things are evil, bad things are evil... I guess everything should just stay the same, though if you listen to the cynic brigade, everything's screwed up anyway, so you can't really do that either.

Honestly. What guff.

TRTL,
you're obviously totally ignorant about the term D-Gooder. A Do-Gooder is usually of academic background although ignorant people come from all walks life. A Do-Gooder is not someone who does good. On the contrary. A Do-Gooder only THINKS he does good. A person who does actual good is a Philanthropist. Do-Gooders more often than not cause a lot of disruption by given people in need silly & outrageous advise & ideas. They're not evil or bad by any means deliberately, they just stick their noses into other people's business & disrupt common sense.

I'm aware of the term individual and I'm aware that some like to apply it in an insulting sense. I just think that's bollocks.

It's generally just a catchall phrase used as an excuse for people to legitimise their dislike of those who actually stand up for their ideals. They'll only accept philathropy if it doesn't rock the boat.
Part of it's the tall poppy syndrome, part of it's just because some people are so cynical, criticism is all that they can do.