Page 26 - The Social Weapon: Darwinism

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gists and their leader, Adolf Hitler. The heaviest cost of Social
Darwinism came at the hands of the Nazis, who implemented

eugenics, the claim put forward by Darwin's cousin, Francis
Galton, to the effect that communities can consist of higher-
quality individuals by the elimination of poor genes. They also
engaged in genocide using Darwinist statements as a screen, as
if these in some way justified their actions. At the advice of
Darwinist scientists they exterminated Jews, Gypsies and East
Europeans, whom they regarded as inferior races. They slaugh-
tered the mentally ill, the handicapped, and the elderly in gas
chambers. In the 20th century, millions were killed by the most
ruthless methods in the name of Social Darwinism before the
eyes of the world.
The eugenics movement, led by Francis Galton, emerged as
another disastrous product of Social Darwinism. Its supporters
maintained that human selection was needed to accelerate nat-
ural selection, believing that human development itself could
thus be speeded up. They inflicted compulsory sterilization on
“unnecessary” people in a great many countries, from America
to Sweden. Regarded as less than human, hundreds of thou-

sands were operated on against their will, without their families'
knowledge or permission. The cruelest implementation of eu-
genics occurred in Germany, where the Nazis first sterilized the
crippled, mentally defective or those with inherited diseases.
Unsatisfied, they then began slaughtering these people en masse.
Hundreds of thousands were put to death, just for being old or
lacking fingers or limbs.
Such cruel savagery has absolutely no place in religious
morality. God has commanded people to protect and nurture
the needy. Meeting the needs of the poor, treating the handi-
capped with affection and compassion and observing their
rights, and ensuring cooperation and solidarity in society are all

The Social Weapon: Darwinism