Introducing a New Feature: Mondays with Marty

Last week I began reading Off the Record with Martin Luther, which is the most comprehensive translation of Luther's Table Talk into English.For those not familiar with it, Table Talk is a collection of sayings, stories, etc. attributed to Martin Luther as recorded by his students as they spent time in his home. This particular edition provides a vivid English translation that captures Luther in all of his irascible glory. It has proved to be tremendous leisure reading, often leading me to laugh out loud and insist my wife hear the latest gem I have discovered.

So in the interest of sharing these gems with you, I am beginning a new feature on the blog entitled "Mondays with Marty." Each Monday I will share a quote from Martin Luther as a way of kick starting the week.These quotes will run the gamut from serious and profound to hilarious and silly, with points in between. To prepare you for this experience, it seems wise to quote from the Foreword by Paul Maier:

Fair warning to the reader: in the Table Talk, Luther is at his unwary best and not hindered by such niceties as prudence, propriety, etiquette, or convention. Some of the material is salty, saucy, and even "over the top." At such passages it would be well to remember that Luther himself did not write this material or sign-off on it. It is all recorded by his eager students, who somehow managed to eat meat and potatoes at Luther's table, yet also take copious notes on whatever he said. (pp. 6-7)

Also, just to be clear, I will place a disclaimer at the end of each post to indicate that the views reflected in these quotes do not necessarily reflect my own views. So with that out of the way, we are ready for our first installment:

12. Women should be honored. The Holy Spirit honors women. Examples of that are Esther and Sarah. Among the pagans, Lucretia and Artemisia were glorified. Without women there would be no marriage. The best medicine against fornication is to get married. A woman is the best companion for life. Women bring children into the world, they raise them, and they rule the house. They are inclined to be merciful, because they are made that way by God, to bear children, to bring joy to men, to be merciful.

DISCLAIMER: The views reflected in this quote do not necessarily reflect those of the author of this blog. This quote is shared in the interest of edification, education, and/or humor.