German bishop slams far-right poster featuring Martin Luther

BERLIN – A German protestant bishop is slamming an extreme-right party’s use of the image of Martin Luther in an election campaign poster.

The poster features a picture of the main figure from the Protestant Reformation next to the slogan “I would vote for the NPD, I couldn’t do otherwise,” using the German abbreviation for the National Democratic Party and its slogan “defend the homeland.”

The dpa news agency reported Monday that Braunschweig regional bishop Christoph Meyns criticized the poster as using “Luther in an intolerable way for political means, and distorting his message absurdly.”

Meyns said Luther would never have voted for a party like the NPD. He says “he would have rather warned of politicians who misuse God and faith.”

The tiny NPD isn’t a factor in Germany’s Sept. 24 election.