During the past month a few of us have viewed several films focused on the Holocaust and genocide, followed by a short time of discussion. This blog is to continue the conversations we started. Please feel free to join this conversation, whether you have seen the films or not, your thoughts, concerns, and comments, are welcome. I'm sure we all agree that there are not definitive answers, yet the conversations are important.
I'm reminded of a comment that Pastor Johnny made during Adult Studies lecture on Sunday. He said that during the years that the Nazis were euthanizing and murdering elderly and disabled people, often their relatives would stand up and say "You can't do that to my mother, father, cousin." Yet, when the mass extermination of Jewish people began, few had the courage or sense of responsibilty to say anything. Similarly, in "Hotel Rwanda", when Hutus beat up a Tutsi neighbor of Paul Ruseabagina, the hotel manager, he responded to his wife's plea for him to help saying that there was nothing he could do, he needed to save his money and resources to protect his immediate family, if need be.
What I find interesting is that these people, when faced with threats against those they have a very personal relationship with, are able to find inner resources to defend those threatend. On the other hand, when the relationship is not so personal, it is much harder to find the individual willing to stand up and make a difference.
Pastor Johnny also said that it was the Evangelical Christians that were able to stand up against the Holocaust. Are we like Meshac,Shadrac, Abednago, who, because of their personal relationship and faith in God, survived King Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace. I'm wondering about our personal connection with God through Jesus Christ. Is it that personal and intimate connection with God that gives us an intimate and personal connection with others, which gives us the strength to stand up, speak out, and defend our neighbors?
Monday, November 9, 2009
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