Is that possible?
Twice in my life I have visited the Yad Vashem memorial in Jerusalem. Each time the horror comes over me like most of the other visitors. The question always arises, “How were these crimes possible”? While there in 2011, I bought two books that dealt with exactly this topic. Interestingly, through all of the analyzation, no one is willing to admit his own fault. The engineer was only doing his duty, the concentration camp guards were just following orders, and the concentration camp director acted on behalf of third parties. Nobody felt responsible or showed remorse.
The neighbors stood behind their curtains when the police led the woman away from the third floor. And as the stones flew in the shop windows and Jewish synagogues were set on fire, thousands watched, but nobody acted. The teaching of Auschwitz is that all crime in history can repeat itself. Since my first trip to Israel, I have talked with countless Germans about the atrocities that have been committed. I have never heard a confession of guilt, but often there are hinting statements that imply that they don’t like Jews. Its not surprising that 58% of Germans want to close the Holocaust chapter.
We are all children of our time. If I had lived during that time, I’m afraid I would have kept silent out of fear and helplessness. And today? I often am silent when I am supposed to talk. It’s hard to hold a minority position, even if we know that the masses are wrong. Views on ethical issues change. When I went to school 40 years ago, there was a large majority of the population that saw abortion as reprehensible. In 2015 it is different. Today, you will quickly be put on the sidelines if you take the stand that unborn life is invaluable.
Will God make me liable for the crimes of my forefathers? Probably not. But I myself have enough skeletons in the closet, knowing that I might have behaved quite similar if put in the same situations. It takes incredible courage to stand up when you are all alone. /KDJ
Very thoughtful
Very sobering
Very true
Thank-you