A Response To Steven Spielberg’s Holocaust Video
This film was exhausting to watch. It raises difficult questions that
demand a
response.
How do we respond to evil? How do we deal with intolerance and
violence? One
response in the film was to say: “Get involved”, and
“Don’t hate anybody”. The
same atrocities must never happen again. And yet still, despite the
best
intentions of many, similar hatred and violence repeatedly continues to
erupt
in human history.
How do we respond to this evil? The film evoked apparently
diametrically
opposed responses. A polarization was happening in the group
discussion. On the
one side, it is argued that violence is never justifiable, and
humankind must
search for peaceful solutions. On the other side, violence and war was
offered
as necessary to prevent the spread of evil. It was the classic debate
between
warrior and priest, general and philosopher.
The warrior and the general might see the film as justification, and an
argument for violence against our enemies, to prevent those who commit
such
atrocities. Not so! This film was a message against intolerance.
Neither, as the priest and philosopher might argue, is the film’s
significance
that violence is never legitimate, nor justifiable. Again, the message
is that
we all need to learn tolerance. Tolerance respects both and all
positions
without totally embracing either. Tolerance implies being unwilling to
do harm,
especially to those who oppose or disagree with us.
Toleration must be extended toward those to whom we disagree, and in
the
extreme even toward enemies who would do harm, and in this case, even
Hitler
and the Nazis. This film provides a lesson against violence. War,
slaughter,
genocide, extermination, and all violence can be fought and beaten by
non-violent and educational means.
Tolerance means respecting another’s humanity, and the right to
have a point of
view different from our own. We can still vilify governments and events
that
oppress and do violence, but only if we judge ourselves, and we
recognize and
oppose our own use of violence and evil. We meekly tolerate, knowing
that we
are no better, and capable of the same atrocities. Toleration is not
excusing
evil, but it is recognizing human weakness, and being patient with all
people.
Without speaking evil against authorities, we still call a spade, a
spade. We work toward non-violent solutions, promoting tolerance, education
and
peaceful resolution.
We must understand how these atrocities can happen. How are others,
apparently
different from us, vilified, dehumanized, and demonized in order to
justify our
unspeakable violence? What leads to this dehumanization? Can we see
this same
hatred festering in our own society with racial, and religious
profiling?
How could the soldiers carry out such horrors? Why did they not refuse? Is aggression an accepted tool within our cultures? Do we purposely use violence to inflict harm and to control others? In some families, parents use violence to manage “their” children’s behavior. Civically and nationally, the state uses force and violence to direct the behavior of its citizens, even to the extreme of execution when necessary, to punish and remove them from society. And internationally, violence, war, and extermination are used gain control beyond our borders. How is it that we justify violence to achieve our own purposes, and yet vilify others for doing the same? Perhaps, if we saw all violence and harm as regrettable we could be more consistent in our approach, and also more effective toward its elimination.
Many within our own society believe that violence is a necessary and
reasonable
means, if not the only means, to achieve peace and stability, and to
establish
their own value system. Out of respect for these, we tolerate this
worldview,
recognizing the rational and justifiability of force and violence
within their own perspective. Hardness of
heart, and the harsh
realities of the human capacity toward violence, compels many to enjoin
force
as a permissible and needed deterrent. Hopefully, however, it is
understood
that violence is only a temporary, ineffective and eventually
self-defeating
means to an end. It is not a successful response, but rather a
desperate
reaction of last resort. Ultimately, accusation and the escalation of
violence
is not a solution.
Jesus is quoted as saying “And if Satan rise up against himself,
and be
divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.” (Mark 3:26, Matthew
12:26)
Often, in scripture, the governments that control societies and lead people into war and brutality are referred to as principalities and powers. Satan rising up against Satan, or one nation or people rising up against, accusing and demonizing another, in order to dehumanize and rationalize an attack, is not portrayed as holy or justifiable, but rather demonic, leading to the destruction of both.
Rather than glorifying one government and vilifying the other, such
derogatory
statements inclusively demonize all human governments that would exalt
themselves over another. Recognizing the demonic accusatory nature of
these
governments is not to say that these powers are illegitimate, or that
their
actions are unjustifiable. New Testament believers were encouraged to respect the
powers for every power is ordained of God, and those who enforce the
dictates
of these governments are called ministers of God, even though they bear
the
sword, and die by the sword to enforce their dictates. Indeed, these
principalities and powers serve a valid temporary purpose, preparing
humanity
by instilling within us a desire creating a longing for, and an
expectation of,
the kingdom of heaven where all principality and power has been
reconciled and
all enmity subdued.
This is the promise of the ages: world peace, reconciliation, and
harmony.
Eventually, with the evil and opposition of every government,
principality, and
power subdued, and the violence of every administration put down, and
ceasing,
the reconciliation of everyone with one another and with God will be
visible
to all.
As so
many of
the great prophets have declared, we do not give up on the ideal of
peace on
earth, and good will toward humanity. It is not pie in the sky, but a
reality
to be diligently pursued here and now. We overcome evil with good. As
peacemakers, we must diffuse anger and hatred. We become good
listeners,
de-escalating the violence, collectively working to educate the peoples
of the
world toward peaceful solutions, and refusing to participate in the
violence, even
turning the other cheek, living peaceably with those we interact with,
as much
as lies within us. We must patiently tolerate one another, as we each
find our
way. May God help us all, as we help each other.
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