“Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 16:20.
In the extermination of six million Jews in the last century, there were villains. In the popular mind, we conjure up the image of a Nazi soldier, polished boots, a rifle, a snarling German Shepherd, a swastika-emblazoned uniform. When Christians remember the holocaust, we can engage in denial as many (including Lutherans) have, claiming that we did nothing to further the holocaust, that we were powerless to stop it, and that the Nazis were the only villains. When we Christians are honest with ourselves, however, we know that our silence was perfect complicity. It is simply implausible that as entire neighborhoods of Jews disappeared, their absence was not noticed. It is impossible to believe that if millions of Christians rose up to end the genocide, it could still have happened. By Christian silence, the holocaust became our own crime against humanity.
In recent days, a terrible desecration of sacred Jewish burial plots and monuments at Mt. Carmel Cemetery took place. Far beyond mischievous vandalism, Nazi symbols became an ugly reminder of the horrors of the past, as well as the hate that is still woven into the fabric of today.
“To love God with your whole heart, with all your understanding, and all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Mark 12:33
The Christian cannot be silent in the face of such horrible desecration, defamation, and hate. If we are silent, we are accomplices. If we say we love God, we cannot ignore our neighbor. We, the pastor and people of St. Ansgar Evangelical Lutheran Church in Portland, hold the Jewish community in prayerful support and love. We pledge to speak against hate. We will continue to educate our young people to love others in celebration of diversity. If there is any way in which our small but dedicated congregation can assist, we are at the disposal of our Jewish sisters and brothers. We will not be silent.
Rev. Dr. William M. Barter and the Lutheran Church of St. Ansgar.
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PASTOR BARTER;
ReplyDeleteALL MY CHILDHOOD I WAS TOLD ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST BY FREINDS OF OUR SWEDISH FAMILY, WHO HAD SUFFER IN THE CAMPS. THEY TOLD ME THEIR STORIES AT MY MON'S REQUEST AND THE STORIES I HEARD WERE PAINFULL TO HEAR. MY MON SAID THOUGH THAT WHAT HAPPEN IN GERMANY CAN-NOT EVER BE REPEATED AGAIN. SHE ALSO LOST FREINDS AND WE LOST RELATIVES TO THE CAMPS. MY GREAT, GREAT GREANDMOTHER WAS A GERMAN JEW AND HER SIDE OF THE FAMILY STAYED IN GERMANY. ALSO I WAS TOLD THAT THEIR WERE LUTHERANS WHO WERE ALSO PUT IN THE CAMPS FOR CRIMES OF BEING ASSOCIATE WITH THE WRONG SIDE OR HELPING THE JEWS ESCAPE FROM THE NAZI'S WHERE-EVER THEY WERE. MY ONLY SADDNESS IS THAT # ONE THAT IT EVER HAPPEN AND TWO THAT THE SWEDISH KING SIGNED A AGREEMENT WITH HILER TO ALLOW HIS TROOPS INSIDE OF SWEDEN'S BORDERS, AND THREE WE AS A PEOPLE OF CIVIL AND CONSIONESS SHOULD TURN A BLIND EYE TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING. MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER AND MY FATHER ESCAPED FROM SWEDEN IN 1939 AFTER THE SWEDISH KING SIGN THE PACT WITH HITLER. WHILE THEY WERE THERE THEY HEARD ABOUT THE CAMPS EVEN THEN, YET WHEN THEY RETURN TO THE U.S. THERE WAS NO-ONE SPEAKING OF THE CAMPS OR KNOWING OF THEM. IT WAS AS THOUGH THEY DIDN'T EXIST TO THE AMERICANS. OR THE AMERICANS DIDN'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THEM. THIS IS ALL I THAT I WANT TO SAY, AND I HAVE THIS IMFORMATION FIRST HAND FROM MANY SURVIORS OF THE CAMPS THAT WERE FREINDS OF THE FAMILY AND ALWAYS WELCOME IN OUR HOME. ONE MORE ITEM THOUGH MY MON AND GREAT GRANDMOTHER GAVE REFUGE TO THOSE JEWISH SUVIORS WHO CAME TO SNA FRANSICO AFTHER THE WAR, THEY GAVE THEM APLACE TO LIVE UNTIL THEY COULD GET ON THEIR FEET AND FIND WORK FOR FREE. ITS HOW SHE MADE SO MANY JEWISH FRINDS. ONE OF THEM HAD BEEN A SILVER MEDAL WINNER IN THE BERLIN OLYMPICS FOR SWIMMING. BUT WHEN IT WAS DISCOVER THAT HIS GREAT GREAT GRANDMOTHER HAD BEEN JEWISH THEY TOOK THE MEDAL FROM HIM AND SENT HIM TO THE CAMPS IN GERMNY. HIS NAME WAS HANS AND HE WAS ONLY 18 YRS. OLD WHEN HE WENT IN. HE SURVIVED AND BECAME A CLOSE FREIND OF MY FAMILY. LINDA ENGDAHL
This comment is from a reader (not Pastor Bill). I am sorry for my being so late in moderating this comment. I have been away from the blog lately. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Please continue to read our blog and if you are in the area, visit St. Ansgar. God Bless.
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