Indifference
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out;
because I was not a socialist. Then they
came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out; because I was not a
trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews,
and I did not speak out; because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me; and there was no one
left to speak for me.” (Martin Niemoller)
A Lutheran Pastor in Nazi Germany, Martin Neimoller was sent
to the death camps along with other undesirables. After his rescue in 1945 by Allied forces he wrote
the above concerning indifference.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe was also an undesirable in Nazi
Germany who was sent to the death camps.
When a man with a family was sentenced to die by starvation, Saint Kolbe
took his place, dying by forced starvation.
The entire world watched as Hitler began his efforts of
eliminating all but those he considered part of the master race. Indifference allowed it to continue. Rather than confronting it in its’ early
stages, the world waited until it was too late to save millions of lives in Nazi
death camps.
Today we’ve seen Christians beheaded in the middle east. We’ve seen entire Christian populations
uprooted and their properties taken. Ancient sites
sacred to Christianity have been obliterated never to be restored. The world has stood by doing little to defend
those being persecuted and killed.
In our own country Christians are mocked, sneered at and
looked down upon. Candidates for high
public office denigrate the faithful in their campaigns. The entertainment industry mocks religion and
faith. Christian business owners have
been sued and fined for standing up for their beliefs. Our indifference to these attacks on
Christianity encourages even more aggressive persecution. Will we, like so many before us, turn a blind
eye until it is too late?
Indifference can be a sin against God. Failure to defend our faith is a failure to
defend Christ.
“The most deadly
poison of our times is indifference.” (St. Maximilian Kolbe)
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