Not long ago, not far away…

While in Los Angeles last week Jim and I visited the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.  And there we took in the exhibition: AUSCHWITZ:  Not Long Ago, Not Far Away.

In seeing it, I was amazed to think that such a thing could have occurred just a little over 80 years ago.  Heck, my mom was alive then….so no, not long ago.

And it struck me as I saw the exhibition that there were a couple of things that made the extermination of six million lives possible.

First, there was the segmentation of the population, the focus on the differences between people rather than the similarities.  

Instead of being taught we are all created by God, and that He seeks communion with each of us, school children were taught to look for physical characteristics that might help them “identify the Jew.”

But the Bible tells us this: “We are all God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” - Ephesians 2:10

Then, leaders ensured their position by removing their opposition. “Political prisoners” (those opposing the government) were sent to the concentration camps and were the first to be executed.  On an election ballot, “Adolf Hitler” was the one and only choice.

But while we may not always choose wisely, freedom of choice is foundational to the Christian life. “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, that you and your children may live. - Deuteronomy 30:19

And finally, there were the lies. Lies like, “Get on the train, we’re transporting you to somewhere that you’ll be safe and given good jobs”, or “Here are postcards, use them to notify your neighbors and families that you are safe”, or “remember the hook number on which you’ve hung your clothes, that way you can return to them after the shower.”

Lies are Satan’s primary method of communicating.  John 8:44 says this: “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires.  He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth for their is no truth in him.  When he lies he speaks his native language for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Friends, I am concerned because I see some similarities between what happened then, and what is happening now.  And I hope, no I PRAY, that we have learned our lessons.  

For the scary sad truth is - the holocaust was not so long ago, and not at all far away…