mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate) (05/07/85)
In article <945@pyuxd.UUCP> rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) writes: >A public note of thanks to David Harwood. It's people like him, and Bill >Jefferys (whom he mentions above), and Dave Trissel, and others, who have >shown me that there are Christians who actually believe in Christianity >and not just in spouting Christianity. A sharp contrast to those like >Charley Wingate, and Dave Brown (with his pseudo-pacifism), and Steve >Hutchison, and Paul Dub*, and Larry Bickford (where has *he* been?), who >seem to feel it is more important to prove that Christianity as a system >of beliefs is perfect and correct than to act on the good tenets it *does* >have, and admit where it has had its faults, and work to correct them. Now hold it, Rich. You were the one who wanted to argue about theology, and especially about theological cosmology. It's your "Assumptions" article, not mine. You were the one who refused to let the crimes of the middle ages die. You want to talk about Christian morality, I'll talk about it. But be forewarned: in the tradition I follow, it is a difficult and tricky subject. Doing the right thing is NOT always easy to do, even ignoring the moral courage needed. It's all well and good to say "You were morally obligated to condemn the Nazis." But supposing you were hiding Anne Frank in the back rooms of your house? The reason I refrain from these blanket denunciations is that I was not living in Germany in 1938. I am not in a position to judge upon the state of mind of any, save those who spoke publicly. We should remember the Holocaust-- and not just for the Jews. But let us remember that we have to live for the future, as well as for the present. At times, those who spoke against the Bitburg visit gave the impression that they did not care about the modern Germans; they only wanted vengeance for the crimes of the Nazis. Such vengeance will never be sated. Charley Wingate umcp-cs!mangoe
jho@ihuxn.UUCP (Yosi Hoshen) (05/08/85)
from Charley Wingate umcp-cs!mangoe > We should remember the Holocaust-- and not just for the Jews. But let us > remember that we have to live for the future, as well as for the present. > At times, those who spoke against the Bitburg visit gave the impression that > they did not care about the modern Germans; they only wanted vengeance for > the crimes of the Nazis. Such vengeance will never be sated. Suggesting that most of those who opposed the Bitburg visit where doing so because of some kind of anti-German feelings is twisting the facts. The opposition was due to the fact that at the cemetery contained the graves of 48 S.S. man. I hope that you are not suggesting that we should forget and forgive the crimes of the S.S. I think that reconciliation with the new Germany is important. However, we cannot reconcile with the S.S. -- Yosi Hoshen, AT&T-IS Naperville, Illinois, (312)-979-7321, Mail: ihnp4!ihuxn!jho