The violence and horror of the two World Wars and the Holocaust not only altered the Western notion of ‘religion’ and ‘secular’ but changed how society was understood. With the deaths of millions and a 90% wipe out of the Jewish race in Europe alone by the notions of one singular Germany party who rose to power through Germany’s weak years from the recovery of the First World War. Yet not all Germans were involved in this persecution nor did many of them actually understand fully the real horrors of what was occurring in their nation. From WW1 many people turned away from the church, one of the first great declines ever seen, yet they kept their faith in God. Thus when WW2 occurred and a great loss of live was seen once more people now turned
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As Wiesel reflects upon this it is important to note that he was also only a child at the time, in this short section the true horrors of the camps are shown through the harrowing account of hanging of a young boy only twelve years of age. The people of the camps were forced to walk by the hangings and look each dead man in the eye and in this case a young dying boy as he was too light to die instantly, taking thirty minutes to die, during this a man in front of Wiesel asks the question “Where is God” with Wiesel’s reply “here on the Gallows”. The question of “Where is God?” by the man in front and Wiesel’s response “Here on the Gallows” has a great contrast in faith as the man’s question suggests the meaning of asking where someone is to come save them, whereas Wiesel’s response suggests that they are alone and only them themselves can save one another. This shows the true horrors as a young boy of similar age to the one hung understands the reality of the situation and that no higher being, God, can save them from these treacherous encounters. This account leads to the belief of the death of God. The idea that God is lead stems from Nietzsche and his madman 's prophetic . Yet Nietzsche’s work was before the Holocaust and it was not until then that the true extent of the death …show more content…
The horror of it was so incomprehensible that only silence could be shown by both God and mankind but how was the world to ever recover from such an evil and vicious act carried out. For many years the world was silent, almost 40 years before anyone spoke about it in great length. It even took many years for theologians to ask questions. During this silence many people accused ordinary Germans for a long time that they were imprisoning their silence, yet is was argued that they possibly could not find words to describe what their own nation and people had done. Moreover, silence was extended to our nations and the Jewish people that ii is only fair that it should be extended to Germany to allow them to accept. As a result of this the Western world fell silent too and in May 2006 Pope Benedict 16th came to Auschwitz and responded to the horrors by stating " In a place like this, words fail; in the end, there can only be a dread silence - a silence which is itself a heartfelt cry to God: Why, Lord, did you remain silent? How could you tolerate all this? In silence, then, we bow our heads before the endless line of those who suffered and where put to death here“ . After this the Western civilised notions of “religion” and “secular” have been altered. Traditional faith in the Church and God has been replaced with more secular models in art, socialism. This only aided the corrosion of Christianity that was already occurring due to
As Wiesel reflects upon this it is important to note that he was also only a child at the time, in this short section the true horrors of the camps are shown through the harrowing account of hanging of a young boy only twelve years of age. The people of the camps were forced to walk by the hangings and look each dead man in the eye and in this case a young dying boy as he was too light to die instantly, taking thirty minutes to die, during this a man in front of Wiesel asks the question “Where is God” with Wiesel’s reply “here on the Gallows”. The question of “Where is God?” by the man in front and Wiesel’s response “Here on the Gallows” has a great contrast in faith as the man’s question suggests the meaning of asking where someone is to come save them, whereas Wiesel’s response suggests that they are alone and only them themselves can save one another. This shows the true horrors as a young boy of similar age to the one hung understands the reality of the situation and that no higher being, God, can save them from these treacherous encounters. This account leads to the belief of the death of God. The idea that God is lead stems from Nietzsche and his madman 's prophetic . Yet Nietzsche’s work was before the Holocaust and it was not until then that the true extent of the death …show more content…
The horror of it was so incomprehensible that only silence could be shown by both God and mankind but how was the world to ever recover from such an evil and vicious act carried out. For many years the world was silent, almost 40 years before anyone spoke about it in great length. It even took many years for theologians to ask questions. During this silence many people accused ordinary Germans for a long time that they were imprisoning their silence, yet is was argued that they possibly could not find words to describe what their own nation and people had done. Moreover, silence was extended to our nations and the Jewish people that ii is only fair that it should be extended to Germany to allow them to accept. As a result of this the Western world fell silent too and in May 2006 Pope Benedict 16th came to Auschwitz and responded to the horrors by stating " In a place like this, words fail; in the end, there can only be a dread silence - a silence which is itself a heartfelt cry to God: Why, Lord, did you remain silent? How could you tolerate all this? In silence, then, we bow our heads before the endless line of those who suffered and where put to death here“ . After this the Western civilised notions of “religion” and “secular” have been altered. Traditional faith in the Church and God has been replaced with more secular models in art, socialism. This only aided the corrosion of Christianity that was already occurring due to