(Feb 4th, 1906 – April 9th, 1945)
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (HERE) was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and anti-Nazi dissident. His writings on Christianity’s role in the secular world have become widely influential; his 1937 book The Cost of Discipleship (HERE) is described as a modern classic.
Apart from his theological writings, Bonhoeffer was known for his staunch resistance to the Nazi dictatorship, including vocal opposition to Adolf Hitler’s euthanasia program and genocidal persecution of the Jews. He was arrested in April 1943 by the Gestapo and imprisoned at Tegel Prison for one-and-a-half years. Later, he was transferred to Flossenbürg concentration camp.
Bonhoeffer was accused, tired, and convicted (with no evidence) of being associated with the July 20th, 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler … and hanged on April 9th, 1945 during the collapse of the Nazi regime.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer is certainly someone in history to know (HERE). We need more like him today.
Bonhoeffer Wikipedia Article: HERE
Bonhoeffer’s Words To Live By
None of this political stuff is complicated. Politicians and others make it complicated in an effort to avoid the HARD decisions … and to do what they want vs. what they know in their heart is right.
Talk long enough … analyze a situation long enough … and otherwise rational and Godly individuals can “justify” anything. Group think and the echo chamber so many politicians seem to enjoy as they play their political games and try to climb the ladder is what got America in this problem … while following simple principles of right vs. wrong are the only thing that can get us out of this mess.
“Silence in the face of Evil is itself Evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to Speak is to Speak. Not to Act is to Act.”
We were introduced to Bonhoeffer’s above simple principle when we first got involved in politics and school choice advocacy … and it has been a guiding principle in all we do and how we MEASURE others.
How many people in the face of obvious evil speak up? How many politicians are silent when they see obvious wrongs? Children suffer while folks that can fix it fail to act. What type of person would do that?
Do we promote these people, or do we expose them for who they truly are?
Bonhoeffer died for his beliefs. It was the ultimate price, and he paid it because he remained TRUE while others failed to speak up and act out due to their own SELF-INTEREST and FEAR.
History … and God … will not hold us guiltless. ACT!!! SPEAK!!!