Today is the observance of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. day who once said:
“If your opponent has a conscience, then follow Ghandi and non-violence. But if your enemy has no conscience like Hitler, then follow Bonhoeffer”
Throughout the history of the church, Christians have struggled with the dilemma of obeying an evil law. Does one blindly follow the apostle Paul’s admonition in Romans, chapter 13, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established”? Or is a believer bound to obey God’s law of love, grace and forgiveness even if it means disobeying an evil law of men?
Dr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a minister and theologian during the reign of Hitler, is portrayed in this film as a hero and martyr who resisted the Nazis and paid the ultimate price with his life. The Nazis hanged him on April 9, 1945, less than a month before the end of the war. Bonhoeffer struggled with his decision to join the German resistance as a spy and Jew-smuggler. But he believed that “being evil was worse than doing evil” and “it is worse for a liar to tell the truth than for a lover of truth to lie.”
This film demonstrates the importance of Christian involvement in politics and standing up to the evil that government inflicts on citizens. Teens and adults will be engaged by the ethical questions raised and the example of courage and sacrifice set by Bonhoeffer.
Virtually Yours,
FBR Library Ministry Team
First Baptist Raytown Library 