The Pope visited Auschwitz. While there he prayed, lit a candle, said some things, denounced the killings of people and asked why God was silent. Normal activities of the Pope and Pony show. And he paid tribute to Maximillan Kolbe, a Catholic Priest who sacrificed himself to save one other.
Pope Benedict was conscripted into the Nazi Army. He can not be indicted for that. What he can be deemed guilty of, however, is not speaking out earlier against the killing of others. He is guilty of what he asked of God during his recent vacation at the horror-plex in Poland.
“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?” – WaPo
Why was the Pope (then a teenager) and the other Catholics silent? If a Priest who sacrifices himself for others is Canonized for such noble actions, then why does the Church not preach more of this self-sacrificing mentality? If Heaven is our goal and martyrdom is a most noble cause then why do Christians continue to fight, maim and kill?
The real question is concerns the desires, hopes and aspirations of people. If self-sacrifice is a good thing then why is it not practiced more? Why are the Christian Peace Teams considered to be doing a disservice? Why do Christians join the Army?
The answer is that everyone in the Army, everyone who fights and kills others has earthly goals – things that they cling to. Life on earth is a confort. We are scared of what we do not know. We do not want to die because we don’t know exactly what will happen.
Even if I proclaim that I know I will go to heaven when I die I still do not know anything concrete about heaven. Earth is my sanctuary.
Why was God silent? God was silent because the people of God were silent. God did not act because people did not speak out and act up.
The same question can be asked now about conflicts around the world. (Including Iraq.) Why is God so damn silent? It is because the Christians of the world are living in their comfortable lives that they understand and are refusing to act up. And they refuse to act up because they do not know definitively that God will provide for their families after their death and they do not know definitively that Heaven actually exists.
One thing can be said about the suicide bombers. They act on their belifes. Christians generally do not.
