- How was Jewish identity discriminated against in the Concentration camps?
- Shaven heads, stripy pyjamas
- Men and women separated, Women separated from kids
- Men without any clothes huddled together in the cold.
- Right side of line was workers, left side was old women and disabled.
- Not allowed to use toilet
- Bread and lukewarm drink was all that was offered
- Jews had to work at the camps 24/7.
- Bedrooms were often extremely crowded, with 2 to a bed.
- SS Men with intimidating rifles
- Beaten all the way down the stairs
- Bodies burnt and gassed
- Number tattooed on arm
- Key to survival was to adapt
- “The Holocaust occurred. Therefore, the God of classical theism not exist?”
Justifiably, this statement can be pondered on by many of the Jews that went though the demoralising event of the Holocaust. Holocaust meaning (holos) = completely and (kaustos) = burnt, sacrificed to god. The Jews did not like this word as they believed that they weren’t sacrificed as it was a compulsory sacrifice, and not voluntary. They were forced to do this immorally wrong deed, and nothing positive or pleasant came out of it as sacrifices are meant to be. Yahweh was the Jewish word for god. It literally meant “He who brings things into existence.” And Yahweh followed the Utilitarianism method of the greatest good for the greatest number. But surely this is contradicted by the events of the Holocaust? Fundamentally, the persecution of 6 million Jews strongly opposes the Jewish belief that they were god’s “chosen” and favoured people. Controversially, Genesis 12: 1-3, quotes of how the Jews were god’s most hated and despised people. In some ways, this was justified as they were of course rejected by god in this tragic event! Jews often use words to describe Yahweh, such as Creator, Father, Sustainer, Protector and Fair. But surely it is not fair or just, for a father to kill 6 million of his children? If Yahweh was a father, then he was one abusive one too. That is why I believe that none of these words should be used to describe the Jew’s Yahweh in the context of this one event.
The belief that this event is a contradiction is moreover proved in the fact that Yahweh did not intervene and stop the unjust outcome of the holocaust. Additionally, Jews believe that Yahweh created humans and keeps them alive, and Yahweh is a sustainers’. Meaning he sustains the Jew’s quality of life. It may be true that Yahweh created the Jews, but he certainly did not sustain them in this case. This shows that the Jew’s Yahweh is more of a Deistic god (a god who creates the universe and then takes a back seat) rather than a theistic god.
Also, Yahweh is also described by the Jews as being the three O’s, Omniscient, Omni-benevolence and Omnipotence. If Yahweh really was all knowing, then how was the Holocaust not in the foreseeing future of Yahweh’s eyes? Therefore their god must’ve known that this event was coming and Yahweh should’ve then done something about this. Omnipotent meant that Yahweh was all-powerful. But god’s actions were not exactly powerful at all. Infact quite the opposite, and seemingly gutless and unreleuctant to do anything at all! Yet again, Yahweh did not show any characteristics to show all loving and protecting. It was more like the complete opposite and malevolence, as the Jews were completely rejected and brutally treated. Innocent people like Anne Frank, faced the same fate despite Yahweh being “all-loving”. Yahweh is definably not all-loving looking at this devastating event.
Those who had theistic beliefs were contradicted against their beliefs by Yahweh. Therefore, a moral (in their eyes) quote was made: “That was the day that I spat into the face of my god!” Also, Anne Frank queried the intervention, or lack of intervention from Yahweh to prevent the Holocaust. Saying: “Everyone has come to doubt the truth of justice and god.” If the Jews were punished for wrong doing, their “father” should’ve given them another chance to redeem themselves.
On the other side of the argument, some Jews believe that the holocaust was not contradictory to the Jew’s beliefs. Yahweh is all knowing and permits evil for reasons we cannot understand. Yahweh also permits evil for the greater good. As the theodicy quotes: Some Jews believed that Yahweh had punished them as a compulsory sacrifice for them to gain back their holy land, Israel. Some Jews also undergo voluntary sacrifice, rather than compulsory sacrifice. Another point to consider is that Ultra-orthodox Jews believed that other conservative, unorthodox and reformed Jews did not follow the 613 Jewish laws strictly. The majority of Jews actually were Ultra-orthodox and believed that Holocaust, meaning” sacrificed offering to god”, is a better word to use than Shoah, meaning “disaster or calamity”.
Anne Frank once quoted: “It is God that made us who we are but it will be god too, who will raise us up again.” In addition to this point, this leads to some Jews believing that god has utilitarianistic views. Therefore, the deaths of 6million Jews, is to benefit the 6 billion global population today. As we can now globally learn from this tragic event and try to make sure it does not happen again.
It is true however that killings and murders still take place and have not been completely wiped out, but nothing to the vast scale of the Holocaust has ever been recreated. This shows that the world has learnt something from this large scale event. Bela Rosenthal (holocaust survivor) also had a controversial view, as she believed that it is god who gives us the choice to do what is ethically correct or morally right. Thus meaning that she believes that god gave the German’s the choice to either persecute the Jews or to leave them be. Overall, she therefore believes that the Germans were the ones who were later punished for persecuting the Jews and making the wrong decision, and the Jews received the greatest honour of Israel. Yahweh really did love his favoured children and was just teaching them a lesson as a father should.
In conclusion, after looking at both arguments and opinions, I think that the first argument is a more justified and fair statement. As, all of the words that the Jews describe their Yahweh as were contradicted. And even innocent people such as Anne Frank believed this as well. Case 1 also shows evidence that many Jews doubted in their god and some spat in the faces of their god! This further proves that there was a major contradiction. It is evidence like this and facts of history that show an accurate account of what it was like in camps, and if the Jews religious beliefs were still intact. It is easy to see, that they were not. Despite this, the second argument also can stake a claim, as two wrongs do not make a right.
4. “Humans are overall egoistic and selfish beings. The Holocaust proves this.”
It is easy to choose the perfect person who was definitely unique and contradicted this rule. His name was Oscar Schindler, and he was a German Industrialist during the Holocaust. He is renown for being the man who saved the lives of 1,200 Jews during the holocaust, by employing them to work for his factories. This short response shows the 2 sides of this seemingly great man.
Despite, Oscar Schindler representing an extremely altruistic person in his actions, what was in it for him? The reality is that he only did it for the benefits that he would gain. He may have sacrificed a lot of money and did not make any profits from the Jews. But after all, the employment of the Jews did not cost anything either. But it made Oscar popular amongst the Jews and gave him a great status. If he helps other people, it will ultimately help him as well. This shows that he is egoistic and that he is only doing it for the plaudits, and perhaps even or his place in history as a great man. “No such thing as a selfless good deed.”
However, on the other hand, he can be shown as being very influential and a helpful individual as well. One of his employees said that Schindler spent his entire fortune on the Jews. He had also bribed many SS soldiers into allowing the Jews to be employed by him. This further put him in more danger. Therefore, he had a brief spell in prison. He also showed utilitarianism, by doing everything possible to help the greatest number of people.
Looking at all of this, in my opinion I believe that Oscar Schindler was an altruist and was not egoistic at all. This was a selfless good deed as he put himself in great danger to do it.