Blog Post #1 !!!!!

Abraham Joshua Heschel had anything but an easy life. He grew up in a Jewish civilization that was taken over by the Germans. His entire family was unjustly murdered; nevertheless he stayed true to his religion. He escaped to London and eventually went to the US. He was a highly respected theologian in the early 1900's, and has written a plethora of understandings and studies. His main focus was not to go against the Christian people, but to explain that the Nazis are going against God. In America he supported the early civil rights movement, and has a very famous picture next to Martin Luther King Jr. 

In his article "No Religion is an Island" I think that Heschel made some great points. In America we experience so much diversity, especially when it comes to your own personal worldview. We could ask people at Belmont what they believe, and I seriously doubt that everyone will believe the same thing. Therefore, we have no excuse to isolate ourselves from people who think differently. When Heschel talks about how spiritual betrayal affects the faith of all of us, he is calling out for us to help one another. While Germany was exterminating everyone the Christians turned there backs on the Jewish people. He explains that we are all humans and have so much in common. We all breathe and love and are capable of compassion and understanding. No matter what we believe there is a human responsibility to help the helpless. When Heschel asks what unites us as Christians and Jews? He answers our being accountable to God.

While I read this article, just like while I was reading Claiborne's books, I started to feel guilty. I wouldn't consider myself a theologian, but I do believe in God and believe that we are all accountable to him. Heschel seems so confused that he has lived through the Holocaust and it took millions and millions of deaths before people finally stepped in. It's sad that it takes a catastrophe like that to force people to start helping. Shane Claiborne is accusing us of the same things that Heschel is writing about. He does not understand how we can call ourselves Christians and watch the poor struggle everyday. Just because it's not our problem we turn our backs and pretend it was never there. No matter a person's worldview they still bleed and feel pain just like every person. It seems that people are only getting worse and the poor are only getting poorer. Hopefully we will start feeling this human responsibility that Heschel speaks of and begin not only helping God's followers, but also helping each and every human being.