Hope?

A few days ago I received the most recent edition of Response Magazine... Seattle Pacific University's award winning publication that comes quarterly. :) This edition focuses on hope and particularly on the life of Jurgen Moltmann, the author of Theology of Hope. I have yet to read this book or really become too familiar with the theologian. So upon receiving this magazine in the mail, I began to read about Jurgen Moltmann's life.

Jurgen Moltmann is a German man. He grew up in good home that valued education. He was well read and intelligent. He was drafted into the German army during World War II. I'm sure that he questioned very little, serving his country in this way. I'm sure that just like any citizen of any country, he felt compelled to be faithful and serve his country and people. At the end of the war he surrendered to the British and was taken as a prisoner of war. During his time at the POW camp he was presented with stories and pictures of concentration camps and extermination camps. As a prisoner of war, he began to understand the role that he indirectly played in the Holocaust. The Holocaust...genocide. Millions of people exterminated. He was presented with this horror and presented with the responsibility he had in it.

As I was reading this article, I couldn't read past this point. The point where Jurgen realizes that he has indirectly played a role in a mass genocide and must therefore take some sort of responsibility for his country's actions. In fact, reading this led me to tears. I felt so broken for Jurgen and for the other German soldiers who were clueless of the impact of their loyalty to their country. Then, I began to ask questions...

Often times I become a bit depressed and feel guilt about being a US citizen. I had no choice in becoming a US citizen and most of the time I am grateful that I am one. But sometimes I wonder if what I am doing, even indirectly by being a US citizen, is having a negative impact on the lives of others and if that is something I will be held accountable for. What am I doing to be responsible with the gift of US citizenship I have been given? What are the injustices that the US is a part of right now that I am ignorant to? What is my role? Where is the line of my responsibility to the US? Will I ever be presented with a huge injustice that I am indirectly responsible for?