Mark's blog has been moved to
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Saturday 31 March 2007
Wednesday 7 February 2007
Journal on Auschwitz
Absolutely revolting, foul killings have taken place at Auschwitz under a manipulative Nazi party leader, Adolf Hitler along with his party members. The Jews were treated as the lowest possible beings alive, even put under the most dangerous criminals. They were treated like unwanted property and later they were gased to death with pesticides. Approximately 1.6 million Jews were killed in auschwitz alone. This was the 'final solution' carried out by Rudolf Hoss, officer in charge of Auschwitz at the time under Hitler's directions.
When I saw how the Jews were being treated by the Nazi SS Officers, it got me so angry that I wanted to actually kill them myself if I was there. They had no respect or even sympathy for the Jews. Their cruel, threatening methods of control allowed no room for the Jews to be free physically and mentally. If I was one of the Jews, I would have given up on my own life, and this is exactly what the Nazis wanted. They wanted the Jews to know that they were worthless, don't belong on this earth and should all be exterminated. How cruel can someone get? Although their culture, looks and faith are different, they are still human: Just like us.
Those former SS officers who were being interviewed, were not ashamed of what they did. One man was transporting Jews on a train but there were no seats. He told a Jew to stand so that he can sit, but the Jew refused. So the man and a few others sat on him, suffocated the Jew to deatha and threw him out of the moving train. Another man who was in carge of many killings were not ashamed nor regreted any of the kills that he had done. This absolutely shocked because I would feel horrible and dissatisfied with myself if I had killed someone or even intentionally hurt someone. However these proud former Nazi officers shocked me and angered me.
The Jews were also treated like lab mice by Dr. Mengele. Infact they were being treated worse that the lab mice today. Code of practice exists for all lab animals that include: reducing the numbers used, minimizing the pain and finding other means of exprimient. However the Jews were being treated as those 'other means of expriment'. They felt the same pain as us but Dr. Mengele brutally seperated families and practiced any expriments he wanted to on any of them. He overdoesed them with medicine, tried out anything new whether it was safe or not. He simply did not care. He also manipulated them by giving them clothes can candies gaining their trust, being called 'uncle' then performing expriments on them. Many have died in this process and Dr. Mengele and his team were able to produce various medicines and make discoveries.
The man in charge of Auschwitz was Rudolf Hoss who later stated in this letter that he only regrets not spending enough time with his family before he was executed.
The whole film showed me how terrible the conditions were. People had dangerous experiments performed on them, beaten, sexually taken advantage of and mass murdered with gases that would make them bleed to death internally. I feel guilty for having what I have now and something like this should never, ever be repeated again on any group of people or any living things.
When I saw how the Jews were being treated by the Nazi SS Officers, it got me so angry that I wanted to actually kill them myself if I was there. They had no respect or even sympathy for the Jews. Their cruel, threatening methods of control allowed no room for the Jews to be free physically and mentally. If I was one of the Jews, I would have given up on my own life, and this is exactly what the Nazis wanted. They wanted the Jews to know that they were worthless, don't belong on this earth and should all be exterminated. How cruel can someone get? Although their culture, looks and faith are different, they are still human: Just like us.
Those former SS officers who were being interviewed, were not ashamed of what they did. One man was transporting Jews on a train but there were no seats. He told a Jew to stand so that he can sit, but the Jew refused. So the man and a few others sat on him, suffocated the Jew to deatha and threw him out of the moving train. Another man who was in carge of many killings were not ashamed nor regreted any of the kills that he had done. This absolutely shocked because I would feel horrible and dissatisfied with myself if I had killed someone or even intentionally hurt someone. However these proud former Nazi officers shocked me and angered me.
The Jews were also treated like lab mice by Dr. Mengele. Infact they were being treated worse that the lab mice today. Code of practice exists for all lab animals that include: reducing the numbers used, minimizing the pain and finding other means of exprimient. However the Jews were being treated as those 'other means of expriment'. They felt the same pain as us but Dr. Mengele brutally seperated families and practiced any expriments he wanted to on any of them. He overdoesed them with medicine, tried out anything new whether it was safe or not. He simply did not care. He also manipulated them by giving them clothes can candies gaining their trust, being called 'uncle' then performing expriments on them. Many have died in this process and Dr. Mengele and his team were able to produce various medicines and make discoveries.
The man in charge of Auschwitz was Rudolf Hoss who later stated in this letter that he only regrets not spending enough time with his family before he was executed.
The whole film showed me how terrible the conditions were. People had dangerous experiments performed on them, beaten, sexually taken advantage of and mass murdered with gases that would make them bleed to death internally. I feel guilty for having what I have now and something like this should never, ever be repeated again on any group of people or any living things.
Changes of the Sawi after Christianity was introduced
After the introduction of christianity and the accept by the Sawi completely changed their culture and many ways made developments. Being exposed to Christianity, they were exposed to the words of God and became more civilized. Their views of death completely changed as well as their life style. This show how much effect a religion can have on an individual and a group of people. Although it is impossible to change the Sawi completely like Christians in our society, most basic conciousness and belief were changed.
The Sawi became more modernized in a way that there were less killing, less canibalism and betrayal. They also came to believe heaven or hell after death. I also thing it was easier to take in everything in the bible as they were less educated. Many of them would not doubt the existance of heaven and hell unlike many of us today.
The Sawi became more modernized in a way that there were less killing, less canibalism and betrayal. They also came to believe heaven or hell after death. I also thing it was easier to take in everything in the bible as they were less educated. Many of them would not doubt the existance of heaven and hell unlike many of us today.
What concepts in the Sawi culture intregued/reveiled/saddened/angered/surprised you?
The cannibalism of the Sawi saddened, angered, and surprised me. It saddened me because the book was so detailed of the process and the ritual. The fact that a person is betrayed by a friend, brutally murdered and eaten by other humans and in the end not being able to have a proper funeral. It was also sad that they still accepted the inhumane practice. It was also a pity that they can only trust each other by giving up members of their family. As the betrayal and ritual took place my emotion changed around rapidly between sad, angry and surprised.
The betrayal of a friend for another tribe's child angered me very much. I believe this is just unacceptable. I was also angered by the people who give up their child for another man to betray their friends and kill them. I would be extremly angry, disappointed and scared if my trusted friend betrayed, killed and ate me.
I was surprised by the whole eating thing the most as well as the detail about cracking the skull open. It is not what you hear everyday in our society. Majority of the people do practice cannibalism so it seems inhumane to me. I felt sympathy not only for the victim, but the ones who are doing this as well. I felt that if it was possible and not dangerous, I would like to go and educatate them about right and wrong in the world today. Although Don was succesful in teaching them the way to the light, despite I have to religious obligation to do so, I would like to have gone and taught them.
The betrayal of a friend for another tribe's child angered me very much. I believe this is just unacceptable. I was also angered by the people who give up their child for another man to betray their friends and kill them. I would be extremly angry, disappointed and scared if my trusted friend betrayed, killed and ate me.
I was surprised by the whole eating thing the most as well as the detail about cracking the skull open. It is not what you hear everyday in our society. Majority of the people do practice cannibalism so it seems inhumane to me. I felt sympathy not only for the victim, but the ones who are doing this as well. I felt that if it was possible and not dangerous, I would like to go and educatate them about right and wrong in the world today. Although Don was succesful in teaching them the way to the light, despite I have to religious obligation to do so, I would like to have gone and taught them.
What does God expect us to do for other cultures an fiaths?
"Love one another"Perhaps the most widely used definition for who is a disciple is Jesus' self-referential example from the Gospel of John 13:34-35: "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (NRSV) Further definition by Jesus can be found in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 14, which is a veritable treatise on the topic. Beginning with a testing trap laid out by his adversaries regarding observance of the Jewish Sabbath, Jesus uses the opportunity to lay out the problems with the religiosity of his adversaries against his own teaching by giving a litany of shocking comparisons between various, apparent socio-political and socio-economic realities versus the meaning of being a his disciple. Examples which are expressed definitions of a disciple are:Luke 14:26 Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27 Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:33 So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions. "Be transformed"Generally in Christian theology, discipleship is a term used to refer to a disciple's transformation from some other worldview and practice of life into that of Jesus Christ, and so, by way of Trinitarian theology, of God himself. Note the Apostle Paul's description of this process, that the disciple "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and aceptable and perfect." Therefore a disicple is not simply an accumulator of information or one who merely changes moral behavior in regards to the teachings of Jesus Christ, but seeks a fundamental shift toward the ethics of Jesus Christ in every way, including complete devotion to God. In several Christian traditions, the process of becoming a disciple is called the Imitation of Christ, after the famous book of that title by Thomas à Kempis. See also Imitatio dei.The Great CommissionUbiquitous throughout Christianity is the practice of proselytization, making new disciples. At the beginning of Jesus' ministry, when calling his earliest disciples Simon (Peter) and Andrew , he says to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people" (Matthew 4:19). Then, at the very end of his ministry Jesus institutes the Great Commission, commanding all present to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20a). Jesus has incorporated this practice into the very definition of being a disciple and experiencing discipleship
source - wikipedia
In the Great Commision mentioned above by the source, Jesus tells his disciples 'Therefore, go and make desciples of all nathions baptizing them in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit'. These were the words of Jesus telling Christians to spread christianity and this is exactly what Don is doing for the Sawi tribes. Missionaries are who travel to carious places to spread the words of Jesus. God wants his believers to spread chritianity to as many people as they can so that they can also be saved.
source - wikipedia
In the Great Commision mentioned above by the source, Jesus tells his disciples 'Therefore, go and make desciples of all nathions baptizing them in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit'. These were the words of Jesus telling Christians to spread christianity and this is exactly what Don is doing for the Sawi tribes. Missionaries are who travel to carious places to spread the words of Jesus. God wants his believers to spread chritianity to as many people as they can so that they can also be saved.
Monday 5 February 2007
What should society do for uncivilized cultures like the Sawi?
This question brings a dilema that really should be decided by the people of the 'uncivilized culture' when they are fully aware of the benefits and consequences. However the people are usually tricked or not given a choice. There are usually two choices: (1) To develop the area or (2) To leave them as they are.
The first choice would allow the area to be industrialized and possibly making benefits of natural resouces. This would bring money into the area to be spread between people. However the natives who are not always aware of the value of what they have often get exploited or tricked into giving up their land and labour.
The second choice would not change their lives very much. It means no benefits and no consequences, although, in the long run the tribe or the area will be so outdated that it will not be able to compete with others.
In my opinion, as our technology is improving and the land on earth is not enough for us it is necessary to develp such areas however I also think that the rights of the people who lived there must not be taken away. They deserve as much as the land owner in other ares would deserve in profit. International laws and demestic country laws should be set up and carefully monitored.
The first choice would allow the area to be industrialized and possibly making benefits of natural resouces. This would bring money into the area to be spread between people. However the natives who are not always aware of the value of what they have often get exploited or tricked into giving up their land and labour.
The second choice would not change their lives very much. It means no benefits and no consequences, although, in the long run the tribe or the area will be so outdated that it will not be able to compete with others.
In my opinion, as our technology is improving and the land on earth is not enough for us it is necessary to develp such areas however I also think that the rights of the people who lived there must not be taken away. They deserve as much as the land owner in other ares would deserve in profit. International laws and demestic country laws should be set up and carefully monitored.
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