Pay attention to evil
If Nazi germany taught us one thing, it was that a people group are easily convinced to focus on distractions rather than face the horror all around them. It’s so easy to manipulate a depressed, fearful, and mean person with a shiny object.
This is how Zone of Interest illustrates this phenomenon. Gun shots are heard throughout while the family living next door to the stoves used to turn Jews to ashes. To mask the discomfort of being mass murderers, the women grew lilac and azalea bushes, played in a swimming pool, and exchanged meaningless pleasentries among them. The men conspired to evade reality by using the language of industry and business to describe intentional and efficient genocidal processes.
I’ve seen this phenomenon in movies before. As Thanos is murdering half the population on Gomaras planet (Avengers: Infinity War), he hands her a perfectly balanced knife. As the soldiers open fire, Gamora is drawn to the atrocity only to have her attention gently brought back to the knife in her hand.
In the movie The Menu, a similar theme is present. As the environment of the restaurant becomes increasingly chaotic and sinister, the Chef and his staff simply remind the guests of their surroundings and what they are suppose to be doing and feeling. Even in the presence of suicide, bodily disfigurement, and murder, light persuasion to focus on the menu is all that is needed to keep a fearful and shallow clientele quiet, even to their own eventual firey death.
How indicting of an insight by our own cinema! While 30,000 men, women, and children are being actively slaughtered by Israel with United States support, ammunition, and weaponry, we are gently reminded that it’s time for March Madness. While the Federal Government continues to steal wealth from the people of this land via taxation and inflation, we exchange pleasantries, careful not to disrupt the peace. We hide our worship of power by wrapping up our love for money in the language of business and industry, while the world descends further and further into foolishness and poverty.
Do you think the children of Gaza care about the NCAA bracket? Do you think the children of Detroit care if the Dow Jones is up? Do you think God cares about your latest attempt to circulate lies via fiat currency?
WAKE UP! Your problem is not information. You don’t need to be told what to do. You need to stop lying to yourself. The families of Auscuwitz didn’t want to be informed. The truth is you don’t want to know what is being done in your name. You don’t want to be held accountable for the pettiness and meanness of your desires. You think you’ll escape judgment by refusing to acknowledge the gun shots, the cries, the explosions, and the malice. Until you are willing to admit that you are responsible for the state of this world, you will feel a false sense of safety in the shadows. You’ll think you’ll escape attention in the crowd of anonymity. You won’t. You wont.
You won’t.
Let the light of justice shine on you today, right now. Believe in the mercy of God who still lets you draw breath. And tell the truth. Witness the atrocity. Call out the perpetrators. Don’t let people evade the consequences of their apathy! Withdraw your support. Stop paying taxes! Stop paying banks back for their fraudulent loan contracts. Resist the devil, even if it comes at great cost.
And on top of this, share your story of repentance, grief, bravery, and valore with others, so they too might be encouraged to awaken.
Look, I’m not perfect here. I struggle with this too. As an American, there are so many things to get distracted by. I golfed today. Shot a 41 and I genuinely enjoyed myself in the 60 degree Colorado sunshine. Such moments are a gift to be enjoyed with gratitude. At the same time, I looked over the skyline of Denver and considered the plight of Gaza. I came home and watched a movie. I am writing this post. I am not filing taxes. I have taken out $1.25M in loans with the purpose of defaulting to do my part in exposing bank corruption. I intend to love those around me with truth and compassion in all I do. This is what I am doing in my little corner of the globe.
I hope this encourages you to join me. We are strong in truth and strong in love. I am not afraid and pray that you find courage too.
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28
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