MLK DAY SERVICE
by Bob Wickizer
Scripture: Genesis 37:17-20, Psalm 77:11-20, Ephesians 6:10-20, Luke 6:27-36
MLK Day Service
Bob Wickizer
Genesis 37:17-20; Psalm 77:11-20; Ephesians 6:10-20; Luke 6:27-36
Justice in Public
In our celebrity-infatuated culture, one thing is almost always true. Nerds, geeks and scholars are never heroes. That is why I was drawn to a WWII story recently about some nerds, geeks and scholars who were heroes and who paid the ultimate price.
In Nazi-occupied Belgium in 1943, the Nazis had taken over the main newspaper of the country and turned it into a propaganda machine. The citizens hated it. The paper retained its old name of ''Le Soir'' (the night) but the contents were nothing but fake news, blustery statements by high ranking officials and stories designed to shift public opinion. A handful of journalists and academics designed and printed one issue of a satirical blast against the Nazi's takeover of their national paper. The satire version was called ''Faux Soir'' or ''Fake Night.''
Fifty-thousand copies of Faux Soir were printed and distributed. The Nazis never saw it coming. In a couple of days, the entire population of the country shifted their mood from one of depression and helplessness to one of hope and optimism. This crazy, funny, satirical newspaper hit its intended target - the hearts of eight million people. The people knew that their identity could not be taken from them. They knew that no matter how nasty things became, that their satirical attitudes could not be destroyed. This single-edition newspaper gave people hope against a very bleak background.
What happened to the writers and publishers of Faux Soir? In less than three weeks, they were rounded up and executed. They probably understood that possibility from the beginning. Would you die in order to tell a joke?
A ''joke'' may sound crude, but maybe that is what the people needed - a reminder of their identity, a caricature of a compelling narrative that told the Belgian people, ''This is who you are and nothing can change that.'' The writers gave ...
Bob Wickizer
Genesis 37:17-20; Psalm 77:11-20; Ephesians 6:10-20; Luke 6:27-36
Justice in Public
In our celebrity-infatuated culture, one thing is almost always true. Nerds, geeks and scholars are never heroes. That is why I was drawn to a WWII story recently about some nerds, geeks and scholars who were heroes and who paid the ultimate price.
In Nazi-occupied Belgium in 1943, the Nazis had taken over the main newspaper of the country and turned it into a propaganda machine. The citizens hated it. The paper retained its old name of ''Le Soir'' (the night) but the contents were nothing but fake news, blustery statements by high ranking officials and stories designed to shift public opinion. A handful of journalists and academics designed and printed one issue of a satirical blast against the Nazi's takeover of their national paper. The satire version was called ''Faux Soir'' or ''Fake Night.''
Fifty-thousand copies of Faux Soir were printed and distributed. The Nazis never saw it coming. In a couple of days, the entire population of the country shifted their mood from one of depression and helplessness to one of hope and optimism. This crazy, funny, satirical newspaper hit its intended target - the hearts of eight million people. The people knew that their identity could not be taken from them. They knew that no matter how nasty things became, that their satirical attitudes could not be destroyed. This single-edition newspaper gave people hope against a very bleak background.
What happened to the writers and publishers of Faux Soir? In less than three weeks, they were rounded up and executed. They probably understood that possibility from the beginning. Would you die in order to tell a joke?
A ''joke'' may sound crude, but maybe that is what the people needed - a reminder of their identity, a caricature of a compelling narrative that told the Belgian people, ''This is who you are and nothing can change that.'' The writers gave ...
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