In Whose Image?

Baldur Von Schirach, was the Reich Youth Leader prior to World War II.  A relative of Himmler, he was selected to organize this massive effort of indoctrinating German youth with the concept of the Reich and supremacy of the German State.

At the massive Nuremburg Rally he said:

“My Fuhrer,

My Comrades,

Again we experience the love that makes us proud and happy.

By your order, my Fuhrer, here stands a youth,

A youth that knows no class or caste distinctions.

The young generation of our nation is fashioned in your image.”

As you stare at the sea of youthful faces, think on what this man was saying.  These children were raised to the ideals of Adolf Hitler.  These children were to almost all be dead within eight years.  These children had no idea they had no choice but to serve and die for the State - because this was what they had been Programmed for!

Being German, this may affect me more than it might affect you.  These hundreds of thousands of young men – are all gone.  As a German male in the 1950’s and 1960’s, you were spoiled rotten by everyone (except the police!) because we were the future of Germany!  And the absence of youth, even adults between 20 and 50 was visibly apparent.

So I have been thinking on this, this past week…

Who would not want their children to know love?  Children whom can treat ALL as equal, regardless of their own background or race or even creed?  Children fashioned by the examples of our own spiritual heritage…

As a father of four, how have my children been programmed?  I know I have struggled to point them in the right direction, but the world has a strong and more immediate draw.  They have evidenced to my satisfaction they all want to be on the right path, but the ways of the world constantly are side tracking them.

At the face of it, our youth reflect all of our values, but often are like ping-pong balls – letting their lives go completely out of control, returning eventually to what they know is right, settling down, getting comfortable and then off on their next bounce! 

What are we to do?  Prayer, lots of prayer…