Night Topic #3
Eliezer and others feel betrayed by God and have lost faith. Free write what you think about Eliezer’s beliefs; are they justified? How do you think you would feel about God or a Higher Being if you were living through such an ordeal?
Eliezer and others feel betrayed by God and have lost faith. Free write what you think about Eliezer’s beliefs; are they justified? How do you think you would feel about God or a Higher Being if you were living through such an ordeal?
Sarah said,
October 10, 2007 at 5:44 pm
I belive that I would start to doubt god if I was put in that situation. I also can see why Eliezer felt betrayed by god because of all that is happening around him. I think Eliezer wasnt wrong to feel that way, just as the others were confused on whether or not they should fast. They shouldnt have fasted, those who did, because it was a meaning of survival.
Tim said,
October 10, 2007 at 5:51 pm
I think he has learned from his parents his religion and how he believes in his Jewish culture. I think his religion is pretty strong, he is constantly thanking God and repeating Jewish verses. I would still believe in God if something like that happened to me. Everything happens for a reason, so if you were to die, then you know that was God’s plan for you. He’ll always be there for you, those are the times when you need him the most.
nathaniel said,
October 10, 2007 at 5:57 pm
I think that elizers believes are justified. I would feel exactly how eliezer feels. At the beggining of the story eliezer believes in god, that he will come and help them. But at the middle of the story when they hang they children, and when the prisoners were crawling back on there hands and knees, I to would start to doubt that god is up there and is trying to help us.
Dylan said,
October 10, 2007 at 6:04 pm
I think that his beliefs are justified. If I were in a situation such as that, I would also start to ask myself if there really is a god. In that sense, I believe that they are justified because of everything that had been happening to him and nothing good was happening to him that would even make him believe that there was a god or anything looking after him.
Lauren said,
October 10, 2007 at 6:05 pm
It is very hard on a person when they are being humiliated, beaten, and deprived of necessities daily. It must be very draining, but faith is what helps us get through the hard times. Faith is what keeps our spirits up when we are down. Personally I don’t think Eliezer’s beliefs are justified because why would you lose God when you need him the most. I would be very close to God if I were in a circumstance such as the Holocaust because I would want to have a friend during this tough time and someone always by my side even when I’m alone. Faith in God is something I wouldn’t trade for anything at a time like the Holocaust.
Josh said,
October 10, 2007 at 6:08 pm
I think that Eliezer beliefs are justified. I feel the same way because at the beginning of the story were we are took to the concentration camp that god would help us, but at the end when they hang the children I don’t think that god was help us.
eric said,
October 10, 2007 at 6:15 pm
I think that Eliezers beliefs are not justified because even going through the rough time he is going through he should not give up, if he really believed and really ment it he would know that god was doing it for a reason and in the end it would be better. And if he did really believe in god he would not be doubting god, and thinking that he is not real. He would believe in him more, and pray to him every day that he and his family got out safety. In this situation I think that I would kind of question him about, why me, why did he have to put me in this situation, but then I would think that god does everything for a reason. I don’t think god would put me in that situation if he knew that I could not handle it.
Rosie said,
October 17, 2007 at 6:08 pm
I think it is totally justifiable how he felt. I am a divot Mormon and believe in god, but if I was in such of a situation, my faith would be tested. There is a reason god permitted the holocaust to happen. Why? I haven’t a clue. How I would feel about god…… well I sure would be angry, upset, traumatized, like he did not love me, so many emotions. I would be confused mainly. Why would god permit this treason to happen? So many questions without answers
Emily said,
October 19, 2007 at 6:02 pm
I can see where Eliezer is coming from but I think that was not the best thing to do in this situation. I think that this would be a time when you would need God to count on. Even in the darkest of the nights I think that he should have counted on God to be there for him instead of kind of abandoning God. If I was living through this ordeal then I would have hoped that there was a God who was above me that could help me through these times. Even though it would have been hard when you feel like everything is going wrong you need someone who is higher than you to help get you through these times.
DanielleT said,
October 22, 2007 at 6:00 pm
If I was Eliezer I would probably have to question Gods existence too. If I would have seen and been there for all the horrific things that they all saw then I would probably wonder if God even cared. I wouldn’t know how to react to people who believed if I had been through that kind of torment because I would be angry with him. I have been taught my whole life that God is the king and he only wants good in the world. I would question if he only wants good in the world why is he letting this happen. I truly think that God puts you through things in your life for a reason but I don’t think if I was him if I could ever understand why God had allowed these things to happen.
Jenny said,
October 24, 2007 at 12:56 am
Personally, faith and belief in God is a really huge part of my life. I can’t imagine giving up or even questioning the faith I have, but I’ve never had any reason to. I have always been really blessed and fortunate in my life. If I ever went through anything like Eliezer and the rest of the Holocaust victims, I could certainly see how they could question God, and wonder why they were put in such a horrible situation.
Cayla D said,
October 25, 2007 at 2:22 am
Eliezer and all this fellow Jews are very ferm believers in their faith or they would not have gone through everything they went in the camps. So with that Jews don’t believe in violence or that anyone would ever want to do the horrible things that have they experience. Eliezer is a young boy and is still building this faith, but while he is trying to do this he has been put in the camps. Eliezer wants to believe in god as much as evey other Jew does but it hard to do when they are getting tortured for believe in their own form of god. I think it is justified that they are doubting him, I believe in god a lot but if I was going through eveything they are I would have to question everything too.
Katelyn said,
October 25, 2007 at 2:30 am
I think that I can see where Eliezer is coming from. Not saying that I have ever been in a situation where I have lost my faith in God, but I think I see his and the others’ point of view. They all have such a strong faith in their God, and then all of these horrible things start to happen and they wonder how God could let them happen. I feel like they are justified because it’s the human thing to do; to lose faith in what you thought would keep you safe and keep things fair and the way they should be. Of course right now I personally would like to say that I wouldn’t lose my faith in God, but being put in a situation like that, I think anyone could lose it. Or maybe my faith would stay strong because dying and going to the after life would be the one thing to look forward to, and praying would make me feel better. However, I honestly don’t exactly thing I would know I would feel unless I was put in the situation, and not many of us today can say that we have gone through something that terrible.