
Martin Niemöller (1892-1984, a prominent German anti-Nazi theologian and Lutheran pastor) wrote the following on the price of indifference:
“First they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the Social Democrats. I was silent. I was not a Social Democrat. Then they came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me.”
The opposite of love is not hate - it’s indifference.
The opposite of art is not ugliness - it’s indifference.
The opposite of faith is not disbelief - it’s indifference.
And the opposite of life is not death - it’s indifference.
Indifference creates artificial peace.
Indifference is harder to fight than hosility.
Indifference means having no opinion.
The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them.
Indifference is the strongest force in the universe. It makes everything it touches meaningless. Love doesn’t stand a chance against it.
And so, Indifference becomes a personal matter…
Oh Lord, let me never become indifferent! Let me stay the extremist at heart, I am sometimes mockingly referred to by family, friends and loved-ones. Let me have an opinion. Let me love that which is good and let me hate that which is evil. Let me stand up for that which is unjust and wrong.
So, my dearest lover, friend, mother, father, son, daughter… allow me to love you with all my heart.
Please embrace my jealousy, because I fear losing you.
Please permit my protectiveness, because I worry about you and all that is you.
Please tolerate my tantrums, because sometimes my self-esteem is not dependent on me, but on your significance within me.
Please endure my extremities - because I build thrones in my heart.
And please Forgive me all my shortcomings, weaknesses, limitations, failures and sins.
But, Lord, please spare me from indifference!
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