I remember sending this one out about four years ago, and a lot of people didn’t like it. I am not certain if that is good or bad. Maybe you aren’t supposed to like it?
The good Samaritan
Retold by Daniel June
During the Nazi occupation and the entire fiasco, a certain literary Jew fled for his life, taking as his sole possession his magnum opus, which was still in the form of an unfinished manuscript. He had heard of an underground railroad, supported by some pastor of the protestant faith, who pitied the Jews. But this pastor said: “Aha, you literary atheist, you do not find me ignorant of your writings, which were so disruptive to my religion! Would I risk my neck to save you, who have already cost so many souls and will cost even more if I save you? Go hence: I would report you if that wouldn't jeapordize me.” Indignant, the literary Jew went to another, a Catholic priest. The catholic priest said: “We have made our peace with the Reich, and will not risk our standing. But take heart, we will help in other ways. For instance, I will not report you, though this breaches fealty. Pray to our God and wait for your tribulation to end.” Again, the Jew left. But when the gestapo questioned the pious priest, he folded the Jew over. In custody, the Jew was questioned irreverently by the Nazis. However, a certain Nazi soldier leafed through the Jew's manuscript, and was pierced by its humanity. He stole into the Jew's cell, and talked to him face to face. “You are an atheist of some influence, and therefore I who have God on my side can hardly sympathize. Nevertheless, you have a passion in your style which is worthy if anything of prospering and flourishing. Which cannot happen here. Therefore, I will help you to escape to America.” Which he did, at some risk. Who then was the neighbor to the Jew?
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