Sophie Scholl

I've never really been exposed to foreign films; this is only the second one I've seen. But I find it facinating that a WWII movie spoken completely in German should seem so relevant to 21st century America.
Sophie Scholl and her brother are two Christian students in Munich, Germany in 1943 who write and distribute fliers "propogating" the need of the German people to rise up against the dominion of Hitler and throw off his oppresssion. They promote peace, freedom, and moral standards. Their arguments are not based on mindless emotion, rather they present well thought out ideas founded in Christian principles and logical reason. They choose to fight Hitler with words and rhetoric rather than rash, violent actions. Both Sophie and Hans, her brother, are unwaveringly confident in their faith in Christ and in God's divine will, even when faced with Nazi "justice".
As Sophie is examined by a criminal inspector, she clearly states her conviction that all people -German, Jewish, mentally and physically disabled - are created in God's image, and that no man has the right to serve out Divine judgement on the lives of others.
For years and years America represented all these things: peace, freedom, submission to God, moral standards. It was the Germans who promoted war, political oppression, and a lack of value for human life. Yet here we are in 2006 America, and culture thinks not twice about thousands of daily abortions, "assisted suicide" for the elderly, and a total rejection of God and moral standards. Isn't it ironic, then, that such a vibrant, passionate voice against these things should come from a German film? Nor is that all. The Gospel is presented in Sophie in a pure, unassuming way that is neither vague nor obnoxiously "in-your-face" because it is shown, not with preaching and tons of words, but with the faithful lives and sincere prayers of steadfast believers.

You've no doubt figured it out by now, but I loved Sophie Scholl and I heartily recomend it to everyone who has a desire to learn from history in order to defend freedom and Christianity in our own country.


Jane Austen quote of the day: "Those who do not complain are never pitied."- Pride & Prejudice