Voice 1
Hello and welcome to Spotlight. I'm Marina Santee.
Voice 2
And I'm Ruby Jones. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
The year is 1944 - one year before the end of the Second World War. The night is cold and black. A strong wind blows around a lonely prison camp. The high wire fences cannot keep it out. The wind blows hard through every hole in the low, wooden buildings. The men in the buildings are freezing cold. They move around to keep warm. But it is no use. Their clothes are paper-thin. Prison guards have cut off all their hair. There are not enough blankets to cover their shaking bodies. The men wonder how much longer they can survive here. They are in Auschwitz prison camp, Poland.
The guards have put some new prisoners in their building. All of the prisoners in the buildings are Jews. That is the reason why they are in the camp. Germany's armies have invaded many countries in Europe. And they have captured the Jewish people in these countries. Why? Because of one man - their leader, Adolf Hitler. He hates Jewish people deeply. And he wants to get rid of every single one of them. So, German soldiers load the Jewish prisoners onto trains, like animals. And the trains bring them to their final stop - a death camp such as Auschwitz.
In one of the prison buildings, some prisoners are having a meeting. They have a serious issue to discuss. They know that there is not enough room for all the prisoners. This means that tomorrow the guards will choose some of the prisoners, to kill. These prisoners will die a horrible death in the gas chambers. Each of them knows that it could be his turn to die. And the rest will survive - for now. The prisoners discuss their situation. They ask, who is really responsible for their suffering? Who is to blame? To answer these questions, they decide to organize an imaginary trial. They want to bring charges against the person they believe is most responsible. The charge is that this person has broken a promise. He made this promise to the Jewish people many years before. He promised to protect them and make sure they survive. But who do they say has broken such a serious promise? The answer is... God. The prisoners then choose three judges. And the arguments begin.
Voice 2
This story about Jewish prisoners putting God on trial is well-known. But it is probably not true. However the idea behind it captured Mark Redhead's interest. Mark Redhead is a television producer. And for years, he tried to use the story to make a film. He says:
Voice 3
"Someone had to make this film! It showed that God was truly part of human history. And I could not imagine that there was anyone alive...who had not asked the question...'why is there so much suffering in the world'?"
Voice 2
Finally, in 2005, Mark Redhead found a script-writer for the film. His name was Frank Cottrell-Boyce. Together, they started to research the background of the film. Redhead says:
Voice 3
"We read reports about the mass-killing of Jews - the Holocaust...During it, there were examples of faith being lost - and faith being strengthened."
Voice 1
The characters in the film show these different reactions to suffering. Kuhn is among the prisoners facing death. He is a man of great faith. He chooses to defend God during the trial. He declares:
Voice 4
"Bad things have happened to Jews throughout history. But they survived them. We must pass our test as they passed theirs...we must keep our hearts pure. And we must pray."
Voice 1
One of the judges is Professor Schmidt. He is a Jewish religious teacher - a rabbi. And he agrees with Kuhn. Professor Schmidt continues to argue for God by saying this: God gave humans free will. Some choose to do good, and some choose to do evil.
Schmidt's words anger a young man called Moshe. He does not agree with Professor Schmidt. Moshe has a friend, Lieble, with a terrible story. And he asks him to share it.
Voice 2
Lieble refuses at first. The memories are too fresh, too painful. A moment passes. Then Lieble starts to speak, quietly:
Voice 5
"I have 3 sons. The soldiers put all the children in a truck. I ran after them and I shouted, ‘Please...give me my sons!' An officer heard me. He stopped and said: which ones are yours?...I showed him my 3 sons...he said to me: choose one, and you can keep him with you. The boys - they heard him. They reached out to me...saying, choose me! Choose me!... You talk about free will - where was my will then? That officer - he had a choice - not me."
Voice 2
The prisoners stay quiet for a time. Lieble's story makes them remember their own pain. Later, Lieble says:
Voice 5
"But God is here. I know he is here, even though I do not understand him... maybe that is what is happening here. Maybe he is suffering with us."
Voice 2
Moshe looks at Lieble. "But who needs a God who suffers? He says. We need a God who sends an angel of death to our enemies." And many of the others shout their agreement.
Voice 1
Many other prisoners express their opinions. They continue through the night. Finally, the judges make their decision. And they find God guilty. They say he has broken his promise to protect the Jewish people. Suddenly, soldiers run into the building. One of them calls out some numbers. These are the men who are going to die. Moshe's number is called. He cannot believe it - he is young and strong! There must be a mistake! But there is no mistake. He cries out, "Now that God is guilty, what do we do now?" One of the rabbis says - "Now, we pray." The prisoners all start to speak out a Jewish prayer. And they watch the soldiers taking away the condemned men. Maybe their faith in God is stronger than they thought...
Voice 2
Frank Cottrell-Boyce believes that writing "God on Trial" strengthened his own faith in God. And he hopes that everyone who watches the film will be touched by it. He says:
Voice 6
"A famous French thinker said this: 'A great storm puts out a little fire. But it feeds a strong one'. I read the Christian Bible remembering all that had happened to the Jews during the Holocaust. That was a bit of a storm for me. It came close to putting out my fire. But in the end, it blew stronger."
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