Public Atonement: Out of Focus & Too Late

There once was a captain on a ship who took no time to pray to G‑d and ask for forgiveness or to thank Him. One day, a storm threatened to sink the ship. His crew pleaded with him to repent and offer a prayer but he refused. "I haven't prayed in years," he answered. Finally, he succumbed to their insistence and offered this prayer, "Oh L-rd, I ask atonement. I have not asked for anything for twenty years, and if you deliver us out of this storm and bring us safely to land again, I promise that I will not bother you again for another twenty years!"

It seems that seeking atonement has become the "in" thing. Christian leadership is publicly asking forgiveness for sins committed centuries ago. Pope John Paul II has apologized for Catholic mistakes ranging from church complicity in the slave trade to the mistaken condemnations by church leaders against the famed Italian astronomer, Galileo. The Pope has apologized for the past brutal wars between Protestants and Catholics that took place in the 15th to late 17th century. The Holocaust was a dreadful time for the Catholic church and there, too, the Pope expressed the need for atonement.

Spiritual leaders of the Lutheran church in America have, once again, rejected the need for the teachings made by their founder, Martin Luther. Statements like "burn all synagogues", "forbid rabbis to teach on pain of death" and "confiscate Jewish property" are now being apologized for.

The Pentecostal Fellowship of North America is busy thinking of ways to reverse the decades of prejudice and misunderstanding between ethnic groups divided by color and race. The Southern Baptists voted to issue an apology for past racism.

There are new messages for public atonement printed in a book by John Dawson, the Urban Mission Director for Youth With a Mission, an Evangalistic organization based in Colorado. The book, Healing America's Wounds, has sold over 50,000 copies.

Many religious leaders are now holding prayer services to make amends for past misdeeds committed here in America. Prayers for reconciliation toward the Native Americans, once called Indians, the Afro-Americans, known as slaves, and other groups are becoming more and more common. Years ago these services would be impossible to implement.

With all the atonement taking place I thought we are on the way to a new world order - a world where peace and tranquillity among religions would reign. Religions have many paths, all different but all leading to the almighty G‑d"

Now I ask the following disturbing question, "What's all this love and forgiveness for the yesterday when we have the today to deal with?"

Take a minute and think of what's happening in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Herzgovena. What's happening between Christian religious factions? Think of all the poor United Nations peacekeepers who now are hostages and you get the message of fear, perfidy and anarchy.

Never in civilized history has fighting sunk to such low depths where we have people capturing hospitals and holding patients hostage.

Has the fighting between Protestants and Catholics in Ireland been resolved? Has the tearful prayers and public shows of repentance for the past misdeeds helped us become better? I think not.

I say this with the greatest respect to all religious leaders, especially to those who are taking active roles in public atonement prayers for the long ago sins. I humbly suggest that they consider the here and now, and deal with the daily intolerance taking place.

I believe it's easier to deal with the sins of the past than of those committed today.

Recently we all stood in awe when viewing the docking of a United States and a Russian spaceship. This unprecedented happening was a near miracle and was witnessed by millions watching television. Our own Vice-President Gore observed this scientific phenomenon from a Moscow viewing room. Our world was more impressed with this partnership taking place at 17,500 m.p.h. than the never ending misery taking place on earth. By looking up there to space we forget what's doing down here on earth. So, too, by making atonement for the past, we may ignore the present.

About 850 years ago there lived a Jewish sage, Moshe Ben Maimon, universally known as Maimonides. This great sage was one of the first codifiers of Jewish law. He also was the physician to the famous Egyptian Sultan, Saladin. Besides his great knowledge of medicine and philosophy he authored The Book of Knowledge. There is a chapter entitled "The Laws of Atonement "Repentance". He stated the following:

What is repentance? It consists in this, that the sinner abandon his sin, remove it from his thoughts, and resolve in his heart never to repeat it, as it is said, "let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts."

What is perfect repentance? It is so when an opportunity presents itself for repeating an offense once committed and the offender, while able to commit the offense, nevertheless refrains from doing so because he is penitent and not out of fear or failure of vigor.

It takes great leadership to acknowledge past sins and ask forgiveness. However, it takes greater leadership to deal with the present sins.

In the words of a great writer, Montefiore, "We do not ask that our past sins be forgiven in the sense that their effects may be canceled - All we can and do ask for is better insight, purer faith, fuller strength."

It would do the world good to follow the advice of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, worldwide Chassidic leader, "Your single deed can tip the scales and make a positive impact on the world. This brings us closer to the fulfillment of the purpose of creation - the Messianic era of universal good, peace and prosperity. The Messiah is ready to come now our part is to add in goodness and kindness."