The Good Samaritan Vincent Van Gogh
Every once in a while I throw a Good Samaritan or a Bad Samaritan story your way.There were two news items tonight from different countries but with similar themes. In New York a surveillance camera caught the stabbing of a homeless man as he tried to defend a woman who was being attacked. As he lay on the sidewalk more than twenty people walked past the spot where he lay dying. Some actually took cell phone photographs and one person turned him over. None sought help.
In Toronto the Supposedly Good a man in his seventies was robbed on a subway train by two men in their twenties. The others on the car did nothing to help him.Actually, it's easier to read Jesus' parable about a generous man from Samaria who crosses ethnic boundaries to help a Jewish man who has been attacked by thieves. It is his answer to the question, who is my neighbour? We tend to admire those who are generous and heroic and compassionate, but it can be difficult when we are in the moment.
Did the passersby in New York assume this was a drunk crumpled on the ground? Where they afraid that the assailant was nearby? Were the riders on the train simply hoping that the thieves wouldn't turn on them? It isn't always easy to do the right thing.
Have you ever chosen not to respond to someone in distress and regretted it later? Have you done the right thing with some risk or cost attached?
2 comments:
The two news stories have bothered me greatly and have reminded me of the story from 1964 when the young woman from New York was stabbed to death in front of a crowd and no one came forward to help her or do anything. Have we become so callous and hardened and protective of ourselves? I guess for some of us the answer is yes.
What will it take to change us?
I would like to believe that I would do something - I hope that I would and I would hope that I could encourage others to do something too. Perhaps all it needed was one person to do something and others would have joined in helping too.
While volunteering in the local school, I have seen children in unsafe situations and have done something.
Thanks for responding Susan. I am intrigued by the lack of response to this blog, given that since I wrote there has been a great deal of discussion.
I also heard from Lori in a thoughtful but lengthy response which wouldn't fit the comment format.
I also received this response from Bill, in the form of an email:
GOOD SAMARITAN;IT CAUSES ONE TO THINK .I MUST ADMIT THAT IT APPALLS ME TO THINK NO ONE WOULD COME TO THE PERSON'S AID, BUT MANY OF US ARE OFTEN AFRAID TO INVOLVE OURSELVES, CONCERNED FOR OUR OWN SAFETY.I HAVE TRIED TO INTERVENE AT TIMES AND I HAVE BEEN THREATENED AND TOLD TO MIND MY OWN BUSINESS.I WOULD HOPE I WOULD AT LEAST CALL 911. WHEN YOU SEE SO MANY INNOCENT PEOPLE GETTING STABBED OR SHOT IT CAUSES ONE TO WONDER.
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