The beginning of this film makes you shake your head in disgust. How can so many young adults not even know who Adolf Hitler was? Why is our nations’ youth not being taught with intention and purpose what occurred during the Holocaust? If you have not yet seen the 30 minute documentary titled “180,” prepare yourself for a riveting and compelling film that challenges how many people determine the value of human life. In it, author and co-host of the award winning TV program (with actor Kirk Cameron) “The Way of the Master,” Ray Comfort takes to the streets interviewing people about one of the most heinous events in history. Through a series of thought provoking questions and hypothetical scenarios, Comfort strategically leads people to examine their logic and why they think the way they do. Although Comfort’s questions begin with the Holocaust, it only serves as the foundation of what his true intent is – to make people think about what many consider to be the holocaust of our modern times and to challenge others on what it means to “be good” and, if heaven and God exists, win favorable judgment. You will be amazed at how people reach that “180” degree shift on long held beliefs. Comfort masterfully flips people’s logic on its head and, when they see it cannot endure the scrutiny of the most heated moral arguments of our day, they realize it no longer makes sense to them.
Interviewing young adults, college student and a few neo Nazis on the street, Ray Comfort begins with asking who Adolf Hitler was and if what he did was evil. Certainly the most interesting responses are from the neo Nazis, particularly a polarizing young man by the name of Steven. As he spews his hatred of Jews, minorities and America he insists that the slaughtering of 11 million people (6 million of which were Jews) is a lie. The average adult, however, believed it was wrong and from there Comfort began to ask the poignant questions on whether they value human life. As a test he poses certain scenarios to them. The first of which is, if you knew what Hitler was ultimately capable of doing would they go back in time and murder him before he could commit his atrocities? This question was not meant to encourage vigilantism but to see if people valued life enough to take it upon themselves to prevent the destruction of millions of lives. Second, if they were given instructions by the Nazis to bulldoze and bury alive Jews in a pit or face death themselves would they do it? Would they shoot them instead? Some honestly answered that they would because they were going to die anyway. Those with greater moral conviction responded that they could not be responsible for the death of another, no matter what the price. “Do you value human life?” he proceeded to ask them. The question elicited the correct answer from most but then Comfort shifted the scenario and asked what their views were on abortion. You see their hesitation as they begin espousing the usual rhetoric on when life beings and whether they have a right to deny a woman’s right to choose. Comfort poses the following thought provoking analogy to them. A construction worker is given a job to blow up a building. They tell him, however, that there may or may not be a living person in that building. If there is any uncertainly should he proceed? In other words, if you espouse to value human life and cannot answer the fundamental question of when life begins, do you still assume the risk?
Anticipating the typical reasoning behind permitting abortion, Comfort asked them to fill in the blank to the following statement, “its okay to kill a baby in the womb when _______.” Rape and birth defects were common responses. Skillfully, Comfort debates these ideas by asking them which is worse - rape or murder? Is it right for a child to pay for the sins of the father? He further probes the notion of who is worthy to live. Hitler killed many handicapped people. Was that okay because their quality of life was “not so good” thereby making it completely justifiable? Why is the womb any different?
Many of those interviewed began to shift their views a bit but some continued to fall back on the notion that, even though they see it as wrong and would not personally choose abortion, they could not take that choice away from others. Drawing on the Holocaust again as a parallel, Comfort explained that Hitler was legally sanctioned by the German public to do what he did resulting in the murder of 11 million people. He had their backing just as Americans have legally sanctioned the right for women to abort babies and have allowed the death of over 53 million since Roe vs. Wade. “So you wouldn’t kill Jews, but it’s okay to have someone else kill them?” he bluntly points out to them. When people witness their logic carried through to its end, they are surprised to find out that it crosses the line on what they deem moral and their entire belief system is radically changed.
In the second part of “180,” Comfort segued from abortion to the concept of morals and the after life. It is funny to see how a man who did not believe in Godly judgment, quickly changes his mind when asked on the eternal fate of Hitler. Humans all have an innate desire for justice and, unabashedly, even this nonbeliever answered that Hitler is in hell. Pressing further, Comfort asks people if they are a good person. All, including Steven the neo Nazi, claimed to be so. Within minutes, however, their notion of their own goodness is deconstructed. “Have you ever told a lie?” Comfort asks, “Have you stolen something? Have you used God’s name in vain? Have you lusted after another?” Confronted with the truth that they have broken four of God’s commandments, they all agree that they are not so good after all. Realizing their folly, people became more open to hearing the message of Christ’s love and redemption. Even Steven, who expressed such hatred and venom at the beginning of the film, began to think about the implications of this new found truth. It was amazing to see the shift in so many people’s attitudes, especially someone as opposing as him.
“180” could be one of the most powerful and effective tools today for the pro-life movement and for the outreach of the gospel. By paralleling the atrocities of the Nazi holocaust to that of abortion, people gain a new perspective on life, death and matters of eternity. Watch this video today and share it with all you know.
To watch the documentary go to www.180movie.com. To learn more about Ray Comfort and order the movie and supplemental support materials go to www.heartchanger.com.
Published in The Good News of South Florida, January 2012
www.Goodnewsfl.org
http://goodnewsfl.org/dv/0112/index.html#/32/
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