2. What happened at Nollie's house that so shocked old Katrien? Why was it so shocking to Katrien and Corrie? In this instance and others, Nollie refused to lie because of her conviction regarding God's concern for truth. Corrie however sometimes lied because of her conviction of God's concern for life. Whose actions did God honor? What were the consequences of their actions?
The hiding place
At Nollie's house, the Nazi soldiers came to search for a young Jewish man named Annaliese, who was hiding there. Despite the risks, Nollie refused to lie about Annaliese's presence, because of her strong belief in God's concern for the truth. Consequently, the soldiers found Annaliese and arrested her, along with Nollie, her husband, and their son.
The incident was shocking to Katrien and Corrie because they could not fathom risking someone's life by not lying to the soldiers. It highlighted the moral dilemma they faced in choosing between truth and protecting innocent lives.
Nollie's actions were perceived as the moral high ground but could be viewed as reckless in terms of safety for Annaliese and her family. On the other hand, Corrie lied to save lives, acting on her conviction that God values the protection of innocent lives, which could be considered a more pragmatic approach.
It is difficult to determine whose actions God honored or whether both were honored to some extent. Despite Nollie's arrest and the inevitable consequences, her faith remained strong, and it seemed that she maintained peace within herself for upholding truth. Likewise, Corrie was successful in saving many lives through her lies, even though she struggled with her moral choices.
The consequences of their actions were mixed. Nollie, her husband, and their son were released from prison after a few months, while Annaliese was sent to a concentration camp but survived the ordeal. Corrie and her family paid a heavy price, with her father and sister dying in captivity, while she continued to struggle with her morality. However, their actions and sacrifices led to the saving of countless Jewish lives during the Holocaust, highlighting a complex interplay of faith, morality, and protection of innocent lives.