An Interesting Question

A good novel will make you think. I myself have been known to put down a book after reading an especially thought-provoking paragraph in order to reflect on what I have just read. The Sunflower, written by Simon Wiesenthal, presents the reader with an interesting choice. Pretend you are a prisoner in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. A dying SS member calls you to his bedside and wants to obtain absolution from you. What would you do? As soon as I saw this question, I immediately started weighing the pros and cons. On one hand this man is expressing deep regret and remorse for the horrific atrocities he has committed. He is seeking salvation, and knows that the orders he has followed through on are wrong. Are not all men entitled to redemption? On the other hand, he's a Nazi. Flat out, he is part of the most disgusting, dispicable groups ever to walk this Earth. He has probably killed hundreds of innocent people by himself and had fun while doing it too. He has caused you, your family, and millions of others pain and sorrow. I did a survey to see others' opinions. Every member of my family including my father (a Catholic), my mother (a Jew), my sister, my grandpa (who fought against the Nazis in World War Two), and his wife/my grandma all said that forgiving him would be unthinkable. Along with those five testimonies, I also received two no's from Darren Bleckner and Steven Cohan. My initial reaction is obviously no, but I am going to wait until I have finished the book to make my decision final.