The Man Who Refused to Raise His Hand — When Faith Stands Alone

In 1936, during a Nazi rally in Hamburg, thousands of arms were raised in perfect unison—except for one. August Landmesser stood silently with his arms crossed, refusing to conform. At first glance, it looks like a simple act of defiance. But behind that moment lies a deeply personal story of love, conviction, and the cost of standing for what is right. Landmesser’s quiet resistance wasn’t political theatre—it was the outward expression of an inner line he refused to cross. In this episode, we explore what his story reveals about human nature, the power of the crowd, and the fragile tension between belonging and truth. Drawing on the insights of Carl Gustav Jung, we unpack how easily individual conscience can dissolve into collective thinking—and why that matters now more than ever in a world shaped by digital influence and emotional manipulation. But this conversation goes deeper. Useful Information: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sages, Saints and Sinners⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Deep Walking for Body Mind and Soul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Walking on Edge: A pilgrimage to Santiago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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The Man Who Refused to Raise His Hand — When Faith Stands Alone is an episode from Living to Be: A podcast by Reino Gevers by Reino Gevers.

This episode is 00:07:16 long.

This episode was published on Apr 20, 2026.

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