[Avodah] More on what constitutes chilul hashem

[Zev Sero]

Beth & David Cohen wrote:
> R Zev Sero wrote:
>> "But in most countries the average person breaks the law
>> himself as often as he finds convenient, and certainly doesn't look
>> down on others just for doing things that are illegal.":
 
> There is a distinction. This theoretical average non-Jew acknowledges 
> that he is breaking the law, just that he thinks (hopes) that he will 
> not get caught. And if he does get caught, he acknowledges that in 
> theory the government has the "right" to sanction him.

Nevertheless, he doesn't think he has done anything wrong.  He hopes
to get away with it, and if he is caught he curses his luck.  It follows
that he does not look down on someone else who breaks the law; if the
person gets away with it then he is happy for him, and if he is caught
then he commiserates.



> The theoretical average frum Jew, otoh, thinks that the law itself has 
> no application to him, that he is permitted to disregard it with 
> impunity and any attempt by the State to impose a penalty is per se unjust.
> IMHO, the attitudinal difference is what causes the chilul Hashem.

Assuming this attitudinal difference really exists, how does the non-Jew
know about it?


-- 
Zev Sero                      The trouble with socialism is that you
zev at sero.name                 eventually run out of other people’s money
                                                     - Margaret Thatcher