[Avodah] Apikores?

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, December 13, 2007 12:38 pm, R Yitzhak Grossman wrote:
: What would be wrong with the Inquisition, assuming that a) the
: theology behind it is correct and b) it is not abused by its
: implementers for personal gain?...
: Do you simply mean that bad theology and / or corruption are
: inevitable?

I'm missing something because it seems self-evident. Torture and death
are often worse evils than the ones being avoided. HQBH places the
suffering of others near the top of othe list of my own religious
duties. An Inquisition requires people convincing themselves that
another's suffering in olam hazeh is irrelevant given the gain in olam
haba. Not merely lesser, but ignorable.

:> Despite "mah Ani ... af atah ..." our moral choices differ. Hashem
:> banned murder even though He takes lives regularly.

: But He permitted, and even commanded, judicial / executive enforcement
: of Halachah.

But when Sanhedrin saw that the masses weren't on the same page, and
oneshim would turn Inquisition-esque, they exiled themselves to
prevent the eventuality.

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha

-- 
Micha Berger             One who kills his inclination is as though he
micha at aishdas.org        brought an offering. But to bring an offering,
http://www.aishdas.org   you must know where to slaughter and what
Fax: (270) 514-1507      parts to offer.        - R' Simcha Zissel Ziv