The thoughts I wrote in my post a few minutes ago have really plagued me all Shabbos long. One of the things I realized is that even though we know how we "should" behave, all too often we allow ourselves to become convinced that there is something more important than what we know is proper.
A rebbe who should know better than to be angry and violent, may convince himself that for the sake of education it is permitted. Even worse, he will convince himself and distort the teachings of scripture and of our sages to justify physical or emotional abuse.
In the case of protesters, I am wiling to bet that generally speaking many of these people are kind, polite, and decent people. Yet, for some reason they are managing to convince themselves that these outrages being perpetrated to them by the municipal authorities in Jerusalem are such a religious affront, that it justifies their acting in a most reprehensible manner in return.
The same may be true for the camp directors who defy local building, safety and health codes. I bet that in general the camp leaders emphasize proper behavior and decorum on the part of the campers. They surely expect the campers to follow rules and regulations even if the campers do not like them. Surely the camp has safety rules as well. Why then can't they understand that the camp itself must follow the direction of the local officials too? I suspect again that they convince themselves that their holy task of allowing their campers to thrive in a wholesome Jewish environment for the summer, outweighs the need to heed the law.
When I shared this with someone this afternoon, the response I got was that if my suspicion is correct, then this behavior is no different in nature than that of people who feel that their religious dictates justify dispensing with any sense of law and morality and going and killing others in the name of what they feel is religiously correct? Where do you draw the line?
I want to reiterate what I said in the last post. I am as guilty, in my own way, of the same sort of wrongdoings. I too have used religion as a means of justifying and encouraging my own improper behavior, and to do things I should have known not to do. I point the finger at myself every bit as much as at anyone else.
A rebbe who should know better than to be angry and violent, may convince himself that for the sake of education it is permitted. Even worse, he will convince himself and distort the teachings of scripture and of our sages to justify physical or emotional abuse.
In the case of protesters, I am wiling to bet that generally speaking many of these people are kind, polite, and decent people. Yet, for some reason they are managing to convince themselves that these outrages being perpetrated to them by the municipal authorities in Jerusalem are such a religious affront, that it justifies their acting in a most reprehensible manner in return.
The same may be true for the camp directors who defy local building, safety and health codes. I bet that in general the camp leaders emphasize proper behavior and decorum on the part of the campers. They surely expect the campers to follow rules and regulations even if the campers do not like them. Surely the camp has safety rules as well. Why then can't they understand that the camp itself must follow the direction of the local officials too? I suspect again that they convince themselves that their holy task of allowing their campers to thrive in a wholesome Jewish environment for the summer, outweighs the need to heed the law.
When I shared this with someone this afternoon, the response I got was that if my suspicion is correct, then this behavior is no different in nature than that of people who feel that their religious dictates justify dispensing with any sense of law and morality and going and killing others in the name of what they feel is religiously correct? Where do you draw the line?
I want to reiterate what I said in the last post. I am as guilty, in my own way, of the same sort of wrongdoings. I too have used religion as a means of justifying and encouraging my own improper behavior, and to do things I should have known not to do. I point the finger at myself every bit as much as at anyone else.
1 comment:
a big yasher choach for knowing how to say something that can make it into the hearts of a reader who may feel his behaviour is justified. i would just point fingers and call names and belittle people and say "what kind of a chosid could do such things?". so obviously i also need to be pointing the finger at myself. half of shabbos i spent thinking how i need to deeply change myself inside, and not worry about where i expect others to be 'holding'
shchoyyach...
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