Saturday, June 30, 2012

To Punish A Heretic

Journal Entry: 1-29-2012

The moderate and eclectic in me disavows the efforts by any religious group to punish a heretic in their midst. If they feel the need verbally to oppose him, okay. If they feel a need to banish him, fine. But this is as far as retribution against him should ever be allowed to go.

From the Bahais forward, independent theological investigation is a recognized, sacred principle, an inalienable spiritual right granted each person by God. No one has a right to harass, shut down, coerce, persecute, torture, discriminate against, jail or kill any dissenter from popular, majority-favored orthodoxy.

Diversity of input and encouraging new, novel pints of view can only make the traditional and orthodox belief systems stronger and amendable--unless that historical faith is so hidebound and hollow that any change cannot be assimilated. Fanaticism, dogmatism and absolutism are Satan's favorite tools.

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