Background: Josephine is a sort-of kofer, but in the Torah True sense. Like me, she knows the score, but doesn't much care, and therefore stayss frum (like me) though she knows what she knows. Anyway, recently, Josie and I had a little online chat about a guy we know who's fallen under the influence of Mister X, one of the local anti-Torah fanatics. I thought the ganze readership would appreciate it and that perhaps it might even provoke one of those discussions Akiva says he likes.
Josephine: Poor guy. So is he abandoning the faith?
Me: I don't know what he's doing in real life. But on the blogs he's now worse than Mister X.
J: That's so, so, soooooooo sad. He's married with a family, yes? If so, Mister X should know when to keep his mouth shut. Screwing up a person's mind is one thing, but it's an entirely other matter when there are others, especially children, involved.
Me: I don't have any problem with Mister X,. Mister X, doesn't lie. He hasn't said anything that's not true. The problem is with the other guy who clearly doesn't know what to do with the truth.
J: Yes, and in those cases I don't think it's fair to tear the rug out from someone's entire life and identity unless you know they're able to handle it.
M: I disagree. The truth need not be concealed.
J: I disagree. People's lives need not be destroyed
M: So let's go back to the middle ages. Life was simple, and easy then,and nobody knew the truth about anything.
J: Sounds good to me. Except for those pesky Christians. And, you know, the plague.
M: God is truth. Torah is truth. So how can we be 'ltaken olam bmalchusshadai" if all we do is lie to each other?
J: I dunno. But who says we have to be metaken olam bemalchus shadai? That line in Aleinu refers to the yemot hamashiach, which these are not. I do think it's often better to protect people from the truth if they can't handle it.
M: If they can't handle the truth let the truth destroy them.
J: And their children too, I suppose? Nice. You consider that being metaken the oilam, do ya?
M: Yes, as a matter of fact I do.
J: You're a tough nut to crack.
M: The truth will set you free, or the truth is the Almighty's seal. Or something.
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