The Fanatic or Saint - How do we judge?
May 11, 2025 Today’s first two readings speak of people who stand up for their beliefs. But what is the difference between the fanatic who stands up for what s/he believes, and th e great soul who stands up for what s/he believes? For both are willing to go to great lengths in this regard, even at times to die for their beliefs. For example, the Jewish religious establishment (in large part) considered Jesus as a rabble rouser, a fanatic, who was taking people away from the true understanding of Judaism, but history has vindicated Jesus in the eyes of most of the world. Godse, the one who killed Gandhi was condemned across the board in India in earlier times as a fanatic Hindu who could not bear Gandhi’s defence of Muslim rights, but in recent times, in the eyes of some, especially among the Hindu rightwing, he is now seen as a hero. Was Yasser Arafat a fanatical terrorist as he was initially made out to be, or the legitimate voice of the Palestinians, as he was...
