Witchcraft & Heresy Lesson 9

Lesson and description here, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Original: I find it very fascinating that Oldridge describes, very effectively at first however, that the intolerance of religion has positive reasons that include compassion. To an extent I can understand his explanation, I can feel for the people. However, as soon as the chapter and the lecture begin to cover the persecutions, I completely question that original notion of supposed compassion. This appears to be to be a big contradiction to me. Compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. In no way, do I see compassion leading to harsh punishments and even murder of hundreds of thousands of people. Compassion is not to cause suffering; it is obviously quite the extreme opposite. The Church, being threatened by these heretics, fears them therefore they do not feel for them. Oldridge explains that the Church also fears the very fact that there heretics will “reproduce themselves.” Then he continues on that the Church views heresy was a disease. If you had compassion for what you believed to be a diseased individual you would help cure them or provide some sort of relief, murder would unquestionably not be an option. Regardless of the circumstances, I firmly feel that killing a person for such reasons is, in itself, completely unholy. To view such people as a plague definitely erases any sense of compassion they are said to have for them. I also do not find this particularly a good representation of a God if these murders and punishments are justified by being the will of God.
Student response #1: Although Oldridge does explain effectively the partial reasoning to religious intolerance as driven by compassion, do you honestly feel that the persecutions were justified by compassion? I feel, at first, he does have a point but then when he goes on to discuss how the Church viewed heresy as a threat, disease, and plague is quite uncompassionate to me. To have compassion is to feel for someone, to have the desire to ease his or her suffering. Punishment and murder is far from easing an individual’s suffering. If you had compassion for someone you felt was in need you would help or cure them, not violently exterminate them.
Student response #2: I agree with you on disagreeing with Oldridge, that the persecutions and punishments were uncalled for and unnecessary and most definitely far from any such act of compassion. Compassion, in my opinion, does not justify the execution of punishments or murder. Killing them for differing beliefs does not necessarily help the supposed “plagued” person. Upon your mentioning of heresy being the “ultimate betrayer to God” a thought had occurred to me. It is fascinating to think that these people of the Church strongly felt they were the hand of God and ultimately felt it was their utmost responsibility to exterminate all these people.