Conspiracy theories vs. gagging
Hello Rabbi,
An incident that happened was this: Yesterday, someone posted a video in my yeshiva’s WhatsApp group of some rabbi explaining why there is no pandemic and that it is all an attempt by the Illuminati to take over, etc. A brief discussion developed in the group, and at the end, the group administrator threatened to kick the poster out of the group if he did not immediately stop the discussion on the subject, claiming that the discussion was endangering public safety.
I suspect that similar cases have happened in many other places.
As someone who really, really dislikes conspiracies, and really, really strictly follows the Ministry of Health’s guidelines, I asked myself if keeping quiet isn’t more dangerous in the long run?
(The video did not make any serious claims in favor of a conspiracy, but there were a number of points that should be addressed substantively, such as: if there is a pandemic, why hasn’t the annual death rate increased, etc., and it seems to me that the habit of kicking people out of groups instead of answering their claims is more dangerous in the long run)
I would love to know what you think about that.
Thank you very much.
My opinion has been expressed here several times. Any discussion, no matter how bizarre, is legitimate, as long as it is reasoned. And anyone who thinks otherwise should express their reasoned opinion. I am against silencing people in any situation, including Holocaust denial, missionary work, and other nonsense.
Including when there is a real fear that people will be harmed by it?
I don't know if that's always the case for all situations. In my opinion, it is.
That is, the rabbi doubts whether the conspiracy theory has an effect on the coronavirus?
How is the opinion of the leaders of Haredi society different from that of the leaders of the Torah, for whom the Torah is the essence of everything, and their influence, according to your opinion, is at least the cause of the damage, and they were sent into exile by you?
They reasoned their opinion, but their reasoning does not align with your views?
Tam, your claims repeatedly make me wonder if you really can't understand such simple things or if your ideological biases are holding you back. I don't know which interpretation is more flattering.
There is a difference between putting forward a theory and expressing an opinion and giving irresponsible instructions to the public that listens to you. The rabbis and activists were sent into exile by the Torah, not by me. As is known, an accidental murderer must be exiled. They are accidental murderers (close to intentional), and therefore perhaps exempt from exile. By the way, the Haredi public that shows thinking ability like the one you present here, and listens to them instead of sending them into exile, is the main subject of my criticism.
Leave a Reply
Please login or Register to submit your answer
