Q&A: Convincing Someone Not to Vaccinate, and She Died 1
Convincing Someone Not to Vaccinate, and She Died 1
Question
I have a truly crazy friend.
He really believes with all his heart in all kinds of conspiracies and craziness about every possible subject.
He’s not putting on an act; he’s genuinely crazy.
There’s no point explaining or trying to persuade him, because he has ridiculous “proofs,” bizarre insights about life, and endless suspicion.
In short, a certified nutcase.
Of course, he also goes around day and night trying to convince anyone he can, God forbid, not to get vaccinated.
A young neighbor was convinced, didn’t get vaccinated, got sick, and died before the eyes of her two little children.
According to the Rabbi’s approach, should this crazy guy really not be punished?
I checked him out, and he truly believes that the vaccine kills, and with a sense of supreme mission he runs around trying to persuade people, poor things, not to get vaccinated…
Answer
Obviously he should not be punished. Why would he be punished? He tried to persuade people of a view that he sincerely and genuinely believes in. On the contrary, that was his duty. By the way, the fact that someone died because of this does not prove that he is mistaken (although in practice he is of course mistaken).
Excuse me, but why is he of course mistaken in practice?
His view is that the vaccine is not effective and not safe, or at least that the risk from its lack of safety outweighs its benefit.
Do you have a way to refute this view?
Of course, you have every right to disagree with it, but where does the certainty come from to determine that he is obviously mistaken (without explanation or reasoning)?
It’s very strange to hear an unsupported assertion from someone who preaches (quite rightly) intellectual flexibility and freedom from rigid thinking.