Do we have a moral duty to demolish the delusions of others?
I suspect not. I know many people who, in my opinion, are
deluded in their religious and political beliefs, but I steer
clear of trying to persuade them to drop these beliefs. If
at some point these delusions fail them and leave them in
tears, it's not my fault. These are self-inflicted woes, right?
I respect the right of others to fool themselves.
Now, on a personal level, a girl has decided, without any
encouragement on my part, that she would like me for a husband.
Unasked, she showers me with gifts but reckons, I feel, that she
will be getting them all back, anyway, once we are married.
She is pleasant company. I enjoy the gifts. I don't lead
her on with false promises. She is self-deluded. One of these
days it is all going to end in tears. But I have no more
responsibilty for those tears than I do if an acquaintance
discovers that his religious sect is a load of bunkum
and feels a miserable clown as a result,do I? Well, do I?
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