I just watched all four episodes of the BBC drama North & South, set in 19th Century England.
It was very romantic and charming and traditional. Reminded me a bit of Orthodox Judaism, until these goyim started excusing each other’s bad behavior with the phrase, “You did what was in your heart.”
Oy, how I hated that phrase growing up. When somebody would do something bloody stupid, all the good Christians around me would excuse his behavior — if they were so inclined — with the phrase, “He did what was in his heart.”
What nonsense! Who cares if he did what was in his heart? If I did what was in my heart, I’d be doing a great deal of fornicating and very little else.
Christianity trusts the heart. Judaism trusts the law. We don’t care about what is in someone’s heart as much as we care about what someone does. If it is bad behavior, it is not one whit diminished because it was in someone’s heart.
Judaism is non-romantic religion. Christianity is a romantic religion. Romance is great for stories and for art. It’s a lousy way to direct your life and to straighten out right from wrong.
