The holy faith of reformed samaritanism

Defend human rights? Demand absolute equality? Whose rights? And whose equality? The rights and 
equality of the elite that prevails by the force of their wealth and power? Or the rights and equality of 
the poor and weak being oppressed by such elite? 
When secular powers preach equality and human rights, Samaritan believers begin to worry. Can the weak be
equal to the powerful? Can the sheep be equal to the lion? Does a lion have the right to demand “to be equal”
to the sheep, so that he is allowed to live with the latter inside the same cage? 
Tradition has it that on one occasion the Roman emperor (Cesar) ordered a Hebrew sage named “Tanhum” 
(the spiritual leader of the Hebrew community) to come before him. Then Caesar proceeded to tell him: 
“Come, and let us be one people” [that is, I want you to tell your people that the Roman Empire demands 
equity; so that both Romans and Hebrews are completely equal]. “Very good”, replied the Rabbi, “But, since 
we are already circumcised, we cannot go back, to become like you (uncircumcised). So, you go and get 
circumcised; so that you can be equal to us. Cesar responded by saying, “Well said! But [since it is politically
incorrect to prevail against the Emperor, thus offending He who holds imperial power] your punishment will 
be to be thrown to the wild beasts [in the Roman arena]”. 
Thus, the alleged equality that the Empire was trying to implement was actually a veiled attack against 
anyone who differed with the powers of the day. 
Note: Interestingly, Tanhum was indeed thrown to the wild beasts. But miraculously, the lions refused to 
devour him. Seeing the miracle, a daring Roman stood up and shouted aloud from the stands: “If the beasts 
do not devour him, it is only because they are not hungry!” On beholding his brazen boldness, the outraged 
onlookers around him decided that the just response to such impudence could not be other than to give him a 
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spoonful of his own medicine. So they proceeded to throw him into the Arena, where the lions immediately 
devoured him. 
“