MATHETΩN

I have written to a Slave with whom I enjoy a mutually-respectful relationship for some extenuation of the Mathetai’s hacking and defacing religious websites — these days it is in all the news and, needless to say, discussed all over the Web.

He replied:

Yes, we have made efforts for some time that are only now bearing this much fruit; but we always knew the action to be an important way to spread Truth. We have good precedent in targeting religious organs foremostly; namely:

Jesus in synagog in Capernaum, for which he was nearly thrown from a cliff, and in the Temple, for which (among other charges) he was crucified.

Paul Envoy in the synagogs of Asia and Rome, for which he was imprisoned and at last (or so the Latin Fathers tell us) beheaded (I would assume they are lying).

The Brothers in the cathedrals of Switzerland (Bluecoat carried a large stick to demonstrate his seriousness to the priests), for which they were tortured or drowned (Bluecoat was burnt).

The Friends in the steeple-houses of north England; they were committed to stocks and prison by the hundreds, yet in a few years there were thousands among their Meetings, tens-of-thousands having heard the Truth.