The article uses the biblical story of Pontius Pilate offering the crowd a choice between freeing Jesus or Barabbas as a starting point to discuss the fallibility of majority rule in matters of justice. It argues that throughout history, popular opinion has often led to unjust outcomes such as wars and persecutions. In today's polarized world, where viral trends often outweigh truth, blindly trusting the collective voice poses a significant risk. The author stresses that justice shouldn't be determined by popularity contests or political calculations, but rather by upholding principles, guarantees, and a willingness to oppose popular sentiment even if it means going against the majority.
The core argument is that while the majority may hold sway in many decisions, justice requires a more nuanced and principled approach. The example of Barabbas, a criminal preferred by the crowd over the innocent Jesus, serves as a cautionary tale illustrating the dangers of allowing popular opinion to dictate judgments.
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