Once, Queen Victoria of England invited an African chief to dine with her and her royal subjects in her residence. At the end of the dinner, finger-bowls were brought out following English tradition. However, the African visitor, unaware of the prevailing custom, drank all the contents of the finger-bowl. The Queen followed suit. Stupefied, the rest of the her subordinates did the same.
Jewish laws dictated that the hands and utensils must be ritually cleansed before a meal. Yet, Jesus allowed his disciples to eat with ritually unclean hands. And did "work" (such as miracles) on the Sabbath, which was considered a sin by the Pharisees' code.
Queen Victoria's magnanimity is laudable. How many of us possess and act upon such grace towards the people around us, especially those that extend beyond kin? Especially to go against the orthodoxed social codes to act with true humanity?
With the startling results of Milgram's obedience experiment in mind, I can only wish that the better number of us, myself included, will sometime attain such Grace that allows us to act with our conscience.
Uncle T
