My "cloistered brothers" and I were discussing torture. Never mind why. Actually, if I remember correctly, it probably was because there were three doctors and a nurse in the study group, and we wondered if it were a good thing for a doctor to be present during torture sessions to be a stop gap--the voice of reason. The doctor would say when "enough is enough." Of course, this line of discussion gave rise to the doctor's ethics. Is he, or isn't he, violating his oath on conduct? Is he helping, preserving? Is he cooperating with evil?
Eventually, the discussion led to the victim. To stop the torture, wouldn't you say whatever your torturers wanted you to say? The poor victim can be stripped of everything, e.i., dignity, identity, future, except for what's inside him--his faith.
The same could be said of those in American prisons. Lifers have their homes, families, money, careers, dreams, all taken away. But not their faith.
No one can take that away. Even if your tongue says that you have no faith, your heart knows differently. Your mind can be altered; your soul is yours alone.
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