It's common for Christian apologists to deny any responsibility on the part of Jesus for the horrific acts on the part of his followers. Common defenses of the goodness of Jesus in the face of these crimes include denying that those who acted cruelly in his name were "true Christians" or insisting that such persons were acting against what Jesus taught rather than in accord with what he taught. After all, Jesus taught people to love each other and do good for each other, didn't he?
Yes, according to what we read, Jesus told people to love others including their enemies. But of course, that's not all Jesus said. In the Gospels we read in Matthew 5:17 that Jesus did not mean to abolish the law of Moses but to "fulfill it."
I think it's safe to say that Jesus knew that the law included this injunction from Exodus 22:18:
Obviously, if the witch hunters were acting against what Jesus said, then Jesus told his followers to disobey this law and do no harm to witches. Of course, Jesus never said any such thing as far as we know. By his saying he came to fulfill the law, Jesus was condoning the murder of alleged witches. So contrary to what apologists say, at least some of Jesus' followers did horrific crimes not against what he said but as a result of what he said.
Yes, according to what we read, Jesus told people to love others including their enemies. But of course, that's not all Jesus said. In the Gospels we read in Matthew 5:17 that Jesus did not mean to abolish the law of Moses but to "fulfill it."
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
I think it's safe to say that Jesus knew that the law included this injunction from Exodus 22:18:
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Obviously, if the witch hunters were acting against what Jesus said, then Jesus told his followers to disobey this law and do no harm to witches. Of course, Jesus never said any such thing as far as we know. By his saying he came to fulfill the law, Jesus was condoning the murder of alleged witches. So contrary to what apologists say, at least some of Jesus' followers did horrific crimes not against what he said but as a result of what he said.