By Victor Rosenthal
The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the forces of the crown. It may be frail – its roof may shake – the wind may blow through it – the storm may enter – the rain may enter – but the King of England cannot enter. – Wm. Pitt the Elder (1763)
What is true of one’s home, that it ought to be protected from undesired entry, especially by agents of the ruling power, is even more true of one’s inner self.
But throughout history there are examples of attempts to invade our minds, by governments, political parties, churches, corporations, criminals, and others. The Holy Inquisition aimed to ferret out heresy, beliefs that contradicted church doctrine. Importantly, the crime of being a heretic did not require public affirmation of heresy; merely believing it was criminalized. And therefore it was often necessary to torture those who were reticent about their beliefs in order to expose them so they could be properly punished. Although it was understood that torture was unreliable, how else do you establish guilt for a crime whose evidence exists only in someone’s head?
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