The Friendly Atheist points out the repugnant case of a mother who believed in resurrection and was therefore willing to just stand by while her son was killed:
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
Her lawyer steps up to her defense:
“She wasn’t delusional, because she was following a religion,” Silverman said, describing the findings of the doctors’ psychiatric evaluation.
Now, that’s the kind of excuse that might have flown 2000 years ago. But we really owe it to ourselves to demand more of people today.
I don’t know about 2000 years ago, but I’d say in even Medieval times the majority of people would be shocked and horrified. Although, back then, they would have decided she was a witch and part of a cult of the anti-christ or something similar, not having the benefit of psychology.
Her lawyer kind of sounds like an idiot- wouldn’t she stand a better chance to plead insanity?