“There is no zeal blinder than that which is inspired with a love of justice against offenders.”

God help the innocent man snared in the net of a zealous prosecutor, who ignores the evidence in favor of an emotional appeal for conviction.

Those criminals', with their capital zeal, would love nothing more than to inflict justice on Edward Snowden - thus proving the quote's point..

"... a love of justice against offenders."

The trouble is that a lot of people become offended by a lot of 'things' - things which have nothing to do with having broken any laws.

No one has a right not to be offended. That's a privilege.

Is it implied that the very concept of reward and punishment to promote desired social and moral values is self defeating?

jitendra, I like it

SO true of church and state. Innumerable atrocities in the name of protecting or 'saving' others from themselves. Yes, jitendra, I think so!

In the absence of the ennobling and tempering influence of Virtue, justice, ultimately, is a chimera.

Lamentably, the legalistically censorious spirit of the Pharisee flourishes in Fallen Man.

Accordingly, there are few who are so objective as to be suitably equipped to judge righteously.

Such blind zeal, unknowingly, can/does create tyrants among neighbors. for the slightest of transgressions in another's eyes.

The zealot patrons of the occupying statist theocracy infesting this land are blind to freedom, liberty, inalienable rights, individual sovereignty, the nobility of life, substantive love or mercy, truth, the laws of nature and of nature’s God and the justice related thereto. A love of justice against offenders is a misnomer masking hatred’s manifestation against those who would dare think or act outside demonic domains.