ABSTRACT
The moralities are secreted in the traditions and religious or secular institutions of a society, they are not necessarily secreted or even reflected in the law, which is only too often an ass. Socio-political leaders, managers and the influential even if they have to finesse the given moralities nevertheless generally if not always attempt to uphold them. The charismatic leaders of religious cults, relaying the messages believed received from divinity in a vision or dream, especially in times of moral uncertainty, and attempt to change both the moralities and given perceptions of divinity. One should consider the privilege often given to status a perversion of law or in some sense an act of mercy. So we come to the encounter between Portia and Shylock, the quality of mercy versus the law to the letter. Thus mercy, whose roots lie in religion, for only the wholly unobliged can show true mercy, wins out, seems to trump the given moralities.
