In the ancient world, what was the traditional attitude towards power? When the son of Persian King Cyrus, Cambyses, himself became King, he wanted to marry his sister. He called in the royal judges to inquire whether there was a law permitting this practice. They came back and said they could find no such law, but they did find a law saying that "the King of the Persians might do whatever he pleased."
The Bible warns against Kings because it knows that the charisma of power is dangerous. What was true then is true now. A man like bin Laden acquires followers not only by having a potent ideology, but by having acquired previous followers, that is, by the charisma of power. In more conventional circles the same rule applies: in Kissinger's new book on China he writes that "Nixon complimented Mao on having transformed an ancient civilization, to which Mao replied: 'I haven't been able to change it. I've only been able to change a few places in the vicinity of Beijing.'" Kissinger then adds: "After a lifetime of titanic struggle to uproot Chinese society, there was not a little pathos in Mao's resigned recognition of the pervasiveness of Chinese culture and the Chinese people." The NY Times reviewer, Michiko Kakutani, calls this "startling." It is worse; so see pathos in Mao's failure to kill sufficient millions to uproot the native culture is monstrous. The charisma of power sometimes works across cultures as well, and it can be frightening.
How intimidating can this be? Allied to charisma is fear. Sometimes the fear is quite literal -- the threat of the powerful to crush the powerless. But sometimes it is symbolic and no less intimidating for that: A terrifying tale that emerged from the Soviet Union reminds us of the cost of fear and force: For a long time, the crimes of Stalin were not mentioned inside the Soviet Union. The first official breaking of the taboo was by Nikita Kruschev. He delivered a secret sevn-hour anti-Stalin speech in the Politburo, chronicling the dictator's crimes. In the midst of his speech, a voice was heard from the back of the chamber: "Comrade where were you when all this was going on?" Kruschev stopped. "Who said that?" he thundered. No one stood. "Who dared to say that?" he asked again. When once more no one responded, Kurschev spoke calmly again. "Comrade," he said, "that's where I was."
What is the Jewish attitude towards rulers? A blessing tells the story. When one sees a potentate, one is supposed to recite the blessing: "Blessed are you oh Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has given of his glory to flesh and blood." All power is derived from a higher source. Earthly rule reflects back to God. The person before you may seem a god. He is a person, with the same stubborn flaws that afflict us all, if anything, they may be magnified by power.
The Talmud teaches that during the Amidah, the central Jewish prayer, a regular worshiper bows at the beginning and end of two of the benedictions. A High Priest bows at the beginning of each of the eighteen blessings, and a king remains bowed for the entire prayer. The greater the temptation to pride, the greater the need for humility. Can one resist the charisma and intimidation of misused power? Perhaps we have a chance if we remember that human beings, however gifted or exalted, are dust and ashes. True sovereignty is Divine.
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where are the americans that are speaking up and protesting our illegal wars for corp profits?
even a nation's population that has achieved wealth and power can undergo harsh lessons.
look around as this nation self destructs under its own former wealth and power. even without wealth it is desperate to hang on to its military power. it will even borrow and print massive amounts of money to hang on to its super power status at the expense of the many.
it will even cut spending for social programs for its poorest of citizens and all the while increase spending for its military super power status under the banner of fear mongering. even if that fear mongering is about one man in a cave. ok he was in a mansion but the point is whether it is communism socialism terrorists or whatever fear will be used to promote and maintain its power structure.
the meek shall inherit the earth takes on new meaning does it not when we come to understand the dangers of wealth and power and the ignorance of the human ego.
One issue of interest to me. Did the Jews provide the Arabs with the concepts of; bow down in total submission to one really big, really powerful, mysterious fearful diety, with really important laws, existing somewhere or everywhere? If true, thanks a lot; not.
For example, just by comparing to Pharaoh, you'd have to admit that whatever suspicious thingy you're looking for, some tribes had invented it already beforehand.
And if you're in doubt about Pharaoh, try the persian king Cyrus.
In todays paper a mafia killer opines that he will be going to hell. He has been wise enough to see what he has chosen with his misguided life. We are told told that God is unfathomable in His Divine Mercy, and that even the greatest sinners have the right to that Divine Mercy. Stalin was another leader who had no fear of God, he butchered millions of his own countrymen mercilessly. he too chose fire with his life, but unlike the Mafioso Stalin was never wise enough to see what he was headed for after death.
So to expect a reward after death, I must stretch forth my hand to door A (ladder) or door B(slide)? Its all my decision and I must make it when, anytime before death?
If god will let me take the door B big slide to "there", why are you saying he is unfathomable in his divine mercy?
So Stalin and his kind all chose door B and its over?
But which door did the mafia dude choose and will his decision stick?
Will he not go "there" because he "opines" it and the unfathomable mercy kicks in?
It almost makes him dear to me. But what's more baffling still: how could it take decades more for a leader to emerge who went the next step and dismantled the whole angst apparatus?
It really IS terrifying.
Doesnt his silent comrade story greatly explain why it took decades for change? And doesnt the great California American cowboy communicator have to be part of the change story?
But what are you saying "IS terrifying"?
I hate to explain punchlines, but the point of the comrade story is DOUBLE. On the one hand, yes you are right. But the irony is that Kruschev HIMSELF says it.
Clearly, it didn't happen to you all too often to be faced with a similar situation. And clearly, you haven't seen the mutiny on the bounty all that often either.
Of all leaders to emerge who had a part in dismantling the angst apparatus, you named one who comes in a close third in the race. That's because, you know, there are people like Gorbachev and John Paul II.
I didn't even mention solidarnosc and the eastern european civil rights movement.
The horror.
Just like the "divinty" of Mao is a human creation, so is the "divinty" of God.
So you believe that people have just been making this stuff up for some reason?
We can resist the devil, the true high priest of charisma and intimidation of misused power.
God is spirit, Jesus is spirit, the Devil is spirit and the Holy spirit has a flesh body.
Is not the spirit Holy where the Father and Son are?
The holy spirit has the flesh body, not Jesus. Are you creating a new revised christianity?
"Is not the spirit holy.." Darned if I know, is it?
I recall a story of a Russian who lost his caution when he saw a giant picture of Stalin going down the street in a parade...he ran out and tore it down screaming "Who is like God??" Naturally he was shot.
But don't you sometimes feel a little like that?
Didn't Samuel warn your people what having a King would mean? But they insisted...
Why do people have to keep learning the same lesson over and over again?
Thanks again...great subject in our times.
"...feel a little like that?" Like tearing up the Popes picture and being excommunicated or whatever?
Which "king" lesson do people have to keep learning over? To never have one in the first place?
Samuel warned the Hebrews that a king would confiscate their earnings, wage wars, and require a lot of homage. Their king was to have been the gracious, just personal spirit they knew inside their hearts. Their governance was by judges and the Law of Moses.
I loathe the Mt. Rushmore mindset that makes gods of "great men", yes...no matter the credentials. They put their pants on like everybody else.
Once again speculation on my part, I would think that he studied directly or was at least exposed to a variety of sects in that day. It's one thing to have insight and revelation from personal examination of scripture but it seems he was versed in all of their ideological positions by the time of his ministry. I wouldn't also be surprised if there were other religious influences. The nativity story depicts the 3 wise men as Magi, star watchers, who were heavy into Astrology and from the Zoroastrian school of thought. That was a Persian movement that stretched all the way to Pakistan & India. There's another Jewish sect that's recorded as having similar qualities to his ministry, the Essenes. They had very similar traits like asceticism, and mystical thought, and also speculated as the sect of John the Baptist. This is the group attributed to the scribing of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Once again there are many details about this stuff and I know very little myself and anything I say about his life is all curious speculation.