“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."
Is an
emblematic example of what I call Hebrew Idea Imperialism.
It is just one among many such assertions which originate in the Hebrew Bible and which establish the Hebrew god as the true and only valid god-concept. The idea is arch-imperialistic. But let me clarify: I refer to 'the world of ideas' and especially
theological ideas of supremacy:
im·pe·ri·al·ism (ĭm-pîr′ē-ə-lĭz′əm)
n.
1. The extension of a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political dominance over other nations.
2. A political doctrine or system promoting such extension of authority.
Here is a definition of
idea, you dolt, so that there is no confusion!
1. Something, such as a thought or conception, that is the product of mental activity.
2. An opinion, conviction, or principle.
Synonyms: idea, thought, notion, concept, conception
These nouns refer to what is formed or represented in the mind as the product of mental activity. Idea has the widest range: "Human history is in essence a history of ideas" (H.G. Wells).
Thought is distinctively intellectual and stresses contemplation and reasoning: She gathered her thoughts before she spoke. Notion suggests an often intuitive idea or image conceived by the mind: "All that came to mind was a notion of galactic space, of spirals, the Horse Nebula, all of which were distant and mysterious and cold" (Craig Nova).
Concept and conception are applied to mental formulations on a broad scale: You seem to have absolutely no concept of time. "Every succeeding scientific discovery makes greater nonsense of old-time conceptions of sovereignty" (Anthony Eden).
Do you see what I am doing here, Immanuel? Are you sure? If you have any confusion let me know.
I am now going to
combine the designation Hebrew with
Idea + Imperialism.
It is a way to express how the power of an idea or a concept is wielded as a tool to control and dominate other minds. Perhaps minds less developed? Perhaps minds less acute? The idea of 'imperial' implies a power-dynamic. Have you been able to register this?
The notion of the Hebrews having been 'chosen' by god, when no god actually did chose them and their own priest-class made
ALL THESE ASSERTIONS and then wielded them as
idea-imperialism against other peoples, denigrating their god-concepts, stating that they are false, and also working to destroy them .... that is what I have been talking about.
That, you
sublime idiot, is what Hebrew Idea Imperialism refers to. And here it is quintessentially expressed:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."
Any questions?