Constitutional Law

Part 2: “What Were They Thinking?”

Digression: “A History of Government in 6 Revolutions: From the Paleolithic to Philadelphia”

121. Inventing God and Law: Deadly Monolatry

 

TITLE: Part O: DEADLY Monolatry

 

Panel 1: A vast yellow plain with orange mountains in the distance. In the middle of the plain is a gigantic inverted pyramid, its apex balanced on a tiny point of light on the ground. The structure is made of many tiers that get larger and larger the higher they go, vanishing off the top of the screen into the sky. (It was supposed to be a whole civilization, with waterfalls and gardens and people, but I got so tired drawing all the little guide lines that indicate its dimensions that I just left it at that. Now looking back at it, it kind of looks AI-generated, but my wrist can assure you that it was not.)

 

NARRATION:

Yehudan society—and Yehudan identity—thus balanced precariously on a fragile narrative: That they were the chosen people of a sovereign god. Anything that might challenge this narrative was therefore a deadly threat! It could topple society! It could kill a major aspect of their very selves!

 

NARRATION:

So the scriptures brought back intolerant monolatry… with a vengeance.

 

VOICE FROM THE PRECARIOUS CIVILIZATION 1:

Worshipping any of the other gods is strictly forbidden.

 

VOICE FROM THE PRECARIOUS CIVILIZATION 2:

If one of us even suggests sacrificing so much as a pinch of incense to any other gods, we must immediately stone him to death.

 

VOICE FROM THE PRECARIOUS CIVILIZATION 3:

Yahweh or the highway!

 

VOICE FROM THE PRECARIOUS CIVILIZATION 4:

It’s basic self-defense, innit? Kill or be killed.

 

-=-

 

Panel 2: The same family that was praying at its home altar from page 75, with a hearth fire on top and two parabellum-shaped stones representing gods or ancestors. The father stands in the center, with his wife to his left. Behind them and to his right stand a son and a daughter, and a young child peeks wide-eyed from behind the mother’s skirt.

 

NARRATION:

Never before in human history had anyone even cared whether you worshipped any other gods, apart from the state gods.

 

But now, Yehudites would kill each other for doing it!

 

There was just one problem:

 

WIFE:

Regular folks had never stopped worshipping all the other gods.

 

Elites can say what they want. This is how the universe has always worked.

 

Their scrolls can’t change what we know to be right.

 

-=-

 

Panel 3: Three Yehudan elite men. Two stand behind and to either side of a gray-bearded elder, who wears a white turban and white robes over a gold tunic. One of the other two, wearing blue robes and a blue feathered crown, is pointing to the narration box while looking at the other, who is wearing red robes and a red Assyrian-style headdress, and is gesturing questioningly to the elder.

 

NARRATION:

If you criminalize behavior that people consider fine and normal, you’ll never stop it from happening.

 

The citizenry will just think you’re punishing good people unjustly.

 

And if that happens, you can say goodbye to their sense that your rule is legitimate.

 

BLUE-ROBED MAN:

Good point.

 

WHITE-ROBED ELDER:

So everyone’s got to realize- no, feel in their heart…

 

That worshipping other gods isn’t just prohibited, it’s bad.

 

RED-ROBED MAN:

How the hell do we do that?