Great soul of power

Power doth corrupt!

Absolute power doth corrupt heart, mind, and soul.

Great soul of power:

A large part of the Bible is devoted to people who condemned the crimes of state and immoral practices. They are called 'prophets,' a dubious translation of an obscure word. In contemporary terms, they were 'dissident intellectuals.' There is no need to review how they were treated: miserably, the norm for dissidents.

There were also intellectuals who were greatly respected in the era of the prophets: the flatterers at the court. The Gospels warn of 'false prophets, who come to you in sheep�s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits ye shall know them.'

The dogmas that uphold the nobility of state power are nearly unassailable, despite the occasional errors and failures that critics allow themselves to condemn.

A prevailing truth was expressed by US President John Adams two centuries ago: 'Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak.' That is the deep root of the combination of savagery and self-righteousness that infects the imperial mentality, and in some measure, every structure of authority and domination.