It is no wonder that "God's chosen people" had to be brought to recognise the icy coldness of their selfish "nationalism" in the face of the world society of "internationalism"
1302. "The Old Testament" is indeed not quite the same thing as "The New Testament". It is an extensive account of a mental sphere in which "neighbourly love" is as yet an utterly incomprehensible concept, and in which the heroic figures of war and power constitute the great, admirable and desirable focuses of worship and the greatest ideals favoured by the people. The accounts in "The Old Testament" are a drama in the history of mankind within which war, power and the death penalty are still the most outstanding virtues of religion or morality. It is an account of a people that supported both polygamy and the enslavement of men and women, a people that oppressed certain categories of its own layer of society just as much as the "heathens" did, allowing them to live in servitude and subjection, just as they considered the people of other states or nations to be beings of lower standing that one certainly could not marry and with whom dealings could be tolerated only when they constituted enormously remunerative business connections. It is no wonder that "God's chosen people" gradually had to be brought to recognise the icy coldness of their selfish "nationalism" in the world society of "internationalism". And is it not the same recognition that later fell to the lot of many other selfish nations because of their antipathy or animosity towards "internationalism"? Why, despite a brave struggle and able leaders, great prophets, wise and partially "initiated" kings, were the "Jews" continuously dispersed into exile, losing all their independence, and their individuals being placed, so to speak, face to face with, or forced to live among, the individuals, beauties, ways and customs of other countries and other races? Is it not conceivable that it was in order to shatter the selfish encapsulation of "nationalism" in, and their dreams of, a "master-race existence"? Is it not conceivable that it was in order to let them experience that the individuals of other nations and other races were also human beings, which here means beings that could also practice mental virtues, indeed, were even beings that one could marry or in some other way come to like or love? And is it not conceivable that this was particularly necessary for "God's chosen people"?
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