1.2.1 |
THE PRESENTATIVE VERSUS THE REPRESENTATIVE |
1.2.1.1
THE SYMBOL OF SYMBOLS
The highest symbol,
the symbol of symbols,
of the neutral-inclusive Norm
is the all-neutral supreme being.
No-one shall honor or dishonor
those who recognize the symbol of symbols,
and no-one shall dishonor or honor
those who do not recognize the symbol of symbols.
The psychological and sociological need of a universal,
cosmic frame of reference can be satisfied in a direct,
'presentative', way or in an indirect, 'representative' or
symbolic, way. A presentative system relates things and events
directly to one another and to certain combinations of existing
or fictitious matters as they are or are believed to be in
themselves. In a representative system things are not so much
important for what they are (believed to be), but for what they
represent. In such a system things and events are related to one
or more symbols which reflect the same ideas and values as the
presentative system. Because the underlying ideas and values are
the same, a representative system is not irrational and
counterargumentative but rather nonrational and nonargumentative.
The addition of
symbolic entities or different forms of
symbolism to the
fundamental frame of reference may not
satisfy the intellectual component of the human need of a
(veridicalistic) worldview
in the way direct presentation does, it will provide a
basis for the satisfaction of human feelings without having to
yield to metaphysical or theoretical put-offs and exclusivist
inconsistences.
The satisfaction of the need of a descriptive or factual-modal,
presentative frame of reference is what could be called
"the informative function of
denominationalism" (or "of
ideology" in general); the satisfaction of the need of a
normative, presentative system is then its 'imperative function';
and the satisfaction of the need of a symbolic, representative
system, its 'emotive function'. (These functions have
already been discussed in
I.6.1.2.)
To deny the need and significance of the direct presentation of not only
factual and modal conditions but also of norms, would be irrational and
testify to
abnegational literalism or
aggrandizemental symbolic
exclusivism. On the other hand, it would testify as much to
presentational
exism if the need and
significance of the re-presentation of factual, modal and
normative conditions
thru
symbols were denied.
In our case this is the need not only of the presentation of
neutral-inclusivity
as set out in
the Book of Fundamentals
but also the need of the representation of neutral-inclusivity.
If a human
denominational doctrine or
ideology is devoid of any meaningful symbolism and confines itself to what
is considered fundamental or rational, it is human individuals who are
bound to become themselves the idolized symbols of such a denominational
doctrine or ideology. These human individuals may
be, for example, the originator of the doctrine in question, the
founder(s) of the first or largest organization of that doctrine
or a latter-day adherent who is believed or claimed to have been
much more intelligent, artistic, diligent or virtuous than the average one.
Because of the lack of nonpersonal, suprapersonal or person-neutral
symbols an ideology without a symbol-generating faculty, but
with a considerable number of adherents nevertheless, will tend
to degenerate more and more into a cult of
individual exclusivism.
Even an egalitarian belief can thus give rise to a human being's
excessive idolization.
And even a non-theocentrist creed can thus give rise to a human being's
abominable deification.
It is not hard to find examples of systems of
disciplinary thought, poor
in meaningful symbols, of which the exponents have named one building
or prize after the other for a particular, usually male person or
member of an arbitrarily chosen or established group of persons.
Such
onomastic exclusivism proves
that the need of symbols (also nonlinguistic ones) does exist, and that
our own doctrine must be capable of providing the deductive, heuristic,
creative and other means to satisfy this need in an inclusivistic manner.
