Lesson 7

Democracy or Theocracy

If we view democracy and statism as merely steps in man's struggle to be free; if we accept the fact that democratic statism is not the final answer, an acceptable answer, or even a rational one; what can we put in its place? The answer is: nothing. We, fallible creatures that we are, can not devise a system of government that can dispense liberty and justice. They all suffer from the same fault, one man or a group takes dominion over others. Servitude is guaranteed. Liberty and justice, and human government are not compatible. As you have already learned the pursuit of happiness means pursuing a life without human government. A practical alternative suggests itself.

We must abandon the idea of humanly contrived government. We must stop imposing on each new generation the concept and ideology of statism. It is an antiquated idea, superstitious nonsense contrived by our neolithic ancestors. Statism has been around for a very long time, perhaps as long as five thousand years; the notion of the modern state, nearly four thousand years. A long-standing evil is nonetheless an evil. Girls, I am convinced that rejecting all human governments and returning to God as mankind's King is the only sane and viable alternative.

Many years ago, before the Wizards of America was even started, an American named William Penn said:

If we will not be governed by God, we will be governed by tyrants.

Remember that Plato said theocracy is the best form of government and democracy degenerates into tyranny. Today people have been taught to believe that the spectrum of government goes from total power (tyranny) to chaos (anarchy), like this:

Man's Rule (Tyranny)

No Rule (Anarchy)

Democracy is mistakenly believed to be the best compromise possible. But this spectrum does not reflect reality because theocracy does not appear on it. Penn tells us that really the spectrum runs from man's government to God's government, like this:

Man's Rule (Tyranny)

God's Rule (Freedom)

Neither is anarchy a possibility. There has never been an actual example of anarchy in all of recorded history. The nature of man is such that anarchy is impossible. Men have always been ruled by one government or another. True, there are brief transition periods between human governments, but even these are never referred to as anarchy. These are revolutions or coup d'etats. From Lesson 1 you remember that even when all human government is deliberately abolished we are not left with anarchy. Then, God's government becomes evident and the laws of reason, morality and religion bind us together. Adherence to the will of the majority is just another rejection of God's will that results in the loss of freedom just like monarchy, aristocracy and any other kind of human government. Penn's friend, John Locke, wrote a book called The Reasonableness of Christianity in 1695. In that book is something Laura Ingalls Wilder realized all by herself almost two hundred years later:

As men we have God for our King, and under the law of reason; as Christians, we have Jesus the Messiah for our King, and are under the law revealed by Him in the Gospel.

Can you find where John Locke stood on the last spectrum of government?

Grown-ups do not like being ruled by God. They think it is a bad idea for several reasons. First, theocracy requires a belief in God and a belief that all the world is a theocracy in which God, or His Messiah, is the ruling sovereign. How can we adopt a form of government which is founded on belief? Actually we have no choice. Every form of government requires belief, and lots of it!

Statism and democracy are both based on belief. Lesson 4 shows you this is true, although hardly ever realized. Statism is a product of human imagination. It is part of the inner world of the mind, not part of the outer world of reality. Democracy, as well, demands belief in the wisdom and authority of the majority. Theocracy merely requires a change in belief from the immortal, invisible, sovereign state to the immortal, invisible, sovereign God. Belief in the state has lead us steadily down the road to mutually assured destruction . New Covenant theocracy is the very opposite of statism. It leads down the road to mutually assured affection because we are commanded to love, not only our neighbor, but our enemy, as well.

In America this change presents less of a problem than one might think. Christianity is already the dominant religion. The doctrine of the Kingdom of God under the Lordship of the Messiah is central in the Bible. Many denominations already believe in the present reality of that Kingdom. When belief in the pagan ideas of democracy and statism are rejected, there is a void to be filled. Christians should automatically turn to theocracy. Indeed, the gospel of the Messiah commands them to do so: Repent (change your mind), for the Kingdom of God is upon you! In fact, Christians are supposed to turn from the domain of darkness to the Kingdom of God even before the domain of darkness is abolished. (See Lesson 12). Which will you choose when you are grown up? Find your choice on the spectrum of government:

Man's Rule (Mutual destruction)

God's Rule (Mutual affection)

Next, we address the objection that history shows theocracy to be every bit as bloody and oppressive as the worst secular government. This objection is valid for theocratic states like Iran, but not for New Covenant theocracy which prohibits the practice of statism. True theocracy is the happiest, freest rule for mankind. Besides, religion can not be avoided. All governments by their very nature are religious. They are based upon belief. They determine what is moral (right and wrong), and impose punishment on wrong-doers.

Religion is defined as the recognition on the part of man of a controlling superhuman power entitled to obedience, reverence and worship. Reverence means the feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe. Worship means reverent honor and homage paid to a god. The term god is defined as a superhuman person who is the object of worship, one whom men call upon or invoke,

That's a lot of definitions, but try to hold them in your mind as we look at the modern state. Is it a god? Is statism a religion? Statism recognizes an incorporeal, all-powerful, immortal super-human person, the state. Deep respect and awe for the state are called patriotism. Reverent honor and homage to the state are rendered with the pledge of true faith and allegiance, the national anthem, and other patriotic observances, but most especially by the sacrifice of one's life on the command of the state. Men invoke the name and power of the state on a daily basis: as they make and enforce enactments that establish the standards of right and wrong for the community and as they begin all judicial proceedings, for example.

In America we have a remarkable pantheon of ruling gods. At the top is the United States. At the next level is found fifty lesser gods, the several states. Then some three thousand counties and numberless municipalities. Somewhere in there is the great god, Demos, the people. The prophets of this religion who think and speak and act in the name of the gods they serve are called congressmen, governors, and judges.

In every kingdom the king ruled by divine right. In every empire the emperor was the son of a god or god himself. In statism the state becomes a god. In democracy the majority (Demos) become deified, infallible and all-powerful. Man's very nature cries out to be ruled by a being superior to himself. The separation of religion and government is an impossibility. Even the separation of church and state, both human institutions, was never attempted until the colonists tried it. But even this isn't possible. If there is any doubt that churches support the state in America, call a minister at random and ask him if he supports a belief in the state and teaches the religious duty of obedience to state laws. I bet he does!

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