DEMOCRACY AND DEMONISM
‘It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible’-George Washington.
The world is wailing for the best system of government. Dictatorship, aristocracy, socialism, communism and so forth had failed the world’s leadership needs. Today, democracy appears to be the most satisfactory system of government. For Abraham Lincoln, democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. It is said to be a game of numbers. This means that it is a system of government where majority of the people rule. Democracy in a homely sense is a government by the representative of the people. However, a true democracy must lead the people to God. While it is true that lack of a good leadership system is a recipe for chaos and lawlessness, democracy can be demonic. Democracy becomes demonic if it promotes demonism or diabolism. Diabolism is the apogee of lawlessness or iniquity.
Demonism or diabolism is a belief in or reverence for devils especially Satan. It has been said that the devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know. This statement appears harmless. Nevertheless, I think the best thing is not to know any devil at all. We are commanded to give no place to the devil. The line between democracy and diabolism is very thin, if there is any. For instance, character assassination and dirty propaganda are among the major political tools for winning elections in most democratic societies. Trading of lies, corruption (such as vote buying and fraudulent electioneering schemes), abuse of power, loose liberalisms, indecorous utterances, and dishonesty are commonplace in such so-called democratic societies. Besides, democracy has a trait of humanism. In humanism, man is the standard for everything: man (created) God; man determines laws and morality and everything else. Furthermore, democracy is people-driven and people-centred. It is all about people, people and people but no God. It is all about the voice of the people. It has been said that the voice of the people is the voice of God. Again, this statement also appears harmless. However, the voice of the people in most cases is never the voice of God. God’s voice is now in print. Therefore, anything that is contrary to God’s printed voice is never of God. God’s printed voice is His written Word, the Bible.
The Bible contains the history of democracy. Contrary to some popular research findings and teachings, democracy was first practiced in Israel. King Saul is the first ever democratic leader. He was the leader of the people, by the people and for the people. The Israelites rejected God’s system of government, holy theocracy. God was therefore compelled by the people to choose a king for them. King Saul became that king. He was the king of the people. Majority of the Israelites preferred that system of government to holy theocracy. Saul had his greatest successes when he obeyed God and vice versa. He specially disobeyed God on several occasions when he acted on his own to please the people. King Saul among others consulted demons for guidance. The rest of the story is history. That history is part of God’s printed voice, the Bible.
Theocracy is simply a belief in government by divine guidance. Theocracy has a deity as its object of reverence. A deity may be God or a god. Demonism is the king of gods or devils. Reverencing a god is idolatry. A god may be education, money, status, diabolic and earthly wisdom, or a system of government. Any system of government that takes the place of holy theocracy or God is demonism. Demonism among other things is characterized by occultism or ungodly divinations. It is simply anti-Christ, or say anti-God. Holy theocracy was first practiced in the Garden of Eden until Adam and Eve decided to know a devil. The rest of that story is history, which is in the Bible. We only multiply our sorrows when we hasten after any devils or gods. Adam and Eve found themselves in a perfect environment but they lost that environment when they decided to act without God or His laws. They were expelled from that law and order milieu and experienced chaos and sorrows afterwards. How can holy theocracy be practiced in our so-called civilized world? Biblical characters such as Joseph, King David and Daniel are the right people to answer this question. Their answers are contained in God’s printed voice.
Joseph, King David and Daniel were leaders of leaders. They were real leaders. They were leaders in towels (servant leadership), not in titles (ego or positional leadership). Their leadership tract records are unique and exemplary. They left godly indelible legacies. Joseph as a wise prime minister saved Egypt and the entire world from some possible nagging effects of a 7-year stern famine. His economic policies stood the test of time. Joseph remains the world’s greatest economic adviser, wise planner, and selfless leader. He was for example entrusted with the wealth of Egypt (the world’s then most powerful nation) yet he was never accused of embezzlement or corruption. He demonstrated personal integrity and transparency to their apex. Besides, Joseph never abused his authority. Although he had within his powers to for example retaliate the wickedness of his elder brothers, he showed mercy and sought for their welfare. Joseph preferred reconciliation to vindictiveness. He walked in the counsel of the Lord.
King David is the greatest king of Israel. He is one of the greatest men in history. David was an invincible warrior. He, for example, soundly defeated the giant Goliath to the latter’s humblest humiliation. King David was also an honest king. He willingly accepted his sins (lustful adultery, lies, and gruesome murder) and genuinely repented (changed). Besides, he learnt from his mistakes because he accepted the suffering they brought. David did not use lies to deny or cover his misdeeds. He never repeated his mistakes. Moreover, David demonstrated love towards his fiercest persecutors like King Saul and the deviant Absalom. He also respected God-appointed authorities. David vowed never to offend God’s chosen leader like King Saul despite the latter’s numerous wicked schemes against him. He refused to run-down the tenure of King Saul in order to project his own. Although he was legally appointed to be a king over Israel, he waited for God’s own timing before exercising his authority as a king. Furthermore, David was a man of integrity. He carried out the promises he made to his arch friend, Jonathan. He did what he said he would do. Above all, David was a man after God’s heart -the Bible. He knew and understood the ways and acts of God. God was his shepherd. David served his generation and beyond.
Daniel was a 100% super star. He was clothed with divine knowledge, divine wisdom and intelligence. No wonder he was ten times better than the so-called wise men in the Babylonian kingdom. Daniel was preferred over all the other governors in the kingdom. He never compromised his godly standards although he reigned in the midst of crooked governors. Daniel preferred being a shining example to joining the majority of the crooked governors in their perversions. He was blameless in all his ways. Daniel’s positive character traits extinguished the diabolic schemes of his fervent opponents. He never allowed his detractors to dilute his focus.
Joseph and Daniel were blameless leaders. While David abused his authority, the two of them never allowed people to dictate their sense of direction. Despite this key difference, these great leaders had many things in common. They had common secrets. Those secrets are central to their exemplary leadership feats. Firstly, they had personal knowledge of God. They were as a result became men of right spiritual sensitivity. Secondly, they acknowledged God’s presence in all situations. Thirdly, they completely relied on and looked unto God moment by moment. They for example sought God’s guidance before taken any step or decision. Besides, they obeyed the laws of God to the letter. In other words, they applied God’s word to their own lives and everything they did. In addition, they had forgiving and pure hearts. Moreover, they chose to serve their generations rather than seeking their personal welfare or lording over their people. Finally, they subjected their authority to God’s authority. It is worth noting that the qualities these exemplary leaders demonstrated can only be found in God. Education and much learning can never produce them. Technology is never a substitute to these indispensable qualities. No form of human training and teachings can cure greed, selfishness, dishonesty and wickedness. Human systems do not have the right force to promote law and order. Besides, no human-based organization can secure and maintain true world unity and peace. Charismatic leadership is never a substitute to character-based leadership. True leadership is in towels, not in titles. Jesus Christ’s models and principles of leadership cannot be sacrificed for human ideologies without multiplying our sorrows. His leadership principles and acts are undeniably the best and supremest. They are divine, reliable, workable and lasting. Joseph, David and Daniel used them.
It is impossible to rightly rule a nation without divine guidance and protection. Unfortunately, like King Saul, many so-called leaders in most democratic nations seek guidance from devils. Besides, they are full of themselves instead of God and His arrant laws. No wonder some democratic nations are worst examples of dictatorship and bad governance. Others promote legal tolerance of every conceivable human right such as same-sex marriages, prostitution, and abortion. Thus most so-called democratic nations rather promote human wrongs. These nations at best demonstrate foolishness and madness. Perhaps, we are wrong because we think human beings are the source of human rights. It is a common knowledge that the function of a product is dictated either by its manufacturer or its manual or both. God is the manufacturer of human beings and everything in and under the Heavens. Therefore, it is impossible to rightly govern any nation without full dependence on God and the Bible. George Washington, the first president of USA said, ‘‘It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible”. I fully agree. We certainly cannot be smarter and wiser than our Creator. A democracy without God and the Bible (The Supremest Manufacturer’s manual) is demonism, nothing more; nothing less.
Richard Obeng Mensah, author of right your writing.
borncapy@yahoo.com/www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com
