HOW DID WE GET HERE? V. 2.0

Ok, let's try this again... without all the angst!

So I'm rethinking our democracy these days... Democracy has always been a risky experiment, and we've probably seen it fail more times than it has succeeded. This is due, in no small part, to the fact that massive amounts of uninformed people are given the right to vote. Consider that in 1883 in Allentown, New Jersey, "...a wooden Indian -- the kind that was seen in front of cigar stores -- was placed on the ballot for Justice of the Peace. The candidate was registered under the fictitious name of Abner Robbins. When the ballots were counted, Abner won over incumbent Sam Davis by 7 votes. A similar thing happened in 1938. The name Boston Curtis appeared on the ballot for Republican Committeeman from Wilton, Washington. Actually, Boston Curtis was a mule. The town's mayor sponsored the animal to demonstrate that people know very little about the candidates. He proved his point. The mule won!"[1] Sad but true, which is why Winston Churchill once said, "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." 

Well, I'm only saying this because of the state of our own democracy at the moment, which was the main point that I was trying to make in V. 1.0 of this blog last week. I realized immediately that it was somewhat insensitive and in-artfully done, and I apologize for that, which is why I deleted it. I completely agree that there are legitimate complaints about the injustices that have been and continue to be committed in our nation, but I'll leave that discussion for another time. My primary concern for our democracy at the moment, besides the fact that we are an increasingly post-Christian nation, completely divorced from its godly heritage and moral foundations, is the growing awareness of the radically undemocratic forces at work, who are trying to overthrow our entire system of government, by inciting anarchy under false pretenses? Which is why I'm beginning to understand why the renowned Philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC), had such a problem with the system of government known as, Democracy. 

Often referred to as the “first teacher”, Aristotle was famously known as the defiant disciple of Plato, and the brilliant mentor of Alexander the Great, and as such, he should still have some street credibility even today. However, many of Aristotle’s political views, which would later become known as “Aristocracy”, are quite repulsive to the socialist and democratic ideals of our day. Being raised in a wealthy home and accustomed to the trappings of wealth and its accompanying power, Aristotle recoiled at the notion that he and his superior class would ever be ruled over by the lower class exclaiming, “A democracy is a government in the hands of men of low birth, no property, and vulgar employments.”[2] I strongly disagree with such arrogance and hostility toward the so-called, "lower classes" of course, especially since I am one of them. However, Aristotle also recognized that there were real dangers in allowing an elitist class to rule, and he cautioned that perversions of power would always morph into lesser forms of government. 

He predicted that, if left unchecked, royalty would become tyranny, aristocracy would become oligarchy, and constitutional governments, (i.e. Republics; of which we aspired to be 200 years ago) would eventually become democracies.[3]  What Aristotle could never have predicted unfortunately, is that unchecked democracies will inevitably be hi-jacked by Socialism and Marxism! This can be substantiated fully by Karl Marx himself who said, "Democracy is the road to socialism!"[4] and if that isn't proof enough, his buddy Vladimir Lenin took it one step further saying, "Democracy is indispensable to socialism."[5] Why is this? Because they realized, as the leftists of today also know, that democracy is its own worst enemy, because it can be manipulated by the corrupted masses to engineer a revolution against its own principles and core values.

Truly, Aristotle despised this weakness inherent within democracy, and felt that, "Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers.”[6] This kind of ruling class mentality is an ugly reminder of centuries past, of which we would never want to revisit, but he also gave us a stark warning that we must heed today; which is that, “...democracies degenerate into despotism.”[7] This should be a major concern for us in the times in which we live, as we have watched our own republic slide down that slippery slope for decades. The anarchy that is reigning in our streets, colleges, and governmental institutions today, and the religious and political free speech that is being silenced by a very vocal but powerful minority (i.e. the radical left); are all just recent examples of the lawlessness taking place, not because of a constitutional mandate, or a democratic process, but because we are becoming a nation ruled by a mob mentality; by emotions, and not laws. An entitled society that has come to demand that their every need be met by the government, which desecrates anything that challenges its own ill-informed and misguided sensibilities, labeling them as, "offensive", and therefore worthy of immediate destruction. 

And what does this angry mob ultimately want you ask? Under the guise of moral retribution and recompense for the atrocities of slavery; merely the abolition of any and all remnants of our founding principles and the men and women that inspired them. Oh I know, you say, "It's just Civil War statues and memorials, what's the big deal?" Hey, today it maybe Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee that they are offended by, but tomorrow it may be your Christian Faith, your Bible, your freedom of speech and religion that offends them (oops, too late, they're already offended by that, they just haven't figured out a way to destroy it yet). Do you really think the Leftists/Marxists will stop there? Not if they're going to overthrow the authority of the Constitution of the United States, and make no mistake about it, that is their ultimate aim! 

They have already turned their gaze from the Civil War and have now taken aim at the heart of the revolutionary spirit of America, beginning their assault on our founding fathers. They are now already saying, "American history is not all glorious... George Washington was a slave owner. We need to call slave owners out for what they are. Whether we think they were protecting American freedom or not... To me, I don't care if it's a George Washington statue or Thomas Jefferson, they all need to come down..."[8] And come down they will, because these are the tried and true tactics of Marxism that have been effectively employed for over a hundred years; divide and create conflict, tear down the man behind the ideology, and then you are able to tear down the ideology itself! Our feckless politicians are just too stupid to see it happening or are unwilling to act, because they need the votes to get reelected next year. 

So what is a Christian to do? Should we pick sides? Go out and join the protest marches? Buy more ammo? Well hopefully you have already picked a side, and its not the left, the right, or the moderate center; hopefully you've chosen to fight on the Lord's side! No system of government is without flaws because they are all administered by flawed men and women like you and me. Peace will not come to this earth until the Prince of Peace returns to reign, and in the meantime, we have a job to do, don't get distracted! Pray for our nation and it leaders to be wise and govern justly, and "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (NKJV Mat 28:19-20)" 

Remember also what ol' Aristotle said, “No democracy can exist unless each of its citizens is as capable of outrage at injustice to another as he is of outrage at injustice to himself.”[9] 

By Pastor Glen Mustian

Works Cited:

[1] Our Daily Bread, November 3, 1992. http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/d/democracy.htm. 

[2] http://www.azquotes.com/quote/833300 

[3] http://www.azquotes.com/quote/1198727 

[4] https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/k/karlmarx136416.html?src=t_democracy
[5] https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/v/vladimirle136420.html?src=t_democracy
[6] Adler, Mortimer. Great Books of the Western World: 8. Aristotle. (Vol. II) Print. 1952. Pg. 456. 

[7] Adler, Mortimer. Great Books of the Western World: 8. Aristotle. (Vol. II) Print. 1952. Pg. 447. 

[8] https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/08/18/cnns_angela_rye_washington_jefferson_statues_need_to_come_down.html
[9] http://www.azquotes.com/quote/1359536