The deification of man is the supreme concern of democracy
Recently my attention was drawn to the following message, which Dr. Lothar Gassmann distributed via his video channel on October 20, 2023. I will quote only some striking statements. Those of you who would like to read the entire message can do so by following this link:
"Christians in Switzerland should vote for the EDU this Sunday. EDU stands for the preservation of Christian values, for the protection of human life from conception to natural death. [...] The EDU is committed to ensuring that fundamental Christian values gain influence in the state and in society and that it contributes to the preservation of a religiously neutral, democratic and liberal constitutional state. [...] Christians, please go to the polls and do not leave politics to the anti-Christian forces! Those who don't vote will be complicit if things get worse."
Isn't this good advice for Christians in Switzerland to help a political party get more votes and thus more power because it stands for basic Christian values on the one hand and for a "religiously neutral, democratic and liberal constitutional state" on the other? At first glance, this concern seems plausible, even praiseworthy. It is therefore necessary to take a closer look. Is it really true that the Christian who is not convinced that going to the ballot box is a duty imposed on him becomes guilty if the political situation in the country deteriorates? Where does it say in the Bible that the Christian must vote to make the politics of his country better? Where in His Word does God call the church of Jesus to work for the legitimacy of politicians to exercise power in a religiously neutral, democratic and free constitutional state? Didn't Jesus clearly indicate that there is no such thing as spiritual neutrality? "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters" (Mt 12:30). If the EDU has set itself the task of defending fundamental Christian values while at the same time advocating the preservation of a religiously neutral state, then it is trying to do something that can never be realized, because these are two completely contradictory objectives. But not only that: a religiously neutral state has never existed in the entire history of the world and never will. To work for it not only contradicts the clear word of Jesus in Matthew 12:30, but is also completely senseless. There is only one power in this world that can prevent evil spirits from doing mischief: Jesus Christ Himself by the Spirit of God.
Matth. 12:28-29: 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
NASV 1995
---
From a biblical point of view, is it not rather the case that the Christian is primarily called upon to worship God alone and therefore to oppose any form of idolatry (First Commandment, Ex 20:2-3)?
We know from history that in the mid-19th century many Christians in England and France opposed the establishment of a democratic state system because they understood that this was a religious act of the highest importance. They knew the main purpose of democracy, as politicians made them understand: "The deification of man in the guise of an ordinary citizen was the consistent application of democratic philosophy." (Excerpt from the forthcoming book The Metamorphosis of Liberalism, 4.3.5 Consistent Application of Democratic Philosophy)
> Subscribe to the Court Jester Mailing
---
It is interesting to me that "democracy" appears only once in the Bible. It followed classic democratic methods: the research committee or "think-tank" presented its findings for a vote. First the majority submitted their action plan, and then the minority submitted an alternative. The majority then persuaded the electorate to adopt their position. The results: every member that presented the majority position was immediately judged and killed by God. Everyone that voted for the majority findings then died off as God sentenced the nation to wander in the desert for the next 40 years. The only ones God spared were the two people who submitted the minority counter-proposal.