Liberty vs. Democracy

Lord Acton argued that moral defects lead to a loss of liberty, whereas conscience moves society towards it. He made the ironic claim that democracy weakens moral discernment by allowing the individual to defer judgment to the majority. For Acton then, democracy corrupts in the same way excess authority does. Both discourage dissension, no matter how principled. Three important points have been made: Liberty is not democracy; democracy is not morality; and morality, while authoritative, is not authoritarian. Religion affirms each of these propositions. Furthermore it makes virtuous liberty a realistic ideal.

Democracy is not liberty. The natural tendency of people is to enslave themselves. Lord Acton wrote great wisdom in his words explaining that moral defects lead to a loss of liberty. Examples abound in religious history. The establishment of the office of king in Israel is particularly noteworthy. The sons of Samuel were not leading properly, so the people demanded a king. God explained to Samuel that by doing so they were rejecting Him. He told the prophet to explain to Israel that a king would take away their liberty, confiscate property, and even conscript people for his own uses. Yet the people clamored for a monarch (I Samuel 8:5-20).

In the modern charity business we see the same idea: democracy destroys freedom due to immorality. Many Christians, of liberal persuasion, use American democracy to vote ever-increasing entitlements for the lower classes. The result is a huge, compassionless bureaucracy that imprisons people in an unseen cage of dependency, gradually depriving them of hope and self-confidence. The system is democratic, and it is even executed without personal accountability. Yet it is a miserable failure. Those who enter the system seldom leave it. They are bitter because they know they are captive. Also, those who support this charitable work are resentful, and the recipients know it. So, it is charity (or love) based on hate!

Contrast this to the rigid system that Sister Connie Driscoll employs in her home for drug-addicted mothers in Chicago. The charity is funded by private donations. Those who participate in the program are told what they can and cannot do, and when, where and how they can go about it. The mothers meet their benefactors daily, so accountability (or force) is ever present. Yet, it works. In the end, the mothers leave free from drugs, and liberated from the dependent lifestyles they were trapped by. Democracy enslaved, while volunteerism liberated.

Democracy is not morality. "The tyranny of the majority" is a theme found repeatedly in religious writings. In particular the Old Testament story of Sodom and Gomorrah provides two clear examples. First, there is the discussion between God and Abraham. God reveals that he will destroy the cities, and Abraham pleads for Him not to do so. Finally, the Lord promises that if there are ten righteous people in them, the whole population will be spared (Genesis 18:20-32). Ten good individuals could have saved Sodom and Gomorrah! It does not take a majority to bring moral influence upon a society. The few can produce great benefit for the many. Sadly, when God's messengers go to visit Lot in that place, a great crowd surrounds his house. They demand that Lot hand over the visitors, so that they can molest them. In a sense, they had a voice vote, and the majority chose evil. Lot would not turn the men over--instead they escaped (Genesis 19:4-10). The mob wanted to rape. Of course they were wrong--horribly so. In the end, ten righteous men were not to be found, and the consensus of the wickedness that was Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed by God (v. 25).

A summary of this principle can be found in the Apostle Paul's declaration, "We are not trying to please men but God" (I Thessalonians 2:4). Christians, and others of passionate religious faith, have always been suspect by civil government for this reason: these people might not obey the government's designs. For instance, in South Korea, even the reportedly pro-government Yoido Full Gospel Church was under surveillance by the military governments through the middle of the 1980s. For though Pastor Cho Yonggi preached, "Obey your government, pray for those in authority," the 700,000 member strong church owed its highest allegiance to God. Therefore it was viewed as a large, never-to-be-fully-trusted faction.

Religion then, as shown in the Old Testament story, and in contemporary Asia, is inherently anti-democratic. It cries out for truth, justice, and yes, freedom, regardless of the prevailing "common wisdom."

Morality is not authoritarian. God is the all-powerful creator and judge of the world. Yet Genesis 3 records that his creation disobeyed God, and put into action a process that eventually led to the Son of God being sacrificed as a criminal on a Roman cross. Six million Jews, and six million others were killed by the wicked dreams of one German leader. Millions of babies are killed annually by the knives of abortion doctors, often with legal sanction from their governments. The ancient question still confounds the greatest philosophers and theologians today: why is there evil in the world?

While not a complete answer, the ancient wisdom of the Arminians is relevant. God values our willful obedience. He treasures it so much that he has tolerated the corrupting force of disobedience in his created world. The story of the prophet Hosea highlights this perfectly. God orders him to marry a prostitute, knowing that she will be unfaithful. He then compares this woman to Israel. Hosea is ordered to go after her, and buy her back, after she runs away, and returns to her wicked life. The story was meant to shame Israel into repentance.

God does not force obedience. He does not force love. The implication, then, is that true obedience and love cannot be coerced. This author worked with a ministry that put this principle into practice. In South Korea, university students are desperate to learn English. Korean American Bible Studies (KABS) was formed to offer free English Bible studies at several schools. When students were invited, they were told that the content would be the Bible, but that they would not be required to join any religion. Christians from many denominations came, as did Buddhists and humanists. Over time many non-Christians converted, while others did not. Yet the group always had a large number (often a majority) of non-Christians. It was the only Christian club that could claim this.

The key to the success of KABS was liberty. The leaders were students, and everyone was welcome. Religious discussions were conducted in a spirit of humility. Christians listened, and tried to answer questions honestly, while unbelievers engaged the spiritual stories and themes with respectful examination. Those that did convert did so for themselves. The religion they accepted was their own. It made them spiritually free, without depriving them of their intellectual liberty and integrity.

Religion is authoritative. Lord Acton proclaimed that the decay of morality would lead to a decay of liberty. True religion contributes to the moral climate because it is authoritative. "Thus sayeth the Lord," is powerful. One who has such a word will do anything. Stephen, in Acts 7, speaks words of bold repudiation to the community leaders of his day. He sees their anger, but presses on. When they pick up stones to kill him, he proclaims, "I see Jesus." There is no fear in this man as he becomes the first Christian martyr.

Religion is also powerful because it offers people a way to be good. Almost everyone wants to be good. Consider the sale of William Bennett's The Book of Virtues. It is a children's story book, yet it has sold as well as the best novels. Parents want their children to learn how to be good. Also, the fact that over 70 percent of Americans want prayer in school suggests that society is hungry for morality.

Religion must promote a free and responsible society. We have concluded that liberty and morality are inter-linked. Coercion has no part in this equation. If so, then religious leaders should use their influence to be "salt and light" in the market place by promoting community liberty, and by teaching congregational virtue.

Religious leaders must promote community liberty. One of the on-going struggles Jesus had with the religious leaders of his day was over the Law. He frequently referred to the man-made interpretation of God's commandments as a heavy and fruitless burden. One particularly repulsive practice that Jesus criticized was corban. This was a gift given to God. However, the religious leaders would take money that parishioners normally would have used for their elderly parents. They told the faithful that they did not have to take care of their parents because they had given the money to God (Mark 7:10-13). These leaders were men of the religious law--they knew every nuance. Nevertheless, they failed to see that they were breaking the fifth commandment of the decalogue!

Today many liberal Christians are convinced that it is morally necessary for the government to provide for the elderly, and yet many of these same people would be unwilling to house their own elderly parents. Americans are forced to turn over nearly half of their incomes to governments to pay the plethora of bills that social programs incur. It has become a daunting task to support or create private charity, because the government has demanded so much to support its own. However, the government's programs do not work because they are based on coercion. On the other hand, private charities often run on minimal budgets, yet accomplish so much more. The Catholic schools of Washington D.C., for example, educate about 57,000 students a year, using 17 administrators. That area's public school system handles about double that number of students, but employs about 100 times as many administrators. Also recall the stories of the great cooperative farms of the former Soviet Union, and how they supplied a small fraction of the nation's produce. Meanwhile the small gardens that farmers were allowed to own and operate made up 70 percent of the agricultural crops in some areas.

Religious leaders need to argue for greater freedom. Many will fear that this will give license for sin. However, sin festers in the heart whether it is permitted in public or not. Beyond this, what is the virtue in not doing what you cannot do? Likewise, what honor is there in doing a "good deed" that one is required to do?

Religious leaders must teach congregational virtue. Beyond encouraging civic liberty, religious people must be virtuous. Every major religious system teaches morality. Likewise, many Americans who are religiously unaffiliated are seeking righteous living. Thus, over 80 percent of Americans believe schools should teach morality. Of course, the problem is deciding whose morality gets taught. The simple answer is that those who live out their morality in vibrant, humble, yet self-confident stability will win approval for their lifestyle. The religious aspect of this behavior may not be proclaimed on school black boards, but the results of those teachings will be. As society witnesses courage, honesty, diligence, gentleness, civility, and love, it will naturally desire to simulate those virtues. Furthermore, such a phenomenon will create an interest in the basis for living. Thus, those religious followers who successfully live out the practical moral dictates of their faiths will find it easier to attract more converts. Just as moral decay and loss of liberty go together, so a growth in liberty will lead to opportunities for a growth in morality and spirituality.

Tom Ellis (honorable mention) is a tentmaker missionary with Mission to Unreached Peoples. Mr. Ellis works with Korean American Bible Studies, an indigenous campus ministry. He is currently on educational furlough at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, and is also a licensed minister with that fellowship.