Citizen, I'm back!
Time to defend republicanism against absolute monarchy, again.
I know that is sooooo 1789, but unfortionately in our present day with the internet and all many totalitarian ideas seem to be taking a new life as being "cool."
One of these ideologies is absolute monarchy. This idea is seen as less terrible than other obvious totalitarian ideologies such as Stalinism, and Fascism.
Absolute Monarchy wasn't the "good old days" and it was in fact, just as bad as other totalitarian ideologies.
Who is romanticizing absolute monarchy?
The entertainment industry, and many internet groups.
The Divine Right of Kings is Biblical
Although they are lions- the brutality of Scar killing Mufasa is probably much more realistic to the monarchies of European history than the idea that the king was a godly man going to pray and read the Bible everyday.
All the drama and brutality between royal families (and sometimes within one royal family) puts modern celebrity drama to shame.
Let me start this off by a disclaimer- God is not a Republican, or a Democrat. God is himself. He is greater than all human systems, and he alone can have absolute power and use it righteously. Because humans are sinners, if you entrust any of us with absolute power- problems will follow.
So "divine right" his takes into account that the king is God-fearing and righteous. The king must be a Godly man and listen carefully to the 10 Commandments. Because he has total power and God granted him with divine right, this means obviously he will listen to God because God is governing through him, right?
Sorry but no.
Absolute power usually does the opposite, it turns the king away from God. Power becomes an idol as the king wants more and more of it. The church and state unite, and this causes massive problems.
This is not to say that Christians should not be involved in politics. On the contrary! All citizens must be involved and informed in a republic to make the right choices not just for themselves but for all in the land.
But giving the church as an institution political power, is not very wise.
The church forgets its real purpose- to spread the gospel and do good to all humanity. The church becomes a political tool bent on securing the king's favor. If the king wants everybody to bow before him and say "Oh great and glorious sun king! May your power and light shine upon us for a million years!"
It is also important to note it was the people of Israel who selected King Saul. The people wanted a king, they wanted authoritarianism so they can be like everybody else. God gives the people free will to select their rulers, but the people also have another right- resistance. As Daniel continued to pray, and Esther warned the king about Haman's plot against the Jewish people of Persia- people today have an inherent right to hold authority to a higher standard.
Of course this must be done in all love and respect, we should strive to be good citizens and give on to Ceaser what is Ceaser's. At the same time, if the king tells you to bow before him and worship him- God's law is higher than the king's.
Personally I would argue that it is unbiblical for a Christian to submit himself to a king. It is God alone who is righteous and demands our devotion.
I would feel deeply conflicted chanting "Long live King Louis! All power and glory belongs to him! May he live for a million years more!"
This goes against my values, for only Christ can have absolute power and dominion. This places the king at a God-like status.
Who else placed the ruler as God? Oh yes, Stalinism and the personality cults of the 20th century.
Pretty dresses and balls all the time!
Hmm... personally I prefer the regency style dress, no shoes, a phyrigian cap with a cockade and my hair in a simple ponytail or hanging loose. But to each their own I guess.
Lets not forget that 45 minutes away the kingdom's own people could be starving as the king creates an artificial famine to bring more food to the court. After the ball, everybody sleeps together (literally) and the drama that ensues will put reality TV shows to shame! A life of drama, backstabbing and "I want his vineyard so let me kill him!"
Russia, France, Spain, Austria-Hungary... the same old story could be told anywhere.
Now I know you all are thinking of the wicked Queen Jezebel in the Bible, she wanted a man's vineyard so she schemed for his murder.
The very same thing happened in France under the Bourbon regime. Also in Hungary a queen rounded up virgins to have them very brutally killed so she could "stay young forever."
Princesses were forced to marry men they didn't love just for the alliances. There were some exceptions- like in Poland, Jadwiga refused to marry the Austrian king and married a Lithuanian prince, and Jadwiga became "king of Poland."
As epic as Jadwiga was, most monarchies did not have the liberality of Poland. Even in Poland, the progressive monarchy they still unfortunately had kings who unjustly had people killed just because. One Polish king after such a verdict had a gargoyle gagged because he thought the gargoyle was speaking to him.
So no fairy tale ending?
No, not even for the royalty. You get married to a random royal just for the sake of alliances. This royal may or may not be crazy. Other aristocrats poison and try to kill each other off for the sake of getting closer to power. The church is no longer a place for you to go and worship God and go to youth group and have fun. HAHAHAHA nice one! the church is now a political instrument that consequently wants to squash all other denominations and plant itself close to the king. Didn't Paul warn against factions in the New Testament? Yes he did. But look at Europe in the Age of Absolutism, kings killing people just because they were Protestant or Catholic. This isn't how the kingdom of God is supposed to look.
Royality chanting their own praises in the streets, and sounding not very different than Stalin.
I know that absolute monarchy wasn't as brutal as Stalin or Hitler was. But it is still a step in that direction- a strong step in the direction where protests and dissent are forbidden by law, and the church is one with the state.
I would like to close with my little allegory from "My Case for Republicanism"
"King Justice was a great ruler. He ruled the kingdom of “Humanité” with wisdom and strength. He had a son, Prince Folly who was pampered as a child. Prince Folly knew nothing but comfort, because his father gave so much prosperity to the kingdom. One day the king died and Prince Folly took the throne and due to his pampered upbringing because very selfish, and hoarded the people’s food.
The people starved as the king lived in luxury. The kingdom weakened and the people had one option- revolt for bread so they can live. Of course King Folly didn’t like this, so he then instituted totalitarian measures crushing dissent so he can keep his power and his throne."
Remember Citizen, just because King Justice is great- doesn't mean that your nation is without problems. Sooner rather than later, Prince Folly will take the throne.
