Is God democratic or dictatorial? (Full Version)

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modu -> Is God democratic or dictatorial? (6/26/2008 9:59:43 AM)

He is both in a very perfect and good sence. He shares His love, peace and truth to us with His democratic characteristics. That is, He gives us the opporunity to know His good laws, but with His benevolent heart wants us to follow up His ways with true kindness and humility. Like caring parents, His heart is for us to witness His best and wants us to develop true fellowship with Him that would enable us to enjoy these benefits. He is dictatorial not to any fault but again to our benefit. He is not a dictator like earthly ones with wicked intensions to their people. He tendency towards sin and His noble laws are treated with firmness. This is because, He would never compromise with sinful nature forever, and any of His child that compromise His good laws with sinful nature, is usually met with stift penalty. The only exception is when such sinful act is done mistakingly, and one recognizes his or her fault quickly and truthful ask for forgiveness in the name of Christ Jesus. Temptation that challenges your growth in His righteousness would be treated as an attack from the enemy, even when you make mistakes. In this case, He would strength you above the situation and deal squarely with the adversary on our behalf. On the other hand, to deliberately disobey His command is a different matter entirely and the consequence is usually firm.
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Zhi -> RE: Is God democratic or dictatorial? (6/26/2008 11:12:38 AM)

I would say God is a benevolent monarch.

Which, imho, is the absolute best form of government possible when the benevolent monarch is not only omniscient and really unequivocally DOES know what's best for His people, but is also omnipotent and has unlimited resources to provide for all of His people's needs without a problem.



Lapidoth -> RE: Is God democratic or dictatorial? (6/26/2008 11:19:24 AM)

After decades in HIS book, I have found that
we will do it HIS way, or, we will do it HIS way.
Either way, we will do it HIS way.

There is the element called time in which we have
the delusion that we can do it OUR way. But in the
end, we will do it HIS way.

And I like the benevolent monarch, too.



Bluethread -> RE: Is God democratic or dictatorial? (6/26/2008 6:13:28 PM)

Monarch is a better term. It may be mere conotation, but, a dictator tends to crush all resistance as soon as it comes to light. A monarch tends to let things follow their natural course until it threatens the stability of the kingdom. This appears to be how Adonai works.

I would add that, I think, communal contitutional monarch might be more accurate. If one reads Toquevilles assessment of the early New England communities, one is struck by the bottom up nature of government that seems to be the Scriptural imparative. It is only when governments become so large and powerful that one community can oppress another that problems related to government arise.



bob97 -> RE: Is God democratic or dictatorial? (6/26/2008 9:12:39 PM)

God is only democratic to a liberal.

Bob



cow451 -> RE: Is God democratic or dictatorial? (6/27/2008 10:55:30 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: bob97

God is only democratic to a liberal.

Bob

God transcends any of these political definitions.



DougHorton -> RE: Is God democratic or dictatorial? (6/27/2008 11:06:28 AM)

Neither. God called Himself the King of kings and Lord of lords.

He rules over kings, lords, dictators, presidents, prime ministers, muftis, emperors, and any other government you can think of. He does so with omniscience and omnipotence. To further restrict Him by our human terms is rather foolish.



modu -> RE: Is God democratic or dictatorial? (6/27/2008 3:53:34 PM)

Oh! Please, Doug, Bob and many others out there. Do not get confused about the question or reduce the spiritual interpretation to the question to political or human mind set. No! No!! No!!! The question is purely a spiritual message and not to reduce the great relevance of our Lord, who is the everlasting King of Glory. The question was raised to practically allow us to view His immence value and nature, like love, peace and humility or even truth on these political terms. The idea is for us to see beyond the human approach and traditional mind set and see all the cares and benefits He has given mankind, how they fit into these terms. And not to reduce His divine personality to the terms themselves.
Once again, the question is not to any derogatory purpose, but meant to express His good love in simple and special way for all to understand. When we thoroughly look at His divine nature, without tradition in our hearts, we would realize that His Spiritual relevance can be seen on these two platforms. For example, when Jesus told the rich man to sell all his belongings and give to the poor and follow Him. That was a democratic nature of our Lord. It was a command, but the choice was left to the man to take. On the other hand, each time, Jesus cast out evil spirits from people, that was a dictatorial nature of God to sin. God gives the order and it is done.



Bluethread -> RE: Is God democratic or dictatorial? (6/28/2008 6:09:59 AM)

Democracy is not allowing individuals to choose for themselves, but the people as a whole deciding for the individual. That is why Alexander Hamilton, I think, refered to it as the tyranny of the majority. Allowing persons to do as they please, subject to a written code is a constitutional form of government. To allow individuals to do as they please without the force of law or power of the sword is by definition anarchy. That is why I see Adonai as a constitutional monarch who shows a preference for community based enforcement. He has set up a constitution(the written Torah), which is to be interpreted and inforced by the local community. Now as a monarch He can over ride the written constitution, the local interpretation and local enforcement at His discretion. That is because He is the embodiment of the constitution(Ha Torah), of which the written version is just a representation.



bob97 -> RE: Is God democratic or dictatorial? (6/28/2008 10:43:01 AM)

God is a benevolent dictator; He establishes the rules for us live by and expects obedience. Under those rules we will prosper but apart from God’s policies we will suffer. If we love God with all our hearts, we desire to obey and that is exactly what God desires…our obedience’s and love.

Bob



colliefan -> RE: Is God democratic or dictatorial? (6/28/2008 1:33:26 PM)

On one extreme you have those that see God as a heavenly Mr. Rogers and on the other, an Idi Amin Dada. Here, in the USA, we really have no idea of a King and his absolute sway over his kingdom.

We are so comsumed with our rights/demands, we fail to see that in God's economy, we are entitled to nothing, not even our next breath.

Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing

1. Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.

2. Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I'm come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

3. O to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.



Mannamuncher -> RE: Is God democratic or dictatorial? (6/28/2008 5:48:09 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: bob97

God is only democratic to a liberal.

Bob

AMEN !!!...LOL [:)] In God's theocracy, He regins supreme as Potentate of Potentates. It is mundane and unprofitable to reduce the great I AM to fit a definition for our convenience. What was told to Moses ? I AM THAT I AM



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