If christianity is so good, how come it did not ever establish a democracy?

Question

Modern democracy is an invention of the Enlightenment period.How come no christian nations of the time before the founding of the US were democratic? How come they did not respect the freedom of religion?

Answer 1

If democracy was established by Christianity then it would be a theocracy, like during the times when the Catholic church ruled everything.

Technically speaking though, I believe the true Christian ruling power would be a monarchy. So many American Christians have a hard time understanding submission to God and to authority because they've been taught that they have the right to have a say in matters. God doesn't work that way. Everything has structure. X is head of Y and Y is head of Z, etc. etc.

America was formed not on the ideas of Christianity, although Puritan influence still prevails in our conduct today, but instead on deist ideas, which were prevelent during the time of enlightenment. Many of our founding fathers and people who helped build this country were Deists, including Jefferson, Franklin, Samuel Adams, Thomas Paine, James Madison, and Ethan Allen. Basically, deists believe that God set the world into motion by natural laws and then left it alone.

Answer 2

Jesus came to establish a church that is guided by a Heavenly Kingdom (John 18:36), not alternative forms of human govt. God originally wanted Israel to be a theocracy where God was the king but they rejected him as King. (John 19:15)

Actually one could argue that the 13 colonies here were the 1st Christian democracy founded basically by the Puritans and Pilgrims looking for religious freedom apart from Europe where they were denied it.

Christians that follow the principles in scripture are all for freedom of religion because it allows Christ to be preached unhindered!

The people today that oppose freedom of religion are secularists who are trying to get the constitution to be interpreted that the only state-sponsored belief system is naturalism. (atheism)

Answer 3

Well first off the Catholic church did a pretty good job of keeping the bible from the christians. They said that it was only permitted to be read in the original greek and latin, which only the pope, bishops and priests could read. The catholic church was not truely christian back then. they were greedy people who used the inoccence of faithful believer to take all their money. Martin Luther had split the church into catholics and prodesants (spelling?). The prodestants never created a theocracy that stated the people weren't allowed to freely worship their own beliefs. The catholics had ruled the roman empire and then the King of England created the church of england as a branch of catholisism because he didn't like how the pope was running it. Do not blame christians for not establishing a democracy. True Christians believe in freedom of religion because it tells us that in the bible. People claiming to be christian who don't believe in freedom of religion are not true christians

Answer 4

Modern democracy has many possible origins, not just Enlightenment. Greek, Jewish, Roman, Christian, medieval developments, and British systems could all have contributed to our current form of government in the U.S. Christianity itself probably wouldn't be a very good form of government. The two must be kept separate, even though there are parallels between them.

Answer 5

A "Christian democracy" is an oxymoron: such a state would be a theocracy. Iran is similar. It is a true democracy in the sense that officials are elected in a fair process, but as a Muslim democracy, it is a theocracy for laws have to reflect those that benefit the religion as opposed to those that will benefit the people and nation.

Answer 6

the position do you human beings get all of this? study your heritage e book. This democracy became began by technique of Christians! between the important motives became to make certain FREEDOM of religion! not freedom FROM faith, yet freedom of religion. in case you'll study your heritage particularly of parrotting what some fool tells you, you'd be a lot smarter.

Answer 7

Maybe faith and beliefs were more unified than they are today?

America was founded upon Christianity. Enlightenment was a movement in France, that impacted some of America's founders. Majority were Christian.

American Democracy is Christian.

Fact.

Answer 8

I agree with you, that's why there's Islam. If you look back in history, Islam used to be one of the strongest nations alive. The law was based on Islamic Law or Sharia. Slowly, it was falling apart, because people started to forget about their faith.

Back to the subject, i really like your question and im waiting for a serious answer.

Hope i Helped!

Good Luck

Answer 9

True Christianity does not get involved in politics. Jesus' followers tried to make him a king on earth at one point, and he hid from them so they couldn't. Early Christians also did not get involved in the political arena of their day. Jesus said that we are to be "no part of the world" (John 15:19)

Answer 10

Christ himself said: "My kingdom is not of this world" and "give to Cesar what belongs to Cesar , and give to God what belongs to God" therefore, you must realize that democracy is a secular activity in which man chooses to rule himself and his society by means of popular will and accord. This decision or system lies in the sphere of human activity. The belief in Christ does not and must not interfer with the sphere of human political activity. Although Christian faith requires its followers to respect others and to apply strict moral and ethical laws in the treatmente with other fwlloe human beings, it does not follow that this should be identified with a legal/political system. However, in the observance of human dealings i.e. politics, those who are in these roles and are christians are acalled to perfomr their civic duties in the background and agreance with their ethical and moral requirements of thier faith. Or in simple words: b of good conduct in all punlic activities. "Follow first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and everything else will be added unto you" in Christ's words.

So, democracy lies in the human sphere of action, the worldy, the secular, while faith and the kingdeom og God lie outside of it. Have you read "the city of God" by St Augustine of Hippo? Really clarifiying concerning this subject.


Besides...Democracy was already functioning in Greek cities 300 years before Christ was born.