"Christians": Define "theocracy"?

Question

If the vast majority of voters in a democratic system belong to one religion.

And the vast majority of political candidates belong to the same religion.

And the vast majority of candidates who win their elections belong to the same religion.

And the vast majority of politicians who vote for legislation belong to the same religion.

And the laws they pass are consistent with that same religion, tho' denying other religions the freedom to perform their marriages as they see fit?

And as the courts begin to accept that the Constitution guarantees -all- religions freedom, and not just "Christianity", so too does the ever-increasing noise about "activist judges" by, all together now, people belonging to this same religion.

And is it not strange that those who once enjoyed a position of privilege because of race are now trying to enjoy a position of privilege because of their religion?

Is not a "theocracy" a power-structure benefitting members of one religion?

Answer 1

Theocracy is a tyrannical system of government in which those in power think they are God, or that they and only they represent God. Iran and the Taliban are good examples.

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Answer 2

A theocracy is rule under God. If you are referring to the USA, the constitution is non-religious. The founders were not religious in the majority. There are many contradictory forms of "Christianity" in the USA today. If the USA were a theocracy, only one form of Christianity would be acceptable.
In the rare cases where such symbols as the ten commandments have been displayed in a courthouse, the Supreme Court ruled the symbol had to be removed.
All sorts of different faiths thrive and have equal opportunity before the courts in the USA (whether Christian or not). Atheists, Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc., have all been successful in American courts.
When it comes to marriage, the USA does insist on monogamy (so far). That may have more to do with equality of sexes than with religion - although, of course, religion does touch all walks of life, so if you want, you can connect any aspect of society to religion if you want.
No, I don't think you could make a case for the USA being a theocracy (I know you didn't name your country, but the allusion seems pretty obvious to me).
If you had lived in Spain during the Franco dictatorship, you might have some idea of what a theocracy is, although the term would still be an exaggeration. You could try a country like Saudi Arabia though. Just take a couple of weeks there, then write to YA about theocracies again. (I think you'll be glad to be back in the USA - although personally, I prefer my own country - Canada).

Answer 3

Define Theocracy

Answer 4

True theocracys still exist; such as in Iran. Another example would be the Taliban when they were still in power in Afghanistan.. The laws were based on Islam and true democracy did (does) not exist. Final power and say was held by religious leaders. If someone was not following the rules stated in the Koran, they could be punished in any manner dictated by the religious leaders. Forget about the democratic ideals of individual freedom and self determination; they do not exist in a theocracy.

Answer 5

An objective explanation of what a theocracy is, or in what sense that term is used, has to deal with two very different approaches. For believers in a religion whose institutions have been more or less equated with the state's institutions in a theocracy, a theocracy is a form of government in which the divine power (for example, in monotheisms, the one God) governs an earthly human state, either in person (e.g., as incarnation in a human being) or, more often, via its religious institutional representative(s) (e.g., church, temple), either replacing or dominating the organs of civil government as clerical or spiritual representative(s) of god(s). [1]

Most modern descriptive dictionaries explain that the word is used in most carefully edited texts in English to mean either government by doing immediate divine guidance (close to the usage described above) or, more commonly, as government by or subject to religious institutions and priests (or a state ruled in this way). In other words, for people who do not believe in a theocracy's religion or feel that its religious institutions do not represent the religion well, a theocracy is a form of oligarchy or even tyranny that purports to fulfill a divine intention but instead simply fulfills the goals of the ruling priests.

Answer 6

Yes, you are right. Theocracy is Government by God or by God's representative. When the Jewish People were ruled by Kings, they had a theocracy. Islam and some branches of Christianity had theocracy. The Puritans and Calvinist were examples of this, as well as the Japanese in the past as evident during the War with Japan.

Answer 7

A good definition for this governmental term “theocracy” is given in M’Clintock and Strong’s Cyclopædia, Volume 10, page 317, which says: “A form of government such as prevailed among the ancient Jews, in which Jehovah, the God of the universe, was directly recognised as their supreme civil ruler, and his laws were taken as the statute-book of the kingdom. This principle is repeatedly laid down in the Mosaic code, and was continually acted upon thereafter."

Answer 8

If you don't like the theocracy of the Lord that you have at the moment, then wait until Jesus returns to rule and reign over this earth. In the USA we've never lived under a king, but the King is coming. We need to learn how to live in a theocracy with Jesus Christ as the Divine Authority as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Our forefathers believed that this Day of the Lord would come.

The Divine Authority has left us His Word, the Holy Bible. I suggest that we read it.

Answer 9

a theocracy is a form of government that operates by the dictates of a religious authority/deity. If you think the psuedo-parallel you just drew holds any water, you're lacking. Read about the historical theocracies, not even close. The modern day equivalent would be Iran.

Answer 10

That may be in accord with the secular definition of theocracy, but it is not the way the Bible outlines a theocracy,
A true theocracy is ruled by God, not any man. In fact the Bible says that "man has dominated man to his injury" (Ecclesiastes 8:9) and that it "does not belong to man to direct his step." (Jeremiah 10:23)