Democracy Needs a King

Probably what was needed, more than a king, was a righteous people who followed the Savior, obeyed the commandments and kept their covenants. Same as today, same as in every age of the earth. Some rulers and forms of government make it easier to be righteous and follow the Savior than others, but that’s no excuse and will probably not be accepted at the judgement bar.
Whenever we think that a single person, like a king, would the best government, perhaps we need to reread what happens under wicked kings (presidents, dictators, rulers, pharaohs, etc.). The lessons of the Book of Mormon seem to me to be that leaders who make it easier to choose righteousness should be sought out, rather than ones who celebrate evil and wickedness. All leaders are flawed because they are human rather than divine like Jesus. We believe in repentance and forgiveness, measuring a person by his/her fruits, rather than his/her past. (Example, Saul who became Paul)

I feel the Book of Mormon subtly challenges the cry for a righteous people, as well – Alma specifically embarks on a missionary journey to the Zoramites for political goals, to change hearts with the word of God, and finds it to be a two-edged sword, cutting to the quick but no good for peace.

It’s true that a theoretical righteous people could have whatever government that they wanted, but it’s much harder work to make a people righteous, the will of such an egregore is dispersed, and wickedness is more infectious than righteousness. It is a great irony of the Book of Mormon that after a century of back-and-forth preaching by the luminaries of the era, even after it *works,* they can’t achieve Zion until the lands of Lehi are nuked by God, and then only in the ruins.

What’s our lesson here? I find falling back on a call for a righteous people to be something of a cop-out, something not actionable, or even something that everyone but us can be responsible for, or something we can wash our hands of by doing a little loving and inviting. If the scriptures teach a lesson about working towards Zion it is that it is impossible, that whatever our efforts a barrel of wine with an ounce of sewage is a barrel of sewage.

Maybe there’s an accelerationist message we can apply? This reading of the Book of Mormon feels especially fruitful to me as an allegory of personal righteousness as well, though I haven’t put any work into that.

Certainly working for greater righteousness and greater power and authority for us and other righteous in our own sphere is actionable

I think, maybe, the time has come to aspire to church leadership.

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Rather than aspiring to church leadership, I think it is more scripturally sound to aspire to be a better steward of what is currently given to you, which will then allow you greater authority within God’s kingdom.

Where would you cite that from? I would say a desire to lead IS a desire to be a better steward.

Not necessarily. The parables of the talents and pounds, Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27 – the Master gives stewardship and also authority. The servants who succeeded were those who sought to magnify their stewardship; the one who cravenly avoided responsibility was certainly punished, but the other servants seem to have shown their ability within their sphere before being granted authority elsewhere.

Helaman 10:4 – When Nephi seeks God’s will and to keep His commandments, he is then given sealing power and authority, which he uses to help his people, thus naturally obtaining leadership by service.

Mosiah 2:16-18 – King Benjamin points out in preceding verses that he has always tried to serve God and his people. That is how he achieved his authority.

Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-46 – Heavenly power can only be maintained without compulsory means, by kindness and meekness.

Cain sought power and authority in Moses 5, and became Perdition.

True authority always comes from seeking God first, and authority last. I have never seen anyone who sought after a position in the Church be happy to magnify it in humility. Accepting a call is very different than jockeying for a certain position.

Authority is also different than position. Some of those I have served most gladly with didn’t have impressive callings in the Church, but had authority that was tangible because they always sincerely tried to magnify their calling, whatever it was. I was willing to be led by them in whatever they did because they had that heavenly power and authority, which comes from righteous living.

Perhaps the ROJ should be seen as a shift of consciousness and personal responsibility: greater power and greater responsibility at the individual level. Something like the bicameral mind, or Dr. Charlton’s idea that organized religion fails in modern times, and people must ascend to a fuller participation.

In that case it’s not to wonder that the transition was rough. And at the end of the process, which never did settle, there was a people who were sufficiently prepared to receive our resurrected Lord in his glory.

Perhaps quiet prosperity often doesn’t suit the Lord’s purposes for this mortal life. I’m reminded of Screwtape’s toast about the plan to corrupt the postwar generation.

EC I’m just not seeing the connection between those verses and authority being something to be passive about. Maybe there’s an implication in something I said that we should be mean about it? Maybe someone is serving very hard because he hopes to be given more opportunity to serve.

I’m mainly going off the sense I get from old Improvement Era articles that in those days it really was expected for men to seek church authority, there was a “church career” that was expected to go alongside your secular career; this seemed to have fostered a culture of volunteering that’s not in place now, when we say “be not compelled in all things” with our mouths then patiently wait for the compulsion.

If you aspire to peach the gospel you will end up a leader in the church.

Thrust in your sickle with all your might mind of aspirations.

If you aspire to religion and to be someone to peach to others… Well you should know the rest.

If you aspire to testify of Christ and point others to him, you will end up a leader because you will be one.

If you aspire to tell others what to do, you will always be unhappy with our leaders.

Sute, that is an amazing comment.

Jacob G., that is the truth that is hard to acknowledge.