Democracy in America: Is it in Peril?: Socio-Theological Reasons Why Democracies Fail or are in Danger

By Plammoottil V. Cherian

Democracy in the world is backsliding in many countries around the globe at the present time due to various reasons. Different nations may have their own particular reasons such as socioeconomic inequality, poverty, failure of checks and balances that may result in an abrupt military coup d'etat to change from democracy to tyranny. In nations where democracy failed, there were no tanks on the street. Constitution of the land remained, but elected leaders became autocrats, maintaining a veneer of democracy.

America, being a nation with nearly 80 percent of Christians, has been the strongest democracy in the world who championed it as the model for the rest of the world. However, democracy in America appears to be in peril because of political bickering, partisan gridlock, and promulgation of falsities, misinformation, and faux faith by one political party.

By introducing the foundational principles of democracy from the philosophical arguments of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, the author shows how and why the cornerstone of democracy in America shows signs of crumbling. The book vividly explains:

Politics without God will shatter the foundation of democracy.

Present political system rejects the checks and balances laid by the founding fathers.

The right wing has cultivated a spirit of untruth that spreads like a wildfire.

Rejecting truth by political parties and leadership is a sign of strong delusion.

There is a clear moral bankruptcy in the present political sphere of our nation.

The brightness of democracy in America which Tocqueville praised has been tarnished.

Hypocritic and dishonest leaders should not reign, lest the people be ensnared.

American politicians must register their solemn oath in heaven to act in truth.

No nation can be established in one day but can shatter in one day by a despot.

America must realign with God to lead the nation in truth, justice, and freedom for all.

Democracy turns to tyranny when a moral man becomes amoral.

With biblical prophecies and instructions, the author shows that America faces a real threat to its democracy unless it resists tyrants with all their mind, soul, and strength, which is obedience to God who can anchor the nation on its solid foundation set by the Founding Fathers. Every citizen, political and judicial leaders of the nation, are the cupbearers and the watchmen of the nation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886440522

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Acknowledgments

About the Book

Prologue

1: Introduction

2: Democracy in America as It Originated

3: Democracy in America Tocqueville Praised

4: Bedrocks of Democracy: Liberty, Character, and Courage

5: Faith of Leaders and Destiny of Nation I

6: Faith of Leaders and Destiny of Nation II

7: Solemn Oath Registered in Heaven

8: Can a Nation be Established in One Day?

9: Democracy: A Mighty River of Justice

10: Democracy to Tyranny: Moral Man to Amoral

11: Democracy Crashes When Cupbearers Fail

12: Democracy Destroyed: Brother Against Brother

13: Would Fascism or Nazism Rise in America?

14: End-Time Signs: Cosmic Changes and Distress of Nations

Epilogue

Books by the Author

About the Author

cover.jpg

Democracy in America: Is it in Peril?

Socio-Theological Reasons Why Democracies Fail or are in Danger

Plammoottil V. Cherian

ISBN 979-8-88644-051-5 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88851-306-4 (Hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-88644-052-2 (Digital)

Copyright © 2022 Plammoottil V. Cherian

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

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Bible Versions Used

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version® (NKJV). © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ASV are taken from the Holy Bible, American Standard Version. Public Domain, biblegateway.com

Scripture quotations marked BSB are taken from the Berean Study Bible. The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible (BSB). ©2016 by Bible Hub. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked CEV are from the Contemporary English Version. © 1991, 1992, and 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked CJB are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible. © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission of the publisher.

Scripture quotations marked DBT are taken from the Holy Bible Darby Bible Translation. © 2012 and 2012. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ERV are taken from the Holy Bible, Easy to Read Version. © 2006 by World Bible Translation Center. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked EXB are taken from the Expanded Bible. ©2011 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked GNT are taken from the Holy Bible, Good News Translation® (Today's English Version, Second Edition). © 1992 American Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked GW are taken from the Holy Bible, God's Word Translation® © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®. © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version. Public domain, biblegateway.com.

Scripture quotations marked (MEV) are taken from the Modern English Version. © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from the Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, and 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NCV are taken from the New Century Version®. © 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NET Bible® are taken from New English Translation. © 1996–2006 by Biblical Studies Press LLC. http:// netbible.com All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® (NIV). © 1973, 1978, 1984, and 2011 by Biblica Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. © 1996, 2004, and 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois, 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLV are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. © 1969–2003 by Christian Literature International (CLI), PO Box 777, Canby, OR, 97013. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible. © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked OJB are taken from the Orthodox Jewish Bible, Fourth Edition. Copyright 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, and 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked VOICE are taken from the Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked WEB are taken from the World English Bible in the public domain. That means it is not copyrighted. However, the World English Bible is a trademark. https://www.biblegateway. com/versions/ World-English-Bible-WEB/#copy.

Scripture quotations marked YLT are taken from Young's Literal Translation and is in the public domain. biblegateway.com

Bible book abbreviations used in the text are the same as in the Holy Bible, NKJV.

Note: Abbreviations used for the books of the Bible are mostly that of the New King James Bible (NKJV). Biblical verses quoted at the beginning of the chapters have the full name of the books (Jeremiah) and not abbreviated (Jer.), whereas in the text, they are abbreviated.

To the memory of the Founding Fathers of the nation.

To all nations who cherish and preserve democracy.

To our troops who protect our nation.

To my wife, Kay, and my children—Sajeev and Gina, Sunita and Rich.

To my grandchildren, Elijah and Jessica.

Acknowledgments

My sincere thanks to the staff of Covenant Books, the editors and the artists whose dedicated and meticulous efforts are greatly appreciated in publishing this book. A special thanks to my publication assistant, Denice Hunter, who is the president of Covenant Books Inc., for her dedication from the editing to the printing of the book. I am deeply grateful to Wikipedia.org and Creative Commons for permission to use pictures under the license CC-BY-SA.

About the Book

This book was written in the aftermath of the infamous insurrection on January 6, 2021, in the capital of our nation. While journalists, politicians, commentators, and others have written books about this horrific event stating the graveness of a coup attempt in our nation from a political point of view, I authored this book from a different perspective. The entire contents of this book are historical facts gathered from the Public Domain and news media, with biblical interpretation of the prophetic verses of the Bible, which I believe are relevant to the events of the days in our nation and around the world. While an overthrow of our government did not happen, the insurrection had all the flavor and premise of a coup d'état. It failed because of the power of the Constitution of the United States and the resilience of our democracy, the goodness of the majority of Americans, and America's system of government. Yet the January 6, 2021, event, which was the darkest day in the modern history of our nation, proved that democracy is very fragile, even with the most rigid constitution of the world as ours.

While historians and commentators write about the political aspect of the coup, many of which will become best sellers in the political world, my goal in writing this book is to examine the events in our nation and elsewhere in the world in a socio-theological approach in light of biblical prophecies. Moreover, with my background in sciences and theology, as a scientist, I try to link scientific discoveries with biblical prophecies and daily events, and the chapters contain relevant biblical quotes to explain the connections with ramifications. Thus, unlike other books written on the insurrection on January 6, 2021, this book is unique in that it is not written in political correctness but in all honesty and truthfulness as I understand the events by reasoning.

Like me at the present time, there were many scientists in history who attempted to relate cosmological events, nature, theology, and science like Galileo Galilei (1564–1642); Blaise Pascal (1623–1662); Robert Boyle (1627–1691); Isaac Barrow (1630–1677); Isaac Newton (1642–1726); and William Paley (1743–1805) to name a few. Of these, William Paley was not a scientist per se, but he is best known for his natural theology exposition for the existence of God in the universe.

Based on the daily events from the 2000 presidential election and the ongoing saga to this day in the political arena of our nation and the various scenes of the political drama being played in the nation's capital, I must point out that the Bible denounces falsification, injustice, distortion of truth, uttering lies, false witnessing, blocking witnesses, etc., and I have linked such actions with scriptural warnings. While we are a nation governing under the concept of separation of state and the church, nowhere in the constitution is it stated that conscience, honesty, and integrity are not needed in governing. On the contrary, each member of Congress takes the oath of office, ending with the words So help me God.

This book calls for a self-examination by all concerned, whether their deliberations in the past several years as well as during the present political turmoil in the nation have been with the help of God as they asked for. Politics without God and democracy without truth will pave the way for anarchy and tyranny.

Regarding several scientific discoveries that are revealed recently, I also relate them in this book with biblical prophecies, and as such, the changes in the cosmos, the dimming of sun, moon, and the stars are all prophesied in the Scriptures as end-time signs. I have faithfully attempted to relate these scientific discoveries, like any one of the scientists mentioned above, particularly Isaac Newton. Most of the scientific discoveries are made in the last seventy-five years, and the black hole and dark energy, the changes in the sun, moon, and stars within the last ten years (since 2012). Claiming no superiority over any of those former scientists, I am fortunate to understand these cosmological changes and relate them with theological expositions of prophecies that point toward the end-times.

This book is a call for the nation to accept the truth of the events; and both major political party must recognize God, who governs the world, has entrusted leaders of each generation to govern in righteousness, nothing less, as we are in end times! Let our nation be guided by Almighty God, and may God protect our democracy.

Prologue

This book undoubtedly has reference to the political life of the world in general and the United States of America in particular. With tearful sadness, I must admit that it is not the America I came to fifty years ago. Two hundred and forty-six years after being the beacon of light and hope for the rest of the world, democracy in America is showing serious signs of cracks. If not fixed forthwith, it will destroy the foundation of the nation.

The biblical words remind me of what is happening to our dear nation. For behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Ps. 11:3 ESV). The recent political events in our nation and actions by people who claim to be American patriots appear to be stabbing the heart of America by turncoats, as the Psalmist reveals.

Nonetheless, I love my country in which I have been living for fifty years, enjoying the blessings of the nation as an academic and a life scientist who happens to be divinely guided to pursue an interest in theology because theology and science are the only two branches that display the majesty of God who set the universe in motion on certain absolute truths. I believe God certainly guides me to relate the new scientific discoveries made recently, the cosmological changes that are revealed by scientists, the natural events that are recurring, the pestilences that disturb the life, annihilate millions of lives around the world sporadically, and the political unrest and distresses of the nations—to discern the times, to relate with biblical prophecies, and perhaps to warn my dear nation and the rest of the world that science is proving unmistakably that we are approaching the end-time, the when of which is a secret thing that belongs to God (Deut. 29:29). The main difference between me and fellow scientists is astrophysicists believe the universe will last for another billions of years, but I believe the end is fast approaching and could be soon.

The last fifty years have made tremendous changes in the world noticeably, but unfortunately. The world's conscience is vanishing from the culture as the events, the dialogue, and the actions of many in private and public life almost everywhere. No doubt, we are living in an era of disappearing conscience, which does not matter to many anymore, it appears. The daily news of the world contains many issues that can be debated right or wrong, depending on which direction one's conscience guides him or her. We are living in a time when leaders and many politicians place party ideology over the country disregarding truth and God, fogging the conscience of party adherents. We have come to a stage when people who have the courage to speak the truth and act on their conscience are punished and reprimanded or removed from their party, like leaders of Third World countries where dictators rule.

From the political drama that has been staging in our nation that precipitated in an infamous insurrection on January 6, 2021, makes me wonder, along with 50 percent of Americans, where the political trajectory of our nation is leading and what might happen to the sacred democracy God enthroned in our nation. Does the vanishing human conscience mean that if I belong to a political party in the land of the free and the brave that I cannot express my clear conscience?

Most nations in the world, with the exception of very few, are corrupt according to Worldindata.org. The source provides empirical evidence of corruption—an important problem imposing political, social, economic, and environmental cost on societies of the world.¹ Several nations have former and present leaders convicted and or imprisoned for corruption, abuse of power and bribery, embezzlement, lobbying, and patronage. Corruption is a phenomenon which takes different clandestine forms, and it is therefore difficult to precisely define it. However, according to the Bible that I dwell on to find answers, corruption is a state of being putrid, the destruction of the natural form of bodies by the separation of the parts as implied in scriptures where the psalmist says because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay (Ps. 16:10 NIV). Thus, in a true sense, corruption is truly putrefaction, dwindling, corrosion, and degeneration of the body, mind, and spirit.

The present world culture is such that what is abominable to God has become lovable and what is detestable has become adorable. We must heed what Prophet Isaiah said about a culture long ago, that a time will come when evil is considered good and what is good is condemned as evil. There would be terrible times when leaders and people turn darkness into light and light into darkness. Don't we see in the present culture in nations what is bitter is turned into something sweet and what is sweet into bitter (Isa. 5:20)? Obstructing to find the truth of an issue whether it is within a family or a nation is a deliberate attempt to stay in darkness, is turning light into darkness, or preventing the light to penetrate darkness. When we condone racially motivated killing or immoral behavior and actions of political leaders by our silence, it is equal to preventing light coming into the darkness and turning bitter into sweet.

Our world is a global family, theologically and ethnically. Theologically because the whole world is populated by one man, and one man only sharing the DNA of Adam. Ethnically because the descendants of Adam were spread into different ethnic groups, developing their own cultures and territorialized their set boundaries. Therefore, one can see commonality in culture, culinary habits, more or less the same as in people of European descent or people of China and Southeast Asia and Japan, though Japan is considered in the Western bloc politically and economically belonging to the group of G7. The Group of Seven is an intergovernmental political forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Its members are the world's largest International Monetary Fund (IMF) advanced economies and wealthiest liberal democracies.

If we are a global family, which we are, the rich and wealthy nations have too many problems to deal with like global economic inequality, world hunger, children and infant mortality, climate change, drinking water problems, indoor and outdoor air pollution, ethnic violence, regional civil wars, persecution of Christians and minorities in several nations, disenfranchisement, gender discrimination, elimination of deadly diseases—like malaria, HIV/AIDS, and coronavirus—famine in different parts of the world and malnutrition, equitable energy distribution, and several other issues. While these are pandemic problems that need concerted effort by wealthy nations, we are involved in selfish interests. God expects every nation to be righteous and do good to all.

We human beings are mortal, and this book being theo-political in nature, I have to state the truth that world nations are far away from God and operate without his guidance, and thus we face so many difficulties which we could tackle when God has blessed us with so much resources and wisdom. Through Prophet Micah, God asks a simple question to humanity, which we must honestly answer:

Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Mic. 6:7, 8 BSB)

Many are tormented because of injustice, cruelty, lack of mercy and compassion, and our Sunday offering is only fattening the purse of false Christian partisan politician evangelicals, and tithe or charity donations in some churches are used for settling the litigations arising from sexual abuse cases by those who were to show them the gate to the kingdom of heaven. God doesn't need our sacrifices of a thousand rams, the blood of bulls and goats, the rivers of oil, or the sacrifices of our firstborn, which all have deep theological meanings. God expects individuals and nations to show justice and do good and love mercy and, above all, be obedient to God and humble before him.

There is no meaning in outward expression and observance when our moral percepts are not observed meticulously. We can go to Washington National Cathedral for breakfast, prayer, and fellowship and come back to the chambers and do business as usual, fighting and bickering with differing ideologies. While we are not a Christian nation per se, the Lord has given the moral code for every nation the laws to enforce the truth that the principles of righteous conduct are required of men and not mere formal worship. Always, God's promise and comfort are followed by an if not, meaning doom and devastation will follow as ancient Israel experienced in the destruction of Jerusalem, the temple, the national pride followed by captivity by heathens.

The political bickering and hyperpolarization in our nation have come to a stage where God is losing his patience. The present pandemic of COVID-19 that brings variants after variants and causing sufferings to millions is a warning sign calling nations to lead in righteousness flowing like a river (Amos 5:25). Fascism and Nazism are not the answer to America's problems. Since the 2020 presidential election, America's faith in the integrity of the election system remains shaken by the January 6, 2021, insurrection with only 20 percent of public saying they are confident.² Thus, 80 percent of the population is not confident in the election system, particularly in light of the attempts by several states controlled by the GOP governors and legislatures enacting laws to disenfranchise millions of people. The general public is not confident a year after the harrowing attack masterminded by some to destroy our democracy. More damage is done by the silence of powerful Christian leaders and the leadership of the party by not speaking against it; but their tight lips, in fact, condone it.

It is humanity's moral duty to give glory to God who controls the switches of light and darkness as the present culture is taking us through the dark alleys where we can stumble on the twilight mountains. When we stumble, it could be calamitous to destroy our peace. When we lose our peace, our soul is restless, fear grips us, and calamity seeps in. This is the calamity God speaks of when he said, "I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things (Isa. 45:7 KJV). People who live in darkness and propagate lies, who call evil good and good evil, do so under a strong delusion. Many have been trying to turn lies of darkness into truth, truth into lies, sweet into bitter, and bitter into sweet. America is a nation established by God for all people from north, south, east, and west. It is God who brought the diversity of America. I will say to the north, give them up! And to the south, do not keep them back" (Isa. 43:6). All people in this nation have the right to live peacefully.

In order for nations to prosper and have peace, they must either be ruled by the ordinance and fear of the Lord or perish by the rule of anarchists and dictators who will keep nations in perpetual darkness. The bruised ego of a leader and the party which lost power in the 2020 American presidential election, many of whom resort to ax the olive tree of Democracy in America, are fatal and will help dictators, leading to Armageddon. It is high time the nation's leaders who are above party politics and the Christian leaders who are not politicians to answer the question, are we going to be a nation guided by the light of the truth or stumble and be asphyxiated by the smoke of darkness that overhangs our nation and the world in general? We must not unravel our democracy that would create menace to the entire world.

As I finish this book to send to the press, Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, declared independence of two eastern provinces of Ukraine on February 21, 2022. Then, in what amounts to be an invasion, Putin ordered troops to move in, saying they are there as peacekeepers. Three days later on February 24, 2022, he launched a premeditated attack on neighboring Ukraine that sparked horror, outrage, and condemnation by all civilized nations. With not much swift progress as he expected, Putin ordered shelling Europe's largest nuclear plant in Ukraine, creating panic, fear, and frenzy for Europe and the rest of the world. It is a reckless action by Putin that could not only directly threaten the safety of all of Europe but also the entire world. While Putin's action must be denounced, I wonder if the events are preamble to the beginning of the fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecy (chapters 38 and 39) toward the end-times, where Gog and Magog have some scathing prophetic role.

Gog is the leader of the northern army that will ultimately come from many nations. Magog is the land or territories of the Japhetite, but God is aware of the daily events as the northern army is getting ready to march toward Israel. In a press conference on Thursday, March 3, 2022, Ukraine president, Volodymyr Zelensky, whose nation suffers the atrocities of the war, said the end of the world has arrived. Whether he believes in the book of Revelation and Apocalypse is not known, but he uttered the truth. Now our prayers shall be, Lord Jesus, come! And everyone says, Amen! With that prayer, I submit this book to the distressed nations.

1

Introduction

Before God, I believe the hour has come. My judgment approves this measure, and my whole heart is in it. All that I have, and all that I am, and all that I hope in this life, I am now ready to stake upon it. And I leave off as I began, that live or die, survive or perish, I am for the declaration. It is my living sentiment, and by the blessing of God it shall be my dying statement. Independence now, and Independence ever.­

—John Adams on July 1, 1776, at the Continental Congress to the delegates from the thirteen colonies.³

So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober.

—1 Thessalonians 5:6 (ESV)

Democracy in America is acclaimed as the finest by almost every other nation since its inauguration, and our democracy has been a model for many other nations. With the founding of America as a democratic nation after the Revolutionary War, while European explorers have named it the New World, America truly has been a New World with new civilization and new culture introduced in the