BY ERROL A. GIBBS

The Western world thinks of democracy and Christianity as synonymous; the evidence demonstrates otherwise. Christianity was not a foreshadowing of democracy. The Christian (church) has indelibly stained its reputation by its early beginnings. There is neither a concurrent, congruent, nor a parallel path of Christianity and democracy.

It is laudable, though that Christianity and democracy have spread to the West, bringing noble human virtues that have set high ideals for democratic leadership ―a compelling call for the exercise of faith, belief, and practice. Paradoxically, the “fault lines” that have developed in Western nations birthed their constitutions that have cast “long-dark shadows over otherwise what could have been two compatible systems of human governance.

Christianity began as a movement within Judaism but quickly spread outside the Jewish community; by the late fourth century, it was the official religion of the Roman Empire. During the Middle Ages, there was a theological and political conflict between the followers of the patriarch in Constantinople and the followers of the pope in Rome, leading to a split between the Western Church and the Eastern Church (also known as the Eastern Orthodox Church) in 1054 (July 16, 1054 CE: Great Schism ―National Geographic).

Conversely, democracy began in the year 507 B.C., the Athenian leader Cleisthenes introduced a system of political reforms that he called demokratia, or “rule by the people” (from demos, “the people,” and kratos, or “power”). It was the first known democracy in the world…Although this Athenian democracy would survive for only two centuries, its invention by Cleisthenes, “The Father of Democracy,” was one of ancient Greece’s most enduring contributions to the modern world (History.com Ancient Greek Democracy).

The travesty that the world faces today is its involvement in several major atrocities in world history ―notable the INQUISITION (“Holy Inquisition”) was a powerful office set up within the Catholic Church to root out and punish heresy throughout Europe and the Americas ―beginning in the 12^th century and continuing for hundreds of years…” (History.com ―Inquisition).

The CRUSADES were a series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims started primarily to secure control of holy sites considered sacred by both groups. In all, eight major Crusade expeditions occurred between 1096 and 1291. The bloody, violent and often ruthless conflicts propelled the status of European Christians, making them major players in the fight for land in the Middle East. (History.com ―Crusades).

Black African enslavement (1619 – 1863). Throughout the 17^th and 18^th centuries, people were kidnapped from the continent of Africa, forced into slavery in the American colonies, and exploited to work as indentured servants and labor in the production of crops such as tobacco and cotton…” (History.com ―Slavery in America).

Eric Williams (1911–1981): “The church also supported the slave trade. The Spaniards saw in it an opportunity of converting the heathen, and the Jesuits, Dominicans, and Franciscans were heavily involved in sugar cultivation, which meant slaveholding. Eric Williams, Capitalism and Slavery (London: Andre Deutsch Limited © 1944 by Eric Williams), p. 42.

On September 22^nd , 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issues a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which sets a date for the freedom of more than 3 million black slaves in the United States and recasts the Civil War as a fight against slavery (History.com ―Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation).

Rather than the breakthrough of a “new” phase of Western Christian “moral enlightenment,” the world has witnessed a “new” era of racial, social, educational, and economic oppression, underpinned by the brutal “lynching” of blacks that has lasted in different forms up to the twenty-first century.

Postmodern Western Christian enlightenment, democracy, and academic scholarship should have the capacity to lift humanity out of the “blight of oppressing” weaker peoples and nations. More importantly, to eliminate, mitigate, or manage international disagreement. Instead, Western Christian nations readily assembly coalitions to engage in brutal wars ―justified by fear ―of a breach in the nation’s security in stark contradiction to Biblical admonishment (Proverbs 9:10, 29:25, and Psalm 91).

How did the Western world arrive at these crossroads of incongruence? The cornerstone of this postmodern dilemma lies in the circumvention of the Biblical constitution (law) (the Christian Bible) by secular Western constitutions. Men penned secular constitutions, predicated on political, legal, social, and economic expediency, not “religion” (spirituality), or the dignity of all of humankind.

Secular Western constitutions do not recognize that sovereign humans must live by faith, belief, and practice ―spiritually commanded. It does not explain the improbability of nations striving to govern themselves ―incongruously by two masters (spiritual (religious) and secular).

“Separation of Church and State is another concept that many in the Christian world have adopted, though it only works in favour of the secular world. Separation of Church and State is counterintuitive, counterproductive, illogical, and implausible, giving rise to the world’s utter chaos. The concept is neither Biblical, constitutional, nor politically expedient. Separation does not provide either a “spiritual” or “constitutional” pathway for the state to benefit from the “moral and sanctifying power” of the church. God gave His last word in Daniel 2:44. (Continued in Part 3 of 3).

BY ERROL A. GIBBS

Western, democratic Christian nations claim Christianity as the religion that can save the world. Paradoxically, 30,000 – 40,000 Christian denominations call into question the unanimity in faith belief. Catholics (including Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox) constitute some 1.2 billion of the estimated 2.2 billion people worldwide who count themselves as Christians (Barrett et al. 2001, Adherents.com website). Interestingly, Christian democratic development is rooted in the fissures of the Catholic-Protestant divide. Why the incongruity?

Western political leaders seem to imply that Western constitutional democracy is synonymous with Christianity. However, there is not a preponderance of the evidence that postmodern Christian democracy confirms such a proposition. Notwithstanding, the Judeo-Christian tradition clarifies that otherwise nebulous idea of equality. Christian literature teaches that all people are born equal in the image of “God” that all human beings share (a) the same origin, (b) the same nature, and (c) the same destiny. (Reference: Copyright © UNESCO 1979 (United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice (Adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO at its twentieth session Paris, November 1978).

Notwithstanding, 6,000 years of records of human history tell a different story about inequality of birth. Intellectual observation would reveal that human beings are not born equal in the image of audacious “man.” The architects of the “human ecosystem” in Western countries makes it empathically clear (by their practice of degrading others) that the design does not comprehend the empowerment of people of colour, or the optimization of their lives.

Paradoxically, the clerics continue to pontificate, “All men are created equal.” They never provide context or challenge the constitutional writers and the practitioners of racial and cultural superiority. They rarely let their voices resonate against human beings’ subjugation, ill-treatment, and mass incarceration in stark contradiction to the original constitution for humankind (the Christian Bible). Specifically, the teachings of Jesus Christ and the great prophets of other religions.

We may have overlooked the need to call upon the white clergy. They are remarkably silent in matters regarding coloured lives. Yet! Their voices might have the most significant resonance with the established political hierarchical order. The paradox of all paradoxes is the Christian west striving to “democratize” the world ―not by loving, caring, and sharing ―nor with faith, hope, and mercy ―not by empathy, fairness, and justice.

Does Christianity democracy have the “moral capacity” to transform the world, underpinned by such incongruences? Western leaders claim tremendous success by comparing democracy to other systems of governance, such as feudal monarchy, totalitarianism, and postmodern communist dictatorships. Absolutely! Democracy is superior to these different regimes, past and present. Sadly, the leaders of some regimes opportunistically draw a parallel to some Western democratic leader’s behaviour as equivalent to theirs.

The “moral evidence” demonstrates that the heights of injustice in the administration of “unjust laws” are represented in Just Mercy ―A Story of Justice and Redemption. Copyright © 2014 by Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the “Equal Justice Initiative (EJI),” says, “The opposite of poverty is not wealth. In too many places, the opposite of poverty is justice” (Reference: Bryant Stevenson’s TED Talk).

In 2012, EJI won a historic ruling in the US Supreme Court holding that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for all children 17 or younger are unconstitutional. Stevenson’s work fighting poverty and challenging racial discrimination in the criminal justice system has won him numerous awards. Bryant is a graduate of the Harvard Law School and the Harvard School of Government. He is the recipient of 14 honorary doctorate degrees.

The disparities that are so glaring to non-Christians and some Christians alike cause them to ponder the complicated relationship between Christianity and democracy. The democratic Christian west in 2020 is experiencing a “crisis in leadership governance” (spiritual, moral, social, intellectual, and physical). In the book, “Poor Leadership and Bad Governance,” Edited by Helms, Ludger, (2012), it provides a chronology of ‘wicked problems’ facing leaders in our postmodern ear.

Evidence is in the principal problem facing leaders in postmodern democracy by an enormous buildup of the global Prison Industrial Complex (PIC). Too many disadvantaged peoples of color, the PIC paints a picture of a “constitutionally legal” substitute for the industrial-scale strictures of plantations of the Southern United States and the colonies. (Internet Reference: Plantation Life, National Humanities Center).

This “deficit-financed” PIC suffocates the growth of a more “just society.” Notwithstanding, powerless individuals are becoming aware that they are powerful. They are the light of the world, striving to illuminate the darkness of indifference to people of colour. Undergirded by these “thought perspectives” lie the irrefutable evidence that even the powerless have control of their destiny, enabled by their spiritual connection to God.

Civilization brought itself out of the Dark Ages or Early Middle Ages, the early medieval period of western European history—specifically, the time (476–800 CE). More importantly, the world ended 400 years of unrelenting Black African enslavement (1600–1900 CE), and the United Nations (UN) gave the Declaration of Human Rights to the world in (1984) (Continued in Part 2 of 3).

BY ERROL A. GIBBS

The desire to unravel the complexity of happiness behooves us to consider these two states of human existence — the SPIRITUAL and the MATERIAL.  Many individuals think of happiness as a “generic” human condition akin to being in a state of blissfulness. However, this hard-to-define phenomenon permeates spiritual-mindedness and material-mindedness. The imbalance between these two human mind states suffocate happiness, undergirded by a stronger desire for material existence.

The SPIRITUAL (divine) state of happiness requires a belief in a higher “Spiritual” power, not merely a faith but a transcendental belief. Most of humanity subscribes to a belief in the spiritual existence of God, gods, or a divine being. Faith in God characterizes spirituality, but more than a conviction. A spiritual person demonstrates the “fruit of the Spirit” in daily life toward others. In Christian maxim, the “fruit of the Spirit” is a demonstration of love, “joy,” peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22).

SPIRITUAL HAPPINESS (“joy”) transcends all other forms of happiness. This path is a virtuous way that brings both happiness and “joy” to others and ourselves because it is the realization of the whole purpose of human existence. The spiritual pathway speaks to the foundation of God’s love (agápē) for His creation, which is absolute and unconditional. His love, manifested within us, breaks down barriers of intolerance among human beings regardless of color, race, class, culture, nationality, or religion.

When life’s unhappiness overwhelms us, spiritual happiness (joy) fills the vacuum to sustain us when everything else seems to fail. Spiritual Happiness is not an abstract state of being; neither is it an abstract notion. It rises above all other imperatives of happiness. It is the exception because it manifests both happiness and “joy,” which is internal to the human spirit and is lasting; it is living a life of higher virtues.

Spirituality compels us to choose light instead of darkness, love instead of hate, tolerance instead of intolerance, faith instead of fear, hope instead of despair, peace instead of war, and happiness instead of “unhappiness.” Arguably, people do not choose to be unhappy. Nevertheless, any act that fails to uplift the human spirit imbues unhappiness.

“The keyword of Ecclesiastes is vanity, the futile emptiness of trying to be happy apart from God. The wisest, richest, most influential king in Israel’s history looks at life ‘under the sun’ (Ecclesiastes 1:9) and, from the human perspective, declares it all to be empty. Power, popularity, prestige, pleasure—nothing can fill the God-shaped void in man’s life but God himself!

Once seen from God’s perspective, life takes on meaning and purpose. …Skepticism and despair melt away when we view life as a gift from God. …No amount of activities or possessions has satisfied the craving of his [man’s] heart. Every earthly prescription for happiness has left the same bitter aftertaste.” The Book of Ecclesiastes, New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., pp. 655–657.

Material prosperity cannot replace feelings of emptiness and lack of purpose experienced by affluent individuals and their families. Sadly, a loss of material wealth can often take the wealthy to the brink of hopelessness. The great and wise King Solomon of Israel must have peered into the future of the postmodern world, and decided to pen his most profound thoughts to enlighten humankind of the complexity of the “search for happiness.” His words light a path like a beacon for humanity to follow in the twenty-first century and the new millennium (Ecclesiastes 1:1–2).

Material compulsion fosters the need for material things to satisfy temporary human material and physical needs and wants. Necessarily, the human desire to seek, acquire, and maintain material possessions can fulfill only the outer person. Nevertheless, we can attain both spiritual and material happiness when we consciously and consistently seek to purify ourselves of the tendencies to act on selfish impulses.

Happiness and cultural norms such as political, religious, racial, cultural, and colour underpin such factors as “country of birth” and “worldview.” These intrinsic and extrinsic attributes have both a positive and negative influence on human relations despite our upbringing. We can begin to unravel the complexity with a positive mental attitude that bolsters happy thoughts to promote better relationships with others.

The vast experience that we share is the lesson of empathy for those whom some might deem inferior. It imbues others with feelings of inclusiveness and happiness as “joy” and outer happiness reign supreme in their lives. We urge all to “search for joy” in their lives, despite the circumstances under which we live, because individual happiness aggregates to happiness in the family, community, corporation, nation, and internationally.

We must also guard against every “action” or “inaction” that can amount to shirking our responsibility to bring happiness to the lives of others ―especially those unlike us. Fundamentally, this perspective is essential for “mutual survival,” for peaceful coexistence in harmony and happiness with others. Unhappiness can take root when human needs at the fundamental level are unfulfilled with little hope for fulfillment.