'''Theocracy''' is a form of government ruled by divine means or by leaders considered to be divinely guided. #REDIRECT [[Israel]] was a theocracy before King Saul. The Islamic Republic of [[Iran]] is a modern-day theocracy, as many commentators believe that the real power in its government lies not in allegedly "democratically-elected" leaders like [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]] but in clerics within the government since Iranian law requires Presidential candidates to be approved by the [[Guardian Council]] <ref> Access DeniedUser: Iran’s Exclusionary Elections <i>Human Rights Watch</i> [http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/mena/iran0605/]</ref> and some Iranian laws on homosexuality and adultery come from the Sharia <ref>Netherlands, Sweden: Bar Deportations to Torture in Iran- Officials Must Not Return Gay and Lesbian Asylum Seekers to Iran <i>Human Rights Watch </i>[http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/10/06/sweden14361.htm]</ref>. The [[Vatican]] is a formal Christian theocracy, with the [[Pope]] as head of both church and state. Only two democracies reserve places in their legislature specifically for representatives of the state religion, these are the aforementioned Islamic Republic of Iran and the [[United Kingdom]] where Bishops of the [[Church of England]] sit in the upper chamber, the [[House of Lords]] under the designation of Lords Spiritual. ==Theocracy as tyranny== [[C.S. Lewis]] wrote: :Of all tyrannies, a [[tyranny]] sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under [[robber barons]] than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own [[conscience]]. [http://www.tsowell.com/quotes.html] Theocracy may also describe any government which seeks to impose religious principles or law, such as the [[Sharia]], or the Hindu laws of [[Manu Smriti]] <ref>The laws of Manu <i>George Buhler, translated by</i> [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/manu.htm]</ref> on its population, even if the government is formally [[secular]]. One well known example of such a state is Saudi Arabia who's legal system is based on the Sharia law, Saudi Arabia also has a [[religious police]] <ref>Saudi Arabia - The Legal System <i>U.S. Library Of Congress</i> [http://countrystudies.us/saudi-arabia/51.htm]</ref> In Israel, civil cases under the [[Halakhah]] (traditional Jewish law based on the [[Torah]]) are allowed. ==Theocracy and the Kingdom of Heaven== In a society where most people are centered on God, and really in touch with His love and His will, the formal system of laws and courts will probably be less necessary.[[Sun Myung Moon|Rev. Moon]] said, "Eventually we will not need elections. If people go back to their hometowns and serve they will be be asked to take public offices, become a king or queen, whoever becomes the center of their hometown does not need to be elected." (unofficial sermon notes, Nov. 23, 2010) This idea is in contrast to the [[Taliban]]-style theocracy, in which [[Sharia law]] is imposed with sticks and whips and swords. [[Category:Religion]][[Category:Forms of Government]]== See also == *[[Philosophy]]*[[Jewish philosophyAschlafly]] ==References==<references/>
