Autocracy had a place in the evolution of humanity from the law of the jungle (might is right) to serfdom and slavery, racism and caste regime to authoritarianism and autocracy, and finally to the last stage of democracy. In the initial stage of evolution humans complied and obeyed on account of the fear of punishment. In undemocratic, authoritarian, and theocratic societies and settings humans were made to comply with the laws formulated by the supreme religious or political authorities. There was no religious or political freedom. There was no freedom of speech or expression or assembly. The state eliminated non-compliant persons through institutionalized force. Human rights did not exist. Placators and sycophants thrived. Persons did anything and everything to save their neck skin. The assumption in autocracy is that a certain supreme authority knows what is good for the rest. According to autocracy, a hierarchical system where everyone knows everyone's position, role, and function works smoothly. Nothing is left to chance or human vagaries. Nobody questioned the authority. Nobody could question the authority without incurring the wrath of the authority or without putting one's life in peril.
This was the situation in the dark middle ages where any progress in science and technology was scorned. Anything that did not fit in with their understanding or the understanding of their hand-picked advisors was coming from the devil, and therefore to be silenced. Their understanding or interpretation of the scriptures was enforced. Others were heretics or schismatics. Only they could interpret the scriptures. Only they could teach what is morally good and bad. The freedom of conscience was suppressed. There was no scope for conscientious objection. They developed a theology to justify their scheme of things. The divine right of kings justified monarchy. They developed a doctrine of infallibility and primacy for the supreme spiritual head. They set the norms for religious and holy living. They through their peculiar thinking convinced the ordinary simple people that they channel salvation, safety, and security in this life and the life to come.
In the medieval world dominated by Christians, for instance, they usurped the right to mediate as if the only mediator that is Christ is not enough. Hindu priests and scholars in their scriptures and Muslim mullahs were not any different. The religious leaders taught the followers how to pray, what prayers to say, what rituals to follow, what practices to adhere to, what penance to follow for purification and regaining the lost state of grace. In effect autocrats say: "Leave thinking to us, the rest we will take care. We know what God wants from you, from us. We are the representatives of God specially chosen and called for this service. We will not lead you astray. We have guarantee from God. Christian autocrats will say: "See how Christ saved us. He emptied himself of his divinity, became a human like us, and was obedient to his Father (God) even unto death on the cross. Be obedient to us and become true followers of Christ. And we will sanctify obedience and it will be henceforth called holy obedience". What I said about Christians are also true of Muslims and Hindus in varying degrees. And of course politicians were and are very smart to adopt this idea of obedience to serve the objectives of their parties and to make their followers subservient. The end result in the spheres of politics and religion is that God who gave humans the most distinguishing characteristic - freedom - is out of the picture.
Distorted view of humanity
Autocracy is mired in a negative, highly distorted view of humanity. Right from the beginning humans are defective as they are supposed to be born in sin/defect according to the Christian reckoning. So we are repeatedly told that we are sinners, and as such not good; we are told we do not amount to much. It is not right that, we who are called by Christ as friends (John 15: 14-15), by Peter (the first Pope) as partakers of divine nature (2 Peter, 1: 3-4), and by Indian scriptures as sons (and daughters) of immortality (amrutasya putraah), go about beating our breasts as sinners, having no self-esteem and self-confidence. One may ask if there is no original sin, what is the need for a savior? This question is discussed elsewhere.
A person born in original sin has depression as an inseparable part of his being. We need to be pulled out of this mess by some messiah or saviour. This very damaging self-image is always in front of us. Since sin came through disobedience it has to be remedied through obedience. Obedience to whom? The Jews are still awaiting the Messiah. The Christians believe that the Messiah prophesized in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament for Christians) came into the world in the person of Jesus who became Christ (the Anointed One). Now the Catholic Church, the most autocratic, hierarchical, patriarchal, and powerful institution in the world came to the conclusion through self-serving interpretation of some vague scriptural passages that Peter, one of the twelve Apostles of Christ was given the supreme authority to lead Christ's followers. Currently the head of the Catholic Church, the Pope, is elected in an autocratic set-up. He is known as the Vicar of Christ; he is the successor of Peter. He is also supposed to be endowed with primacy and even infallibility. The question that needs to be asked is: Are all these irrelevant, megalomaniac, and illogical titles necessary to represent Jesus of Nazareth who was born in the humblest of circumstances, and who came to liberate the captives, free the oppressed, proclaim the good news to the poor, preach the Kingdom of God, and, above all, to reconcile all humans among themselves and them finally to God (Luke 4: 18-19 & 2 Corinthians 5: 18-19)? These titles and attributes are not only unnecessary but also are anti-signs and heavy obstructions that distract and detract from the true message of Christ who was known by his message of love and service. They belong to an era of strife and obscurantism where Christian leaders discredited themselves by doing a disservice to Christ, and incalculable damage to Christ's Church. The Church in fact survived in spite of them! God gave all that we needed to survive and negotiate our path of pilgrimage on this earth. Theologically or otherwise there is absolutely no need for primacy and infallibility. These pompous titles are scandalous, and serve no useful purpose at all.
The Magisterium (the governing body) of the Catholic Church is the bastion of autocracy in the modern world. Most, if not all Catholics, identify the Catholic Church with the Magisterium. This is patently wrong. A tiny part (about four thousand celibate clerical leaders - bishops) living in the celibate city of Vatican and scattered all over the world as heads of dioceses, however important and indispensable it makes itself to be, cannot represent the gigantic whole (about 1250 million or 125 crores of Catholics). Every member in the Catholic Christian community is as important as every other member. The role and function of a person in the Catholic Church do not make that person more important than others. In Christ's community the least among them will be the great (Luke 9: 46-48), and the last among them will be the first, and the greatest among them will be their servant (Matthew 20: 27 & 23: 11). This is the greatest beauty of the Good News (Gospel). The early Christians were distinguished by their love, service, and humility by non-Christians. Currently Christian leaders, who need to set an example for ordinary Christians, are distinguished by their power and pomp, feudalistic, colonial titles of a bygone monarchical and hierarchical era (His Excellency, His Lordship, His Grace, His Eminence, His Beatitude, His Holiness), expensive, lavish, impractical, and highly odd medi-eval costumes and dress, ability to dominate, control, and, above all, raise money. Sadly, bishops are administrators and not spiritual leaders who inspire Christ's followers into holiness and Christ's teachings. A strong contention that if Christ were to visit our world today he would not recognize his bride, the Church, who is indulging in pharisaic rites and rituals, is very relevant and timely.
Currently a feudalistic, autocratic system of power and control is maintained under strict censures leading to the ultimate penalty of excommunication of members who, following their conscience, do not end up keeping the laws and disciplines promulgated by canon lawyers of this absolute unchallengeable system. This system is so tightly controlled and shrouded in secrecy. The primary custodian of this system under late Pope John Paul II's regime was Cardinal Josef Ratzinger who was eventually elected in a secret conclave by the coterie of Cardinals appointed by Pope John Paul II to succeed him as Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Ratzinger's Cogregation for the Doctrine of Faith tried to censor and try Hans Kung, an eminent theologian in the Catholic Church, for his writings. He did not obey the summons to Rome as he did not expect a fair trial. He was eventually stripped of his title as a Catholic Theologian in Tubingen University, Germany. Interestingly, Hans Kung himself had recruited Father Josef Ratzinger as a professor in the theology department of Tubingen University. After Cardinal Ratzinger became Pope, he had a long meeting (about four hours duration!) with Hans Kung that ended with a meal. The content of the meeting was not made known. Theologian Leonardo Boff had to leave the Franciscan Order and priestly ministry after he was silenced by Ratzinger for his theological writings. Boff, as a liberation theologian in Brazil supporting the rights of the poor and the oppressed, accused Cardinal Ratzinger of religious terrorism. Father Charles Curran, a moral theologian, was made to leave the Catholic University in Washington, for views different from the official ones, and joined the Southern Methodist University. Father Mathew Fox of Creation Spirituality left the Catholic Church under censure and was well-received by the Anglican-Episcopalian Communion. The writings of a great Jesuit spiritual writer, Anthony D'Mello, in India were also censured. All these are examples of great Catholic theologians and spiritual guides who suffered under Cardinal Ratzinger.
The Catholic Church is heavily programmed to believe that the Pope as the Vicar of Christ is supposed to discern the will of Christ, and communicate that will to the whole Christian Church. Non-catholic Christians either ignore or deride this claim even to the point of calling the Pope anti-Christ. The belief as well as the the deep programming in Catholic circle is that as Christ obeyed his father the Catholics are supposed to obey the pope, who is the Vicar of Christ. This Theology of Convenience developed over the years culminated in the Dogma of Infallibility for the Pope in the 19th century. This very theology of convenience has gone too far and got the Catholic Church tied up in knots. Autocracy in the Catholic Church is a product of this theology of convenience. The unfortunate reality is that the Magisterium with the Pope as its head is not accountable to the members of the Catholic Church. On the contrary the members of the Catholic Church are accountable to the Pope and the Bishops whom the Pope appoints. The Pope also appoints the Cardinals from the bishops who elect the next pope. The bishops in their dioceses appoint and transfer priests who in turn are accountable to their bishops. This hierarchical structure is so tightly controlled and protected to perpetuate a particular way of governing the Catholic Church. Pope John XXII, who was elected as a harmless, transitional pope was, perhaps, the only pope in the modern age who broke out of the mold and the tight control of his handlers and the Curia (the bureaucratic set-up for governing the Catholic Church) who closely guarded the existing state of affairs and vested interests. The only problem with the carefully orchestrated hierarchical structure is that it so diametrically opposed to the spirit of Christ who said that he came to serve and not to be served (Mathew 20:28). The title The Servant of the Servants of God for the Pope is a great travesty of truth indeed.
Next - autocracy is a Sin Contd.
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