It is quite a surprise and honor to have this 250th post of Onward American land in the 250th year of American independence. For this post, I decided to discuss a subject that concerned America 250 years ago, and which still concerns the world: royalty.
Over the course of this summer, I have spent quite some time reading quotes and publications from the Founding Fathers, most notably the works of Thomas Paine, including the American Crisis, Common Sense, and the Forester’s Letters.
After reading these publications, I was quite fascinated and impressed to see how plainly Paine laid out the cause of America during the War of Independence and demonstrated with simple logic the justice and necessity of our declaring independence and fighting for liberty. Paine carefully took the entire situation of America, from the national to the individual level, into consideration, all while skillfully avoiding arrogance and boasts to provide a faithful view of the American cause — Paine sometimes warned some figures of their impolitic statements, sometimes pled with England to withdraw from America and save themselves from bankruptcy in a war they could not win, and other times he impressively refuted king George’s criticism of American independence at a time when it wasn’t popular to stand up to kings.
Paine’s courage and compelling arguments caused me to contemplate the validity of earthly kingdoms. Should kings exist? Could any man rightfully and justly reign as a king?
In the natural world, when a single man gains too much power, he tends toward corruption. Has any king in history ever been without corruption? Every king that comes to mind — every king in Europe, all the kings of Israel in the Bible, and even king David — was subject to arrogance, corruption, tyranny, and selfishness. King George II executed hundreds of men, imprisoned thousands, and authorized his soldiers to burn homes, pillage towns, and abuse women and children before driving them into the woods to die after the Battle of Culloden; king Solomon, though God bestowed upon him wisdom, riches, and honor, broke God’s commandments and lived lavishly while oppressing the people; and David, a man who God said was after his own heart, had an affair with the wife of one of his loyal officers, and after getting her pregnant, sent his officer to the front lines where he was killed, then married the deceased officer’s widow!
This is not to say that kings are the only men who can be corrupted and who have done evil things, but it seems that so much power and attention gives mankind this false perception that they are superior to everyone else and that they are always entitled to their desires. Rather than serving the people, it becomes a campaign of serving self. This is why Rome had two emperors at a time, and why the United States has divided the power among many, and the constitution implemented checks and balances, to attempt to keep everyone honest.
But my question is now: is royalty blasphemy? Is it impious for a man to declare himself king, when there is only one, true King? Are earthly kings not simply the invention of man, but a profane imitation of the one, true King? Is it always idolatry to revere a man who claims to be king? Are we not intended to bow to or grovel before anyone but God?
How can a man, a created being, feel justified in sitting on a throne of his own making, which is an inferior replica of the throne on which the Creator sits? Would it not be treason or insurrection if I declared myself president of my state and imitated in every fashion the office and authority of the president of the United States?
P.S. I technically had not finished reading Common Sense before planning and writing this post, and therefore I was unaware of the second section of Common Sense. About a week after writing this post, I read the second section and was surprised to discover that Paine had already asked similar questions and made nearly identical arguments, though I believe Paine did a better job proving his point than I did. In my opinion, Paine’s most bold yet accurate statements on the subject are “[Government by kings] was the most prosperous invention the Devil ever set on foot for the promotion of idolatry,” and his closing statement of the second section “Of more worth is one honest man to society and in the sight of God, than all the crowned ruffians that ever lived.”
What are your thoughts on royalty?
