Sunday, July 24, 2011

Are Latter-day Saints Monarchists?

Are Latter-day Saints monarchists? Brian Mecham of the conservative LDS politico-religious blog Mormon Chronicle says yes in his recent post "Mormons are Monarchists". The keystone text of his case is Mosiah 29:13, which states that if the Nephites could have righteous men to lead them as kings, then in that case "it would be expedient that ye should always have kings to rule over you". Mecham also asserts that God's own kingdom is, in fact, monarchical in structure; that Articles of Faith 12 notes 'kings' as a perfectly legitimate form of governing authority; and that LDS homes are themselves mini-monarchies governed by the husband and wife as a king-queen royal pair. Ultimately, for earthly purposes, Mecham grants that any form of government exercised in righteousness is good, since the precise form of government is merely a "tool" to government's ends.

Does Mecham make a good case for Latter-day Saints as monarchists, or - at the very least - as monarchy-friendly?

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