As a rule, I try very hard to avoid hyperbole and generalizations in conversation. But in discussing Mormonism, it is so very hard because so many things within that church are extreme.

But, I find it interesting the irony of a very patriotic church and the un-American concept of dictatorial rule within the church leadership.

Beck-loving TBMs rooted in the entrails of the Birch society era of Reuben Clark and McConkie idolize the American system. The best political system in the world: messy democracy with its debate and compromise. The best liberties: freedom of expression and thought. The best economic system: capitalism and the concept of competition. The best legal system: adversarial trials in front of a jury. Each of the systems in American society depend on the idea of debate, competition of ideas, and expression of thought.

But not the Church itself. Even though its own doctrine of the pre-existence is founded on the idea of agency and competition vis-a-vis the presentation of plans by Lucifer and Jesus, and the subsequent acceptance of Agency by the children of light (ie: all of us here on earth), the GAs act in total opposition to these American, and apparently eternal principals.

The Church does not believe in open debate, but abject acceptance of approved teachings and doctrine. Investigation into the truths of the foundation of the church are highly discouraged, and any information, regardless of how true it may be, cannot be shared within the walls of the church if it is not in harmony with accepted stories and teachings in the manuals. If truth is not faith-promoting, it is heresy. The "thinking has been done already" is not a concept that would ever past muster in the rest of our society.

Yet, it is so readily accepted by those otherwise completely dedicated to its existence everywhere else in our nation's experience.

+1

Hey, I don't mind hyperbole and generalizations! The first thing I thought of when I read your post was North Korea and the 1984-ish brainwashing they get that tells them they are the chosen, free, special people under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader...

Even at the heart of my TBM time, as EQP, I was ambiently aware that the church and heaven were NOT democracies.
I attributed it to the "higher law" alibi, which ironically is relativistic in a paradigm of eternal unchangeable truth.
GBH even bragged in conference that the higher law of revelation superceded the need for debate in the church.

Mosiah 29:13
"Therefore, if it were possible that you could have just men to be your kings, who would establish the laws of God, and judge this people according to his commandments, yea, if ye could have men for your kings who would do even as my father Benjamin did for this people—I say unto you, if this could always be the case then it would be expedient that ye should always have kings to rule over you."

So the "higher law" is kings, but since you can't trust a man to be your king...democracy. Not because it's the best, fairest form of government, but because...

29:27
"And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land."

...God wants to stick it to you.

That's a fairly cynical view of democracy to me. A dumbed-down lower law for our fallenness...because we're not ready for the...freedom of having a king???

Thanks for your thoughts Amos.

Maybe the prophet is the King in this context--or, maybe Mosiah is preaching that the prophet should also be the secular leader.