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By Ayella Amuru
Human beings pride themselves on rationality, yet much of what we believe in is rooted not in evidence but in powerful illusions. Consider, for instance, the atheist who dismisses the theist as “delusional” for believing in God, while at the same time championing democracy as if it were an objective reality. Both God and democracy share something in common—they do not tangibly exist. What exists is power, and power is wielded by whoever controls it.
There is little difference between the biblical narrative of God expelling Satan from heaven and the actions of a politician eliminating a rival. In both cases, the powerful refused to extend forgiveness and instead deployed authority to neutralise a threat. The exercise of power, whether divine or political, is rarely about justice or morality; it is about survival and control.
Politicians, like deities, demand loyalty but seldom deliver on promises. If campaign pledges were ever fully honoured, re-election would be unnecessary. Yet we see, time and again, leaders seeking new mandates not because promises have been fulfilled, but because the desire to retain power outweighs the duty to serve. Is this fundamentally different from a God who insists mortals forgive their enemies while refusing to forgive his own?
Politicians, like deities, demand loyalty but seldom deliver on promises
Democracy is often celebrated as the rule of law, yet no law has meaning without the threat—or use—of violence. Court orders, however irrational they may appear, are enforceable only because the state can deploy armed officers to ensure compliance. Violence, therefore, underpins democracy just as it underpinned the divine expulsion of Satan. For the sake of social order, we permit governments to monopolise violence, but we should not delude ourselves into imagining that this is an inherently rational or peaceful arrangement.
In truth, human beings survive on layers of delusion. Spiritually, we cling to gods; politically, we cling to democracy; psychologically, we cling to ideals of justice, peace, and shared humanity. Yet in our biological lives—when we eat, relieve ourselves, or engage in sex—there is no delusion, only reality. Beyond these basic acts, we oscillate from one grand illusion to another. From God to democracy, we remain captive to ideas that mask the naked truth: power is the only constant.
The question, then, is not whether we believe in God or democracy, but whether we are willing to confront the raw fact that both are stories designed to make the exercise of power more palatable. If so, what delusion will we embrace next?
Torch Media Africa
