There are several major orthodoxies on Earth. An orthodoxy is “belief” systematized, or catechized. As I have said elsewhere, the Protestant Christian belief has sought the effect of regimenting society in the United States. Just so the Catholics formed the church universal. The Islamic “faith” has the majority of the population of Earth under its jurisdiction. The common characteristic of the major religions is, as I see it, “orthodoxy”.
Orthodoxy produces “true believers” whose minds can go only so far in any discussion until the territory of orthodoxy has been reached. There is that boundary to freedom that cannot be surmounted because the habit of the catechism comes “naturally” to mind. Deliberation is side-tracked.
Democracy is defined as a discussion process, stating the problem, defining the terms of the problem, brainstorming all possible solutions, evaluating the qualities of each possible solution, and choosing the one best solution. Freedom of thought and speech is at a premium. Leadership of many types, to keep the discussion on track and to involve and dignify all the people present and all the contributions in that search, will be spread among all the parties to the problem-solving continuum. Everyone must have a deliberative mind. Everyone must become an “owner” of the solution. The special skills of debate should be held in reserve for a time when there is a stalemate on two best solutions that must be put to a proposition, a moment when consensus cannot be reached but something must be finally done.
The orthodox mind cannot be a democratic, deliberative mind. We see in our society the problem of unwanted pregnancies. That debate eventually reaches the Supreme Arbiter because there has been no consensus. Systematized belief has defeated the balancing of alternatives (reason). In that instance, democracy has failed.
