Christian Anarchism

You Would !

LETS MAKE THIS THE SARCASM THREAD WHERE ANYONE THAT JOINS MUST BE SARCASTIC

 

what a GOOD idea, clearly an enlightened mind there....

 

TUT TUT - The extent of which you would not know
We have all seen your cleverest ideas

 

even less chance if my brain was frozen...I'd be like one of these fundies

 

like shane you mean ?

 

fftopic:
Please refer back to posts #1, #4, #42, and #63.

 

Thanks for the reminder shane - I'll be reading them all intensely

 

Well, you know, traditionally, 'anarchy' means lack of earthly authority, or government. I've always wondered, really, just how 'anarchichal' the people that call themselves 'anarchists' really are.

For example, if someone steals something from them, etc., will they call the police? Or will they solve the problem themselves? If they need some kind of help, will they refuse to accept any from the government? Are they really 'anarchists', or is it just a catchy sounding phrase?

I already mentioned the Amish as a modern example of Christian anarchism. They pay very little in taxes, accept almost no government help, and for the most part police themselves (not with a police force-they just solve their own problems to the best of thier ability). They don't serve in the military, and believe in doing good to their enemies instead of creating a big system for hurting and punishing them.

Another example that comes to mind is the Cristeros in Mexico in the 1920's. Although they probably wouldn't have apllied the term 'anarchist' to themselves, they rebelled and took up arms against the government which had persecuted them and denied them religious freedom and the right to live the way their conscience dictated. They didn't really have a government or president or king-their rallying cry was 'Viva Cristo Rey'-Long Live Christ the King. Not as an earthly king, of course. It was as if they were saying, 'we have no king but Christ.'

I don't consider myself to really be an anarchist in theory, but in practice I have little respect for the government, and go to the government as a last resort to solve problems (since they usually cause more problems than they solve, anyway-many more, in fact). Likewise, I avoid reciving any help from the government unless it's just unavoidable. The type of Christianity that I've mostly been affiliated with believes that our duties are to God and our fellow man, according to a higher moral law that is supreme to any earthly law-then, the only allegiance that we owe to the government is if it is acting in conformity with that higher moral law, which it doesn't do too often, sad to say.

 

Christ Against Capitalism

 

A good example of christian anrarchy.....look up the anabaptists....17th century

 

Oh yes of course, whatever it takes to get what they want. An anarchist is just a normal person. If someone steals something from them they take it back, and/or seek retribution. Anarchists use the enemy as the enemy uses them. Anarchists arent stupid. The best way to deal with a criminal in these times is to call the police, one would simply be stupid not to do so. Anarchists hate criminals as much as they hate criminal government authorities. It takes a criminal to catch one.

Dont run away with the idea that just because someon talks in terms of an idealised society or the dismissal of the society they live in, that they wont use all that society can offer in the way of protection. Anarchists dont want a dissolution of society. On the contrary they want a more cohesive society, one that polices itself better.
INSIDE EVERY ANARCHIST IS A POLICEMAN WAITING TO BURST OUT AND ARREST THE CRIMINALS OF THIS SOCIETY!!!

Anarchists merely want order to emanate from the individual to the larger society, not from the top down but from the street up. An anarchist is their own policeman, and do not see why criminals are criminal rather than political (and at that, morally political) The law is THE political issue. Policing according to anarchists should not be from a high horsed government to the people but from the people to the community in which they live. But hey, when in Rome do as the Romans do

That is why christians could not truly be anarchists, they have a notion that somehow they must be good or be piunished by a higher authority.
An anarchist is a law unto themselves because it is immoral not to act in accord with the principles chosen by a community they choose to live in.
If they do not choose the community they are forced to act in accord with others wishes. For example an anarchist does not choose to live under the rule of the state because its laws are non negotiable. In an anarchist society of communes it would merely be a case that you choose to adopt its rules because they are negotiable albeit a communal negotiation in which sometimes you dont always get your own way.
God is the government of mankind and does not therefore sympathise with anarchy, and no anarchist can therefore sympathise with god because the laws are non negotiable

 

My friend who is an anarchist is one of the most hate-free people I know.

And actually, since anarchy in general doesn't accept authority, why should an anarchist accept the authorities definition of a 'criminal'?

 

Exactly. Very good point. Today, damned near everybody is a 'criminal' anyway. You're a 'criminal' if you sell Sudafed to somebody, smoke a joint, if you don't wear a seatbelt, don't mow your lawn on time, paint your house the wrong color, etc., and so on. We've allowed the government, pretty much unrestrained, to crimiminalize damn near everything.

 

anarchism is the detachment from ideals and beliefs, and many other things of course, however:

saying a christian can be anarchist is like saying flying pigs exist.

 

No it's not.

Anarchism is the philosophy(belief) that the best way for individuals to relate to each other is in a non-hierarchical manner, and that this can be extended into the realms of politics, economics, culture, ect.

Maybe you're thinking of nihilism?

 

^^that is correct^^

 

hey shane^^
i'm a Christian...and actually have a very interesting site for you and everyone else to check out. not sure if it's been mentioned yet, there were many pages of "discussion" that i didn't read through..lolololol

http://www.jesusradicals.com/

i actually know of several "Christian-Anarchists"....and one thing i think(not totally sure, i'm not one, but DEFINATELY disagree with much of the government when it comes to the Christian Faith) needs to be understood is taht the idea of Christian Anarchism doesn't use "anarchy" into the full popular term. i guess mainly because there isn't another word that would typically fit what most of them believe. i find it to be almost unBiblical, because it does have several passages saying to obey the government because God appointed those people there for a reason. but at the same time if the Government says something and God says something else, the right way to go would be God.(duh.lol)

so yeah..iono..i think i'll talk to those i know a little more..see what they have to say..might even get them on here..lololol^^

oh yeah..and one thing i DID read, that made me laugh/sad, was the idea of this being "God's Country"...lol. that really makes me sad. I've considered MANY times, putting or making a sign that said "God Forgive America, We Know Not What We Do". i live in south texas...so yeah...that would make a HUGE impact...everyone down here is closed-minded Southern Baptist...eesh..lol..kinda scary for a Christian with dreadlocks^^..lololol. A Country that truly was God's wouldn't function like this....wars? nope...not supposed to happen. the actions of America are severly unBiblical in MANY senses. people(Christians) also think that the answer for a better world is for America to become fully "Christianized" again. but if you ask me that is THE WORST thing that could happen. ONLY because of what the Christian walk is supposed to be. it's not supposed to be getting up on Sundays and COMFORTABLY going to a place of worship with a bunch of other SAFE people. The acceptance of Christianity in a governmental form limits the ideas that Jesus had the apostles following in the entire New Testament. We are supposed to be persecuted...lol...i know that might sound crazy, WANTING that. but we've become lazy. we don't appreciate what we are given. No one goes out and suffers for Christ anymore....well....some do...the majority don't. iono....i'm kinda radical sometimes....i grew up like this..lol..not Christian..radical...........then radical-ness found faith in Christ...and now i'm crazy..hahahahaha

hope something helped...prolly didn't...i wrote a LOT...LOLOL
laterzzz
Bryce

 

I've been doing some studying lately about this Christian anarchy idea, and so far it seems to be closer to what I can accept, understand and relate to than anything I've heard from the 'church' or pop culture 'religion'...I was led to look up Tolstoy because he was mentioned as being an influence in the life of James Allen, who wrote 'As A Man Thinketh' ...Allen's writings are very inspiring, and I'd recommend them to anyone.


I am going to order a copy of Tolstoy's 'The Kingdom of God Is Within You', and find out more for myself. If anyone has any other resources they would like to offer, I'd appreciate it. I am encouraged by what I've learned so far.