Christian Anarchism

[CapitalistEmpire]

Capitalism is merely an economic system. Morals set aside, capitalism is not protected by the constitution. We cannot simply accept one way of thinking. Taking the lives of all those in the lower or middle classes is genocide. Life insurance companies want you to die; banks want you to suffer; the government wills you to accept it.on Sunday

Christian anarchism is based upon the answer of Jesus to the Pharisees, when He said that he without sin should be the first to cast the stone, and upon the Sermon on the Mount, which advises the return of good for evil and the turning of the other cheek. Therefore, when we take any part in government by voting for legislative, judicial, and executive officials, we make these men our arm by which we cast a stone and deny the Sermon on the Mount.
The dictionary definition of a Christian is one who follows Christ; kind, kindly, Christ-like. Anarchism is voluntary cooperation for good, with the right of secession. A Christian anarchist is therefore one who turns the other cheek, overturns the tables of the moneychangers, and does not need a cop to tell him how to behave. A Christian anarchist does not depend upon bullets or ballots to achieve his ideal; he achieves that ideal daily by the One-Man Revolution with which he faces a decadent, confused, and dying world.
- The Book of Ammon (Fortkamp/Rose Hill, 1994)

[Q]

Welcome.

Please mind that we do have an explicit rule against preaching, just as an advance warning.

What is a "one-man revolution" supposed to mean? Don't you think we, the working class, should organise collective to defend and fight for our rights and for the foundation of collective rule?

[Rob Mackine]

what type of religious organization would exist in a "christian anarchist" society? God is the absolution of rulership, of hierarchy. If by "christian" you mean anything resembling the bible, that statement is so incredibly contradictory its funny.

You should read Bakunin's God and the State if you haven't already; I'm sure you'd enjoy it.

[Invincible Summer]

Anarchism has the slogan "No gods, no masters." I would think it makes even less sense for there to be Christian Anarchists than Christian... well... anything else.

But this isn't the place to debate such silliness... take it to the Religion forum! Welcome.

[AK]

Hi, I'm an atheist :laugh:
Welcome :lol:

Taking the lives of all those in the lower or middle classes is genocide.
Nah uh. There is no middle class.

[Rob Mackine]

Anarchism has the slogan "No gods, no masters." I would think it makes even less sense for there to be Christian Anarchists than Christian... well... anything else.

But this isn't the place to debate such silliness... take it to the Religion forum! Welcome.
I am personally anti-religious but I don't think that anarchism is inherently anti-religious... while rulership is a product of many religions, its not inherent of religions. (My opinion; I know that many would disagree, Bakunin among them.)

[Foldered]

Anarchism has the slogan "No gods, no masters." I would think it makes even less sense for there to be Christian Anarchists than Christian... well... anything else.
Tolstoy was a Christain Anarchist.

[Invincible Summer]

Tolstoy was a Christain Anarchist.

Your point being? I'm not denying that christian anarchists exist, I'm just saying that belief in a higher power while maintaining an ideology that advocates non-hierarchical relations is inane.

[Dimentio]

Your point being? I'm not denying that christian anarchists exist, I'm just saying that belief in a higher power while maintaining an ideology that advocates non-hierarchical relations is inane.

Not necessarily, even if that is outside of the fringes of anarchism. The islamist thinker Hassan al-Banna did for example advocate for a society where political rulers would be accountable to the people on the basis that the only true authority was God.

[Sir Comradical]

"A Christian anarchist is therefore one who turns the other cheek."

I really don't like this.

[Sentinel]

Christian anarchism is based upon the answer of Jesus to the Pharisees, when He said that he without sin should be the first to cast the stone, and upon the Sermon on the Mount, which advises the return of good for evil and the turning of the other cheek.

So, what is then your take on revolution? How should we deal with the capitalists that are oppressing us?

Turn the other cheek there too? :rolleyes:

[Foldered]

Your point being? I'm not denying that christian anarchists exist, I'm just saying that belief in a higher power while maintaining an ideology that advocates non-hierarchical relations is inane.
"Higher power" is probably not what a Christain Anarchist would use to describe a god-figure (or whatever); I imagine there is a way to believe in some form of religion while continuing to believe in non-heirarchical relations.

And I certainly don't think you should be calling their beliefs "inane." It's not very nice. ;)

[Invincible Summer]

Not necessarily, even if that is outside of the fringes of anarchism. The islamist thinker Hassan al-Banna did for example advocate for a society where political rulers would be accountable to the people on the basis that the only true authority was God.

Anarchism (and Communism in general) to me involves humans taking control of their own destinies and making a better world. The existence of a "true authority" that is "God" seems to negate the need for improving our lives now, as "God" is supposed to provide and the afterlife is the life we're supposed to be living for




And I certainly don't think you should be calling their beliefs "inane." It's not very nice. ;)

Boo hoo

[Red North]

Anarchism (and Communism in general) to me involves humans taking control of their own destinies and making a better world. The existence of a "true authority" that is "God" seems to negate the need for improving our lives now, as "God" is supposed to provide and the afterlife is the life we're supposed to be living for



Boo hoo

I agree, christian anarchy seems completely contradictory.

[Foldered]

I imagine your understanding of religion is limited. I'm an athiest, but I can honestly admit that I lack a broad enough knowledge of Christianity to even begin discrediting the validity of Christian Anarchism.

And "Boo hoo"? You're smarter than that.

[Invincible Summer]

I imagine your understanding of religion is limited. I'm an athiest, but I can honestly admit that I lack a broad enough knowledge of Christianity to even begin discrediting the validity of Christian Anarchism.


Well, I'm not sure how I'd quantify my religious knowledge, but I did go through Catholic primary school and raised in a Protestant family and went to church regularly up until maybe 4 years ago.

I think if anything my knowledge of the various branches of Christianity and how they play into Christian anarchism limits my ability to fully discredit it. Basically, knowledge of the Christian Anarchist movement itself.


And "Boo hoo"? You're smarter than that.
Well I honestly don't care if I offend religious people.





I've got a general question: how do liberation theology and christian anarchism differ? They seem pretty similar.

[Dimentio]

Anarchism (and Communism in general) to me involves humans taking control of their own destinies and making a better world. The existence of a "true authority" that is "God" seems to negate the need for improving our lives now, as "God" is supposed to provide and the afterlife is the life we're supposed to be living for


Yes, but I would claim that christian anarchists are really closer to for example al-Banna's islamists.

[The Inquisitor]

Weren't the first Christians communist?

[Rob Mackine]

Acts 4:32 - And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

so yea there were communist tendencies with the earlier Christians but it seems that the priests chose how to distribute the goods and obviously there was still hierarchy. but to try to synthesize christianity and anarchism is insane. there are guidelines for slavery in the bible for christ's sake. (i say christ for the paradoxical effect.) unless all parts of the bible aren't to be considered as the word of god... there was an interesting article that i read about christian communism a while back; it's pretty pretentious - the "scientific marxist" shit gets old fast, but it's still worth reading: marxist.com/marxism-religion-liberation-theology220701.htm

anyway, gods and anarchism aren't contradictory but anarchism and the bible sure as hell are

[gnonstic]

Welcome.

Please mind that we do have an explicit rule against preaching, just as an advance warning.

What is a "one-man revolution" supposed to mean? Don't you think we, the working class, should organise collective to defend and fight for our rights and for the foundation of collective rule?

hmmm, no preaching? thats almost impossible to clarify. anyway of giving forth any kind of view can be seen as such, especially if you have one particular view.
one man revolution? any revolution can only start once each individual accepts his or her role, and then we collectivly seem to tune into the movement that fits? i thought that was simple to understand.
hope any of this helped.

[gnonstic]

what type of religious organization would exist in a "christian anarchist" society? God is the absolution of rulership, of hierarchy. If by "christian" you mean anything resembling the bible, that statement is so incredibly contradictory its funny.

You should read Bakunin's God and the State if you haven't already; I'm sure you'd enjoy it.

good qustion, but actually no. the bible i read when i was a kid told me we are to be "co-hairs", co-princess, equals, all having the opertunity to volve into better selves.

the trouble with traditional christianity, or as i call it CHURCHI-ANITY is that folk discovering anarchy take a while to realise they need to stop the state. they still have a bit of trouble dealing with not anymore having any authority from above.
in a way "god" is ourself in the future when we have "got our shit together". our peronal goal.

i would add a book too, dave andrews "christi-anarchy". he cuts the crap from both ends with few holes. and for me, i couldnt give a hoot what religion you are or any or none , anarchy should be encouraged in anyone from any background to help shift the ground. atheist or "believer".
and help each other out of the fear of not having all this political/capitalist authority over us all the time. it sure sucks.

ominous sancti pad my ears!

[gnonstic]

Your point being? I'm not denying that christian anarchists exist, I'm just saying that belief in a higher power while maintaining an ideology that advocates non-hierarchical relations is inane.

well come on, loosen up buddy. dont you believ in a "higher power", that is to say, you have a vision within of a world that isnt like what we get hit with everyday.

and is it written in stone that "no gods no masters" is the matra for the decade?
being neither religious or non-religious, when i look at any for eg, new testament teachings, i see that the wholeidea is spiritual equlity. co-heirship, no gods no masters actually. all equal co-thingies within the whole.

a lot of confusion and down right manip[ulation rns riot through churchy-heads, as we all know, and chief amonsgt that is the obscuration that, even according to misogynist st paull, that where ver two or three agree, then surely it shall come to be (just like any positive meeting), and we can agree to disagree. he seems to be implying we biuld our world from what we agree. and when we get these agreements they begin to gain gravity. we've had around 1700 years of church authority pressurring folk to agree it is he authority. and now some folk are starting to waken up.

it might take them time to stop being frightened of letting go of the state and its pressures, but ijn time, we'll all get there, religious non-religious.
sometimes in life its seems it'll all go ass-up first.

a great deal of misunderstanding in this case is just how diferent folk internal language is.
a bit of grace (whch in the biblical sense of the word is a spirit, a quality, not a suipernatural thing) and a it of encouragement and who knows, we gain allies?

religion dosnt work, politics dosnt work, and capitalism sure dosnt work.

but peeling away religion, politics and all, maybe
grace, mercy, forgivness, love, truth, encouragement, and all those spirits/qualities should simply be encouraged whatever people CALL themselves. if they show tose qualities, then surely it ceases to matter.

oh what the hell..... :crying:

[ellipsis]

This thread is over a year old, not really necro worthy. Please don't revive super old threads, the conversation ended long ago.

Thread Closed.