Christian Anarchism???

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Aquila

If theonomy needs to form a "religious state" to establish or impose the rule of God among men, it can be argued that it is still a form of statism.

So God imposed statism upon Israel, and the Kingdom of God itself is statism?

Personally, I don't think you understand theonomy, reconstruction, or statism for that matter.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Esaias

So God imposed statism upon Israel, and the Kingdom of God itself is statism?

Actually, God's Law was given to the NATION of Israel. Yes, it was an earthly nation state with judges and elders. Eventually the people even requested a king, and received King Saul. This people were governed by 613 different laws.

The Kingdom of God...now this is something entirely different from ancient Israel. This is a spiritual kingdom that cannot be seen. It can only be experienced by those who voluntarily submit to the authority of God in their lives. It is spiritual in substance and supernatural in nature. This kingdom is governed by love and the direct leading of the Spirit.

I do have to add a body to this answer. The Church. The Church is the community wherein the Kingdom of God is experienced and shared among those who have voluntarily entered into the Kingdom of God.

Personally, I don't think you understand theonomy, reconstruction, or statism for that matter.

I'm familiar with Rushdoony's, Institutes of Biblical Law. I'm also familiar with the Postmillenial position of Christian Reconstructionism (Christian reconstruction of earthly government). I understand the Dominion Mandate (the divine call to seize authority over all creation), and that Theonomy (the imposition of Mosaic Law in the reconstructed government system) is the philosophy of social order.

[votivesoul]

It's all well and good to be a Christian anarchist until someone keys my car or builds a fence on my property or calls the cops on me because my dog is barking after 10pm, or infringes on any of my other rights.

At that point, I fully rely upon the infrastructure of the state to handle my affairs in the manner prescribed to them by the laws that govern our society.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by jediwill83

They restrain nothing. They profit from man's wickedness and it's monetarily driven not rehabilitation driven.

Govenment enables the wickedness of man....Ours does especially.

I find this to be too narrow of a view. Many thousands if not millions of people have been helped, with an untold number of wrongs made right, through the process of human government. Much justice and equity exists in the world through the imposition of law and the enforcement thereof, of human government.

Consider our own esteemed history. Remember the "Wild West"? The taming of the Western half of our nation wasn't simply the overcoming of nature; it was the rescuing of a major portion of our country's population from lawless men and women.

Sure, evil with the good is true, and there are times when evil is facilitated, even perpetrated, by what we call government. But that comes with the territory, as that fateful tree in Eden was once called.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by Aquila

The way it was explained to me is that Christian Anarchism is more of a personal philosophy. It would be against Anarchist principles to FORCE anarchy on anyone. And total anarchism could only work if everyone were Christian. Therefore, Christian Anarchism is a "one man revolution". It is each of us as individuals, choosing not to be under the authority of any governing authority but God's. No King but Christ. This anarchism flows well with brethren who are also submitted to Christ alone. However, due to the fallen nature of our world, governments are necessary because of the wicked and unbelieving. And so, the Christian Anarchist tolerates government, seeking to bring it into a place wherein it is most responsive to the people and serving the greater good of society. However, the Christian Anarchist is only "tolerating" government, seeing it as a necessary evil. The Christian Anarchist personally refuses to submit to government by refusing to submit to any law, ordinance, or regulation that would challenge one's personal obedience to God.

So the Christian Anarchist will not refuse to submit to traffic laws. However, if ordered not to preach the Gospel, the anarchist will gladly and peacefully refuse to submit.

In college, a friend of mine from Nigeria, who was (and remains) Muslim shared a tract with me about Jihad.

The general comments were that Jihad is not so much a religious holy war at the national level, but rather, is a personal war waged in the soul, engaged in to bring about the righteousness of character required by the Koran.

In this view, there is "No God but Allah". The parallels here, then, are striking.

Who would have thought that Christian Anarchism and Jihadist Islam had so much in common?

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

It's all well and good to be a Christian anarchist until someone keys my car or builds a fence on my property or calls the cops on me because my dog is barking after 10pm, or infringes on any of my other rights.

At that point, I fully rely upon the infrastructure of the state to handle my affairs in the manner prescribed to them by the laws that govern our society.

I'm not a Christian Anarchist, I'm just examining the idea. It's purely academic.

What you mention above is cool. But Christian Anarchism isn't a political anarchism. It's a lot like a sovereign citizen mindset. One chooses to be subject to the rule of God, alone. They tolerate human government, and even obey it's laws, and might even participate to a degree. But the moment human government crosses the boundary of God's authority over their lives...they openly, and peacefully defy it.

A Christian Anarchist sees themselves as a Christian who happens to live in America. Not as an American Christian.

They have no inherent loyalty to any human authority, they only tolerate it.

My question is, would is such a view biblical?

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

In college, a friend of mine from Nigeria, who was (and remains) Muslim shared a tract with me about Jihad.

The general comments were that Jihad is not so much a religious holy war at the national level, but rather, is a personal war waged in the soul, engaged in to bring about the righteousness of character required by the Koran.

In this view, there is "No God but Allah". The parallels here, then, are striking.

Who would have thought that Christian Anarchism and Jihadist Islam had so much in common?

Interesting, but I'm not sure if I believe that more reformed view in Islam. Jihad has historically been an actual holy war.

But I do see the similarity of Christian Anarchy and the philosophy of the tract your friend gave you. I just doubt that actual Islam is that evolved.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by Aquila

I'm not a Christian Anarchist, I'm just examining the idea. It's purely academic.

What you mention above is cool. But Christian Anarchism isn't a political anarchism. It's a lot like a sovereign citizen mindset. One chooses to be subject to the rule of God, alone. They tolerate human government, and even obey it's laws, and might even participate to a degree. But the moment human government crosses the boundary of God's authority over their lives...they openly, and peacefully defy it.

A Christian Anarchist sees themselves as a Christian who happens to live in America. Not as an American Christian.

They have no inherent loyalty to any human authority, they only tolerate it.

My question is, would is such a view biblical?

It's all good. I just don't see it as Anarchism to defy unjust human laws in order to obey God. That's just good Book of Acts-based Christianity 101. Adding a fraught, even charged political term and/or ideology to it appears unnecessary and unfruitful.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Interesting, but I'm not sure if I believe that more reformed view in Islam. Jihad has historically been an actual holy war.

But I do see the similarity of Christian Anarchy and the philosophy of the tract your friend gave you. I just doubt that actual Islam is that evolved.

Well, as I think we all can agree on, there are many stripes and colors of people in any movement or ideology, Islamic or otherwise. It would be impossible to accurately gauge what over 1 billion people really believe on the subject.

But for me, I find it curious and interesting, when I see unexpected parallels, such as I described. I rather enjoy it, actually, from, as you mentioned above, an academic perspective.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Interesting, but I'm not sure if I believe that more reformed view in Islam. Jihad has historically been an actual holy war.

But I do see the similarity of Christian Anarchy and the philosophy of the tract your friend gave you. I just doubt that actual Islam is that evolved.

So, when are you filling out that application for the concentration camps for Muslims?

Oh, Aquila what war[s] have you fought in?