Here's a website I found on Christian Anarchy. Rev. John probably already recommended it and I forgot. I actually found it searching for one of Jacques Ellul's essays about morality.
I often think of the Catholic Worker Movement when I hear "Christian" and "anarchist" in the same sentence.
Being a former punk and non-racist skin, I'm interested in their beliefs towards gov't. From what I'm getting, their views about gov't tend to not agree with the below scripture. Or am I not understanding them (Christian Anarchy) correctly?
Romans 13
Be Subject to Government
1Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.
2Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
3For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;
4for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.
5Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake.
6For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.
Yeah, you might remember the guy who wrote that was beheaded for not submitting to the government. It is thought by some that Paul was trying to relieve some of the persecution of the Roman church by telling them to try and look for the good and go along with the government as much as possible. There is also some speculation that this verse was added as it does seem a bit out of context, (haven't done enough research to have an opinion on that, but I usually trust the canon)
I would also say that if you take this teaching to its logical end we should have let Hitler do whatever he wanted as he was God's chosen ruler, same with Saddam.
And yes I recomended the Jesus radicals site to the entire forum before, and I post on their forum once and a while.
rev
Paul wrote that during the Roman empire, and quite probably during the reign of Nero. Please don't tell me anyone can compare Englands taxation with Nero's insanity.
rev
I was agreeing with you and showing how it is a silly justification.
rev
John....you soooooo crazy
Act 5:29 Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
when the state conflict with God, we are to obey God. Where it is not a clear violation of God's laws, we are to obey the state that God has allowed to rule over us.
Mat 22:21 ...Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
Rooster took the words right out of my mouth.
Also, let me be clear. I was asking a question, not condeming them.
"I think it's a matter of degree, obviously lawlessness benefits no one so if there is to be an authority, it should be obeyed and submitted to within reason, but I believe human beings have an inherent right to cast of tyrannies and despots."
And I agree with this statement.
anarchy is not lawlessness, it is the belief that power corrupts and that power structures will become more and more corrupt as their power increases. In Christian anarchy it is the belief that we can have no loyalty but to God, and that any kingdom besides God's is in opposition to His.
rev