A little about me
I'm a writer, musician, activist and a member of the Catholic Worker movement. Politically I am an anarchist I don't like the term liberal because largely political and economic liberalism have been at the root of as much of the worlds problems as conservatism.
I see anarchism and pacifism as being natural extensions of my Christian faith. As a Christian I can not condone any act of violence wether it is the physical violence of war or the intelectual violence of racism, sexism, or the economic violence of poverty. I see the government largely as a tool used to enforce violence on individuals and groups who do not agree with the aims of the state. It has also been my observation that Christianity and politics by nature can not mix well. in the best of circumstances a Christian in politics will be forced to compromise her beliefs or morals or be forced to function inside of a system which does not share those same morals or ethics. At the worst the mixture of faith and politics will result in the eventual creation of a theocracy and the destruction of any last vestiges of civil society.
of course these beliefs set me at odds with a good many people both within my religion and within the activist comunities that I am a part of but that's ok, everyone's got their own bag, this is mine.
Some good books on Christianity and Anarchism:
"Anarchy and Christianity" by Jaques Ellul
"The Kingdom of God is Within You" by Lev Tolstoy
"Mutual Aid" by Peter Kropotkin
the writings of Dorothy Day
"Where are the heroes and the saints, who keep a clear vision of man's greatest gift, his freedom, to oppose not only the dictatorship of the proletariat, but also the dictatorship of the benevolent state, which takes possession of the family, and of the indigent, and claims our young for war?"
-Dorothy Day.
"Now my friends, I am opposed to the system of society in which we live today, not because I lack the natural equipment to do for myself but because I am not satisfied to make myself comfortable knowing that there are thousands of my fellow men who suffer for the barest necessities of life. We were taught under the old ethic that man's business on this earth was to look out for himself. That was the ethic of the jungle; the ethic of the wild beast. Take care of yourself, no matter what may become of your fellow man. Thousands of years ago the question was asked; Am I my brother's keeper? That question has never yet been answered in a way that is satisfactory to civilized society.
Yes, I am my brother's keeper. I am under a moral obligation to him that is inspired, not by any maudlin sentimentality but by the higher duty I owe myself. What would you think me if I were capable of seating myself at a table and gorging myself with food and saw about me the children of my fellow beings starving to death?"
-Eugene V. Debs.
I see anarchism and pacifism as being natural extensions of my Christian faith. As a Christian I can not condone any act of violence wether it is the physical violence of war or the intelectual violence of racism, sexism, or the economic violence of poverty. I see the government largely as a tool used to enforce violence on individuals and groups who do not agree with the aims of the state. It has also been my observation that Christianity and politics by nature can not mix well. in the best of circumstances a Christian in politics will be forced to compromise her beliefs or morals or be forced to function inside of a system which does not share those same morals or ethics. At the worst the mixture of faith and politics will result in the eventual creation of a theocracy and the destruction of any last vestiges of civil society.
of course these beliefs set me at odds with a good many people both within my religion and within the activist comunities that I am a part of but that's ok, everyone's got their own bag, this is mine.
Some good books on Christianity and Anarchism:
"Anarchy and Christianity" by Jaques Ellul
"The Kingdom of God is Within You" by Lev Tolstoy
"Mutual Aid" by Peter Kropotkin
the writings of Dorothy Day
"Where are the heroes and the saints, who keep a clear vision of man's greatest gift, his freedom, to oppose not only the dictatorship of the proletariat, but also the dictatorship of the benevolent state, which takes possession of the family, and of the indigent, and claims our young for war?"
-Dorothy Day.
"Now my friends, I am opposed to the system of society in which we live today, not because I lack the natural equipment to do for myself but because I am not satisfied to make myself comfortable knowing that there are thousands of my fellow men who suffer for the barest necessities of life. We were taught under the old ethic that man's business on this earth was to look out for himself. That was the ethic of the jungle; the ethic of the wild beast. Take care of yourself, no matter what may become of your fellow man. Thousands of years ago the question was asked; Am I my brother's keeper? That question has never yet been answered in a way that is satisfactory to civilized society.
Yes, I am my brother's keeper. I am under a moral obligation to him that is inspired, not by any maudlin sentimentality but by the higher duty I owe myself. What would you think me if I were capable of seating myself at a table and gorging myself with food and saw about me the children of my fellow beings starving to death?"
-Eugene V. Debs.
posted by Chris Rooney | 3:50 PM
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