Why I Chose Anarchy Part 1
January 17th 2008 12:09
Anarchy is hardly the violence causing, bomb throwing method of thinking that most people assume it is. It is a preference for individual freedoms, the right to question the crowd and status quo and to walk against the current, even when the current is more popular.
In my own case, my choice for anarchy came from the experiences that dictated my life. Much of my time in Highschool was the kind of time that would have driven others to suicide. You guys know that kid that sat by himself, who no one liked and he didn't like anyone? Yeah, I was that kid. For most of highschool. It gave me a fairly cynical attitude about alot of things. The main thing it gave me a cynical attitude about was pop culture. Which I don't think is a bad thing. The fact that I thought Britney Speers was a loony long before anyone else is kind of gratifying.
Moving along.
It was this kind of guy that started to go to church. The kind of guy that had a tendency to want to understand why stuff was the way it was and why people behaved the way they do. Even in the church however, I found myself more and more confronted with the same things that I found outside of it, and I found myself despising them even more. The fact that if one person said Halelujah, then at least three or four of them would echo it within a heartbeat. The fact that jumping up and down and clapping at the right time was an indicator of how holy you were. On the basis that I have little rhythm and that I appreciate most music on a verbal level (though, with that said some songs are quite satisfying on a musical level) I didn't always fit in.
It was this kind of kid, one that loved God and was honest with Him found himself going to Hillsong church after we moved back from New Zealand. And depending on how you look at it, it was either the best or worst move that I ever made. I know about most of the stereotypes, so don't waste a comment on them. But still, what I was thrust into was like a small church, but on a really big scale. Most of the same stuff applied. But on a much larger, more concentrated scale.
As far was I have gone with saying this, it would be more than wrong of me to not to say that alot of the people I have met at Hillsong are amazing people. One of them, my best mate, a guy named Carston Woodhouse saved my life by being my friend. The guy always went above and beyond the call of duty and it's something I'll never forget. Its people like him that make the church worth going to.
It was the approach of so many leaders that we should simply "reproduce ourselves" (I hate that phrase with an almighty passion) and "be of one vision" that almost drove me to the point of absolute violence. I did, as any human being would, to tow the line, say what had to be said, etc etc etc. But I couldn't. Well, I couldn't do it and look at myself in the mirror. I was in quite a bind. It was around this time when a movie called V for Vendetta came out. For me, this was like a tall, cold glass of water to a man dying in the desert. This was the brain and heart food that I needed. It was essentially, one of the most liberating movies I've ever seen. My Bible Study group leader at that time, despised the movie. I was not surprised.
I think most movie goers weren't moved by it like I was. But then hey, fair enough. You're individuals, just like me. Except different.
For me though, it became a philosophical standing point for a whole bunch of stuff that I already knew and associated with my own identity. I understood that to give in and allow myself to give up my mind in orer to blend in was the worst thing I could do. That to surrender that last inch was against even the will of God.
JZ
In my own case, my choice for anarchy came from the experiences that dictated my life. Much of my time in Highschool was the kind of time that would have driven others to suicide. You guys know that kid that sat by himself, who no one liked and he didn't like anyone? Yeah, I was that kid. For most of highschool. It gave me a fairly cynical attitude about alot of things. The main thing it gave me a cynical attitude about was pop culture. Which I don't think is a bad thing. The fact that I thought Britney Speers was a loony long before anyone else is kind of gratifying.
Moving along.
It was this kind of guy that started to go to church. The kind of guy that had a tendency to want to understand why stuff was the way it was and why people behaved the way they do. Even in the church however, I found myself more and more confronted with the same things that I found outside of it, and I found myself despising them even more. The fact that if one person said Halelujah, then at least three or four of them would echo it within a heartbeat. The fact that jumping up and down and clapping at the right time was an indicator of how holy you were. On the basis that I have little rhythm and that I appreciate most music on a verbal level (though, with that said some songs are quite satisfying on a musical level) I didn't always fit in.
It was this kind of kid, one that loved God and was honest with Him found himself going to Hillsong church after we moved back from New Zealand. And depending on how you look at it, it was either the best or worst move that I ever made. I know about most of the stereotypes, so don't waste a comment on them. But still, what I was thrust into was like a small church, but on a really big scale. Most of the same stuff applied. But on a much larger, more concentrated scale.
As far was I have gone with saying this, it would be more than wrong of me to not to say that alot of the people I have met at Hillsong are amazing people. One of them, my best mate, a guy named Carston Woodhouse saved my life by being my friend. The guy always went above and beyond the call of duty and it's something I'll never forget. Its people like him that make the church worth going to.
It was the approach of so many leaders that we should simply "reproduce ourselves" (I hate that phrase with an almighty passion) and "be of one vision" that almost drove me to the point of absolute violence. I did, as any human being would, to tow the line, say what had to be said, etc etc etc. But I couldn't. Well, I couldn't do it and look at myself in the mirror. I was in quite a bind. It was around this time when a movie called V for Vendetta came out. For me, this was like a tall, cold glass of water to a man dying in the desert. This was the brain and heart food that I needed. It was essentially, one of the most liberating movies I've ever seen. My Bible Study group leader at that time, despised the movie. I was not surprised.
I think most movie goers weren't moved by it like I was. But then hey, fair enough. You're individuals, just like me. Except different.
For me though, it became a philosophical standing point for a whole bunch of stuff that I already knew and associated with my own identity. I understood that to give in and allow myself to give up my mind in orer to blend in was the worst thing I could do. That to surrender that last inch was against even the will of God.
JZ
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Comment by hewhocutsdown
Anarchism's only functional model as I understand is Christian anarchy, where there are two understandings:
1) Christ is the only static source of authority
2) We will never be in a society without hierarchy and government (not just political) while on this earth; but attempts at suppression and working around this system are to be commended
In addition, as Ellul points out, this concept takes away support for governing structures, but also pulls out the legs from rebellion as well. The christian anarchist lives as though there is no government, because to acknowledge it any more than he or she must to keep the peace is to give it too much credit and enable it.
With that said, without a Christalogical centre the whole thing falls apart. Hence Mark van Steenwyk's (over at jesusmanifesto.com) proposal for the term 'Christarchy' to illustrate that Christ is the only fully accepted governing 'structure'.
This is by far the most attractive idealogical set for myself, except that by doubting the centrepiece the entire idea falls flat. So I'm in tension there, but wanted to throw this out. Peace
Comment by JoshZ
A Simple Christian
God bless you. In the worst possible way.
JZ