About
How should Christians interact with the state and engage the political process?
Some believers find a home on the political left, with its emphasis on social justice, compassion for the poor and the oppressed, and its quest for equality. Others gravitate toward the right, with its focus on family values, cultural conservatism, and law and order.
Both the religious left and right seek many noble ends, but I’ve come to question the political means both sides use to achieve their goals.
Why?
Because government action ultimately comes down to force, violence and coercion. No matter how worthy the aims, I find it increasingly difficult to reconcile state action with Christ’s command to love our neighbor as ourselves.
I am a refugee from the religious right. Over the last several years, I’ve come to realize my political views often diverged significantly from the teachings of Christ. This sense became most acute in my attitudes about war. I have made a concerted effort to reconcile my political and spiritual worldviews. In that process, the non-aggression principle (NAP) has become the cornerstone of my thinking.
In simplest terms, the NAP is an ethical stance that asserts that “aggression” is inherently illegitimate. “Aggression” is defined as the “initiation” of physical force against persons or property, the threat of such, or fraud upon persons or their property. In contrast to pacifism, the non-aggression principle does not preclude violent self-defense. The principle is a deontological (or rule-based) ethical stance. [Definition taken from the Mises Institute Wiki]
As I pondered the NAP and its ramifications, I came to realize it essentially serves as an ethical framework for the Second Great Commandment – love your neighbor as yourself.
I founded GodArchy to further explore the intersection of Christianity and the state from an anarcho-capitalist/voluntaryist/libertarian point of view.
I don’t claim to have all the answers. I’ve not arrived at a completely cohesive worldview that addresses every question, solves every problem or fully encompasses the truth. My goal here is simply add to the discussion, and present an alternative to state-centered thinking and solutions that dominate Christianity today.
Peace,
Michael Maharrey
Founder – GodArchy
