Is A Christian Anarchist Actually A Christian?

"Christian anarchism is a movement in political theology that claims anarchism is inherent in Christianity and the Gospels.It is grounded in the belief that there is only one source of authority to which Christians are ultimately answerable, the authority of God as embodied in the teachings of Jesus, and thus rejects the idea that human governments have ultimate authority over human societies. Christian anarchists denounce the state as they claim it is violent, deceitful and, when glorified, idolatrous." - Wikipedia

To be honest I have never heard about Christian Anarchism before this morning. True story: on the drive in to work this morning I asked God to show me something I've never seen before that I can blog, and He sure answered my prayer. When I first heard of Christian Anarchy a few moments ago I thought "that's about as silly an idea as Christian Marxism - who would fall for that?" Then I remembered that I had bumped into Chuck Currie, a Marxist so deep that he would warm the cockles of Hillary Clinton's heart. Ok, Marxists are very good at public relations. Ignoring the track record of Marxism, the despair and poverty it drove millions to, the tens of millions of people that were murdered in the name of Marxism, people still fall for it, most evil of governances. It's the same way with the Christian Anarchist. 

First of all, the term "Christian Anarchist" is a complete and utter oxymoron along the lines of "jumbo shrimp", "controlled chaos", and "Congressional ethics". The word Christian comes from the Greek word Χριστιανός (Christianos), meaning "follower of Christ". The word anarchy comes from the ancient Greek ἀναρχία, (anarchia), from ἀν (an), which means  "without" + ἀρχός (arkhos), which means "ruler" or leader.

How could you follow Christ if you don't allow yourself to have a leader? While Christian Anarchists are blissfully unaware of the fact that their belief flies in the face of Christ Jesus' teaching, quite a few aren't all that in touch with their own title. 

I stumbled across a Christian Anarchist website and I thought at first was a parody website, howtobecomeachriatiananarchist.com,  the website goes on and on and on (and on and on and on and on) about the evils of archists. The website uses the term archist to mean "ruler" while another web site I found uses the term archist to mean "someone who wants a ruler" Who is right? Personally I say "Neither" there is no word archist. It's a made up word based on the ancient word archia which means "arch" which is the root of the word "architecture" which means in reality they are firmly opposed to buildings. You know what they say:

You're entitled to your own opinion, but you're not entitled to make up a language to suit your own purposes.

Ok, to be honest "They" is actually "Me" but  still - it's a good quote. Feel free to use it. But back at the pecan farm it gets better. These anti building ruler followers of the King of Kings at howtobecomeachriatiananarchist.com,  have a lot of interesting descriptive elements for "archists": wife-beaters, tyrants, invaders, bullies, IRS auditors, and links to back up all their assertions go to the Kevin Craig for Congress website. A man attempting to become a ruler by their own definition is posting anti-ruler rhetoric. Kevin claims he's NOT an "archist" which is true since he got less than 7% of the vote and failed miserably in his election bid.

You can't make this stuff up folks.

As I peruse these websites so you don't have to, one thing keeps popping up over and over especially when it comes to the words "law" and "free" and "liberty". The authors of these websites either don't understand what the Bible is talking about, or they are intentionally twisting scripture. When talking about liberty a good example is 

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty (James 2:12)

When speaking of this verse and similar verses Christian Anarchist James Redford points out that the word used is eleutheria which does mean liberty or freedom. James then goes on to say that it means; "freedom from slavery," "independence," "absence of external restraint," "a negation of control or domination," "freedom of access," etc. He's making the argument that it means "freedom from government". That's not what it means. What James is missing here is that this is the Bible, the bible is not a political document, it's not a bill of rights, the Bible is the auto-biography of Jesus Christ and the story of His relation with us. When the bible mentions freedom it means Freedom From Sin. And when the bible talks about The Law it's not talking about civil law but God's revealed, inerrant, sufficient and comprehensive word. 

These so-called Christians Anarchists like to point out that the rulers of this earth are going to get their come-uppance; Isaiah 24:21-22, Ezekiel 34:1-10, Zechariah 10:3, Revelation 19:19-21 and use this as an excuse to exclude themselves from civil law. We know this is going to happen, does that make it an excuse to rebel against legitimate government? It's like saying "My history professor is going to die some day, so I'm not going to do the term paper he assigned.

"But wait!" you might say, and you might continue "What about Romans 13? Didn't Paul tell us to be in subjection to the governing authorities?" Wellll.... according to Anarchist James Redford's story Paul, the Super Apostle, the Apostle to the Gentiles, the Blinded By God On The Road To Damascus Apostle was actually being 'cagey'. Paul was employing "Rhetorical misdirection" 

Paul was counting on the fact that most people who would be hostile to the Christian church--the Roman "authorities" in particular--would, upon reading Romans 13, naturally interpret it from the point of view of legal positivism: i.e., that such people would take for granted that the "governing authorities" and "rulers" spoken of must refer to the men who operate the governments on Earth. But never does Paul anywhere say that this is so!...

The early Christians were a persecuted minority under the close surveillance of the Roman government as a possible threat to its power...

[Romans 13:1] leaves wide open the possibility that those who control the mortal governments on Earth are not true authorities as appointed by God. 

There is so much wrong with this that it's scary. Other than calling Paul a liar and not only is it biblically incorrect it's a solid F- on the History of Rome pop quiz. When Paul wrote Romans there was no Christian Church, the early Christians were a sect of Judaism, and Paul was trying to reconcile Gentiles and Jews together until the day he died as evidenced in Ephesians 1-3. Yes, Christians were a persecuted minority, at this time it wasn't by Rome, it was by their Jewish brothers and pagans rejecting God's word. Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans in 56 AD, the Roman government didn't even notice the Christians for another 8 years when they became a convenient scape goat for Nero's burning of Rome.

If the Roman government had read his letter to the Romans they wouldn't have cared in the least. However if Paul ran around setting fire to buildings and throwing bombs at the legionnaires like he was some kind of ANARCHIST yeah, they would have cared. 

How do you like that last quote  "...leaves wide open the possibility that those who control the mortal governments on Earth are not true authorities as appointed by God." Was Art Bell around in 56 AD? was there a shadow government ruling Rome? The Illuminatti? The Bilderbergers? Maybe it was Bush's fault! He could have been making the point that worldly governments were controlled by Satan, but that's never alluded to in the bible until the end times. Yes, there are bad governments and good governments all throughout history, but then, we're all sinners.

Are they Christian? Yeah, in the broadest sense of the word they kind of are Christian, in the same way we could consider many Catholics to be Christian. But seriously, I can't take this bunch seriously, other than to say at best they're a cult. Twisting scripture, reading unrelated meaning into scripture, basing your doctrine on supposition, redefining words, these are hallmarks of a cult. We should pray for those that fell under the spell of the False Teachers like James Redford and Kevin Craig that they be delivered from the heresy and brought into the fold. I think we should let Peter & Paul have the last words, without help from George Noory:

1 Every 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. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For 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; 4 for 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. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. (Romans 13:1-7)

1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. (1 Timothy 2:2)

Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed (Titus 3:1)

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. (1 Peter 2:13-17)