When I am speaking of anarchism in this article I am referring to a society lacking all hierarchy the traditional meaning. I will address my stance on anarcho-capitalism or anarcho-conservatism in a separate post.
There are too many people that think the merre existence of a State is equal to Statism and being soft on tyranny. It is also assumed that one cannot adhere to the non-aggression principle and be in favor of a properly functioning state existing. This is not true at all a state existing is not the same thing as statism. Neither do voluntaryists need to be or support anarchy.
The term voluntaryists originates with an on fire anti anarchist in the early 1900s to define those that were against coerced payments to the state to replace them with a voluntary funded state. However, a state existing was never put forth as a solution taking into account human nature.
As a Bible believing Christian I follow what God's Word says about His divinely given institutions and a human government is one of them. Therefore anarchy is unbiblical and out of the question. The question becomes what is the proper role and scope of a State. Not the existence or not of one.
The Bible in Romans 13 says it is to be a Justice System acting as God's Sword for providing a means of dispensing His Justice through human representations of His delegated authority. This is all that is affirmly prescribed and described. It does not endorse Statism. The idea of the State getting involved outside of protecting people's rights. The idea of getting involved in the economy and enforcing a form of legalism on people.
Specifically the Non-aggression or non-initiation of coercion principle is to be defended via The State and a virtuous, free society maintained ideally. This matches perfectly with the mandate for being God's Sword and doing His justice on Earth. This does not mean I am Utopian enough to think we will ever have such a system. Neither do I think we should be out protesting that the current state is statist.
Romans 13 also teaches us to submit to the authorities and the consequences of our actions. This means that we are to live lives being peaceful and good citizens submitting to any laws that do not contradict God's Law. So, if the State is doing something we do not agree with that does not mean we grab our guns and go out causing harm to government officials or anything we are to seek for peaceful change.
However, on the other hand if the State makes laws that contradict God's Law we need to submit to and follow God rather than the State. Irregardless of which people and parties are in power at the time. We also need to be willing to accept the consequences of our peaceful civil disobedience. Which could mean life in prison or even death depending on what laws we disobeyed.
A State is biblical, but statism I argue is not. Neither is anarchism of the Bible and a Godly solution to the current ills of Statism. Anarchism literally equals no laws as there is no means to enforce them. It is traditionally very much chaos. Additionally, I do not think anarcho-capitalism or anarcho-conservatism is sustainable in real life despite not being anarchy or anarchism as traditionally defined.
A properly functioning State defending our God-given Innalliable Natural Rights to life, liberty and property in all our spheres or areas of life is a Godly Governance and a proper Godly State. This is the answer and not no state and no laws. Hierarchy when created through God's Given design for society is good not evil. Authority doing what it is supposed to is not evil.
So, Christians should support limited government with strict balances of power, checks and balances not statelesness or anarchy. Ultimately one should fall somewhere on the right-minarchist spectrum. Not on the modern liberal area or left leaning in anyway. Nor on the Statist Moral policing side many conservatives fall into.
I am very socially conservative/culturally conservative, but, I am also for maximizing freedom and minizing State babysitting. (The enforcement of so called victimless crimes.) I would fall squarely within the paleolibertarian traditon which combines traditional/conservative values with being in favor of freedom FROM the State wherever possible.
