Tag Archives: anarcho-capitalism

Christianity

A Good Ancap Argument

Yesterday, I gave my thoughts on anarcho-capitalism. My purpose
was to get to this post and discuss at least one ancap’s approach
to battle the growing tyranny we face. I think there is a lot of
truth in what he says about unjust government, like the one we
have.

His argument is something I’ve never heard before. He has used
this argument to get people out of traffic tickets and tax bills.
He asks why the law applies to him. They’ll say because the law
says it does. Of course, that is a circular argument, and is
therefore a non-answer. Judges, IRS agents, lawyers with their
juris doctorate can’t answer the question.

I can answer the question of why just laws apply. There is no
answer for why unjust laws apply. The only reason why anyone
complies with unjust laws is because we will suffer violence at
the hand of government. The only rule for unbiblical, unjust
government, which has rejected God’s law, is might makes right.

The reason why just laws apply is because we are created in God’s
image, and His law is the definition of justice. Of course, we’ve
rejected that in this country. No self-respecting judge could
utter such a thing in an American court room. So, this argument is
very effective, and plays into the wheelhouse of this website. It
is presuppositional and theonomic. Choose Christ or choose
absurdity.

Christianity, Theonomy

Anarcho-Capitalists are Cool. Theonomists are More Cool.

Anarcho-capitalists believe there should be no government. I don’t know of any Christian anarcho-capitalists, but that certainly doesn’t mean there aren’t any. I’m very sympathetic to the anarcho-capitalists, and they make a lot of good points. An atheist anarcho-capitalist is much closer to espousing a biblical society than the typical American neo-conservative evangelical.

On a scale of government intrusion, 100 being an all-powerful dictator and totalitarian, and 0 being no government (anarcho-capitalism), I’d put the USSR at 90. They may have aspired to 100, but humans will always have limited resources to achieve our aspirations. I’d put the Democrat party at 55. I’d put the Republican party at 30, and the civil law of the Old Testament at 5. By my estimation, the difference between Republicans (most Christians) and the Bible is greater than the difference between anarcho-capitalism and the Bible.

One of the points that ancaps make is that it is immoral for anyone, including government, to force you to pay them. I wholeheartedly agree. There is no civil penalty for not paying taxes in God’s law. I think the Bible teaches that you ought to pay just taxes, but whether you pay or not is between you and the Lord.

However, where ancaps go wrong is that they take the principle that no one ought to force anyone to do anything out of thin air. This is a belief they take on blind faith. It is a biblical belief, but the non-Christian ancaps reject the only valid source for moral oughts. This is a huge problem as there is no foundation for their system.

The Bible gives very specific instructions to civil magistrates. Their ONLY job is to punish evildoers (Romans 13:1-7). They don’t get to build roads, protect wildlife, give people handouts or make up whatever laws they want. The only standard for good and evil is God’s law, and the only job of government is to enforce God’s law.
Therefore, maximum liberty isn’t zero government, but biblical government.

The last criticism I have of ancaps is that there has never been a successful society built on anarchy. When there is no biblical government, a tyrant will take over.

I don’t want to end on a criticism, so the last thing I’ll point out is that as I’ve listened to some ancaps, they’ve discussed love in society. I’ve never heard Republicans or Rush Limbaugh talk about love. Christians talk about love a lot, but I’ve never heard them talk about love in politics or society. I’ve only ever heard about it listening to non-Christian ancaps. Shaggy hippies seem to have co-opted and redefined peace and love, but those are concepts for which Christians should be striving.