It is time to move into our second week of dialogue.
While we have yet to see the hoped for levels of explicit participation, our mini-seminar continues unabated. Feel free to jump in anywhere, but please do follow the format so as to avoid clutter.
The method this week is identical to the last. This week we are reading chapters 5-8, with questions by Friday and responses by Sunday.
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Chapter 8 was such a truth bomb that it made me nauseous to be honest. So Tolstoy just got done eviscerating the evil behind all authority and its dependence on violence to concentrate its power. Tolstoy names bribery, intimidation, corruption, and hypnotization as four ways that governments manipulate their citizens into obedience. One by one please explain how would you practice non resistance to evil by force when confronted by these four examples given. How would your reactions differ from Jesus Christ's. Use the scenarios given in conjunction to these 4 cases in chapter 8 as jumping of points.
ReplyDeleteThese are the four means of enslavement to violence according to Tolstoy in chapter 8 these are: Intimidation, Corruption, Hypnotization, and Conscription.
DeleteIntimidation is threat of violence that is avoided by the subject and in doing so manipulated into obedience. An example of Nonresistance to intimidation by force would be as followed. You are protesting an injustice like, racisms or sexism or military industrial complex. You are demonstrating in rally against injustice and the National Guard has drawn batons ready crack some skulls. So you resist evil with voluntarily turning the other cheek by sitting down. You are not giving up but also not tempted to defend yourself and retaliate. Dignity never leaves this moral high ground. Get rid of all weapons. Disputes can be mediated by a third party.
Corruption is living better at another’s expense. This happens in government of all kinds. Taxes and bribes are seen as normal protection money. Extortion by the organized government for its protection. I think Jesus would say “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s”. So when the tax man comes give all their money back! We as Christians need to owe debt no one but love and gratitude in service. I would recommend a Gift Economy or Volunteerism as alternatives. Get rid of money and banks and debt.
Hypnotization is cultural celebrations of church and state. Patriotism is promoted by Government since childhood. The military history is always from the victor’s point of view. National monuments, Holidays, parades are all helping this tribal “national” mentality. I think Christ would say we are all brothers and sisters from one Father God. Nonresistance to this evil by force would be to not to participate in any patriotic activity. Separate and unequal doesn’t work.
Hypnotization by the Church has given its own cultural identity a sense of nobility. The church has taken so much money to its own aggrandizement. Most if not all the money goes into the spectacle on every Sunday. There is only one Kingdom of God, then why are there so many different churches. Jesus said raise the dead and cast out demons, feed the poor, heal the sick, and visit incarcerated. Instead of sacrificing to God who needs nothing from us. We should help and serve all regardless of Religion or nationality with nothing but Love. Let every day be Christmas and give gifts to all. Of course the disciples ate some of the fish that Jesus made, but 12 disciples ate and 5000 ate. That’s 99% gift ratio. My suggestion would be to make gifts and services the #1 priority. Make the church more into a trust fund with no physical temples to upkeep. Believers would travel and live in each other’s houses like Jesus did.
Conscription in to the military whether voluntary or involuntary is the last piece. The constitution establishes the right to use violence against foreign and domestic adversaries. Young impressionable boys are brain washed into obey the commander in chief to pursue any mission of violence. Total Authority and allegiance to church and state. Resist evil with evil this is daily bread for the world powers. Jesus would say those who live by sword would die by the sword. Our military creates a militant world. Wage peace and forgiveness. Jesus would dodge the draft nor make arms.
By this method the circle of Violence is completed.