Statism Is A Religion

     Over the years I’ve seen people use the Bible to both extol and excoriate the State. I don’t really pay much attention to theology because I’m of the belief that there is no God, and that all religious texts were just humans trying to create a system that seems to work in order to facilitate the continuation of the tribe, populace, humanity, etc. As the State has grown and entered into our everyday lives it has become not just this external system that you can happily forget about, but a system of laws meant to perpetuate the state itself, instead of the people that granted it life and legitimacy. Much like modern day religion.

     Not sure where I’m going with this? It’s simple. The church, rather Catholic or Protestant sects, has grown in size, scope, and influence that it has become a self-licking ice cream cone, which exists for the purpose of maintaining its existence, much like government. Neither one actually exists to facilitate long happy life for those it is supposed to serve, but instead exists to extort money from those it sees as servants. Ask yourself why that collection plate gets passed around. The same reason you pay taxes every year. One is a social pressure, and one is done under threat of violence, so no I am not saying they are exact analogs, but the result of each is the same. 

     Take this quote from Daniel Dennett. It can apply to many things. In this context, he was referring to religion, however I can make the same case towards those who insist the State (federal and state/local) is worthy of respect and admiration. There is no polite way to tell someone that the politician or system that they look to for problem solving is a sham designed to create problems so they can extort money to offer a solution. In fact, if you spent any time thinking about politics, you would see that most of the problems they are trying to solve were in fact created by them in the first place. 

     Many people who look to the state to solve problems will actually agree with the above sentence. They acknowledge that the state creates problems, and yet they justify it with something like “it’s the best system we have, and so we need to use it”. I disagree. Continuing to use it is why you keep having these problems. It’s religious in nature, the way logic is pushed aside to perpetuate this system. It's faith. The system they hate, but want to control so they can use it morally, much like when a new pope or pastor is put in play. 

     Imagine this quote with the word religion removed, and government being inserted in its place. Does it fit? Yes. All the good government has done, and I can name some good things, is not even in the same ballpark as all the bad it’s done. So if that is the case, then why perpetuate this man made institution called the state, when it is demonstrably true that harm is caused. Doing harm to innocent people, even to affect a “moral or good” desired result is still immoral. It’s why police are unfit to exist. It’s why the state is unfit to exist, and it’s why many religions, especially the large ones who command millions and in some cases billions of people are unfit to exist. I have more respect for a small cult that is satisfied living in the middle of nowhere, doing their own thing and not hurting anyone than I do for any established large religion or church. I feel the same way about small communities who govern themselves, who do not want to exert their influence on surrounding communities.

     So in all your endeavors, and in your interaction with your community, ask yourself if anything would change if today government was gone. Would you still be able to barter and trade ethically? Could you defend yourself easier? Would you suddenly start raping and pillaging? The answers to these questions say more about you than they say about the system you operate in.

In Liberty