Anti-government

[flatliner]

Can a Catholic be anti-government? That is, can I as a Catholic seek to do away with government all together while at the same time seek to elevate moral awareness?

 

[Timothy]

Can they? Yes. Can they do so Coherently? … Thats a bit more doubtful.

 

[BrianDay]

Question: Are you advocating anarchy, or a strict libertarian position?

I don’t think you can legitimately do away with all government. Even Jesus acknowedged the need for government when asked about the image on the roman coin, said “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s…”

I myself prefer a modified libertarian position. Very limited government, and morality laws that implement Catholic teaching.

 

[GregA]

In my opinion it really comes down to how you want to go about it. Jesus taught that it was important to obey the laws of the land, but that doesn’t mean you can’t seek to change the law.

If you seek to bring about these changes using peaceful Christ-like means, then the answer is yes. If you want to use terrorist type activties to bring it about, then the answer is no.

The real focus is preparing yourself for the kingdom of God. That is the ultimate government that we will all be subject to in the end.

GregA

 

[flatliner]

BrianDay:

Question: Are you advocating anarchy, or a strict libertarian position?

I don’t think you can legitimately do away with all government. Even Jesus acknowedged the need for government when asked about the image on the roman coin, said “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s…”

I myself prefer a modified libertarian position. Very limited government, and morality laws that implement Catholic teaching.

Anarchy in this sense: The absence of law and government without any implication of ensuing chaos, where the traditional hierarchical systems are replaced by a moral agreement.

I don’t see how Jesus’ comment about the coin can be seen as a recognition of the need for government*.* I just see it as a recognition that there was a government.

 

[flatliner]

Timothy:

Can they? Yes. Can they do so Coherently? … Thats a bit more doubtful.

I was asking if it was morally permissable according to Catholic doctrine. Let me worry about making the view coherent.

 

[flatliner]

GregA:

The real focus is preparing yourself for the kingdom of God. That is the ultimate government that we will all be subject to in the end.

This is my main motivation. Politics and government is of and for creatures. Morality is of and for God.

 

[rfk]

I can’t quote it all, but I’d suggest you go to the Cathechism. Anarchy is clearly is not the answer.
CCC 1919:

Every human community needs an authority in order to endure and develop.

"Human society can be neither well-ordered nor prosperous unless it has some people invested with legitimate authority to preserve its institutions and to devote themselves as far as is necessary to work and care for the good of all."15

There is a great need for civil authority, but you cannot understand the context without really reading what the Cathechism has to say about it. There are interesting points about “subsidiarity”, meaning authority should be delegated down to the lowest possible level of government.

For example, (my example, not the CCC’s) organizing a school is best run if the authority is held by the parents of the children of that school. Setting educational policy at the federal level means a loss of legitimate liberty.
CCC 1883:

Socialization also presents dangers. Excessive intervention by the state can threaten personal freedom and initiative. The teaching of the Church has elaborated the principle of subsidiarity, according to which “a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to co- ordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always with a view to the common good.”

Read through the section on:
PART THREE - LIFE IN CHRIST,
SECTION ONE: MAN’S
VOCATION: LIFE IN THE SPIRIT,
CHAPTER TWO: THE HUMAN COMMUNITY
ARTICLE 1: THE PERSON AND SOCIETY
ARTICLE 2: PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL LIFE

 

[JimG]

flatliner:

Anarchy in this sense: The absence of law and government without any implication of ensuing chaos, where the traditional hierarchical systems are replaced by a moral agreement.

The absence of law and government usually does result in chaos.

In order for government to be replaced by “moral agreement,” you would need a society in which everyone agreed on moral norms. That is, a one religion state. Even then, ther would be disagreements about interpretation, thus a need for a court system.

JimG

 

[flatliner]

JimG:

The absence of law and government usually does result in chaos.

In order for government to be replaced by “moral agreement,” you would need a society in which everyone agreed on moral norms. That is, a one religion state. Even then, ther would be disagreements about interpretation, thus a need for a court system.

JimG

There is no disagreement if you have the Pope to teach infallibly on faith and morals. The point is not to snap my fingers and make it happen. Rather, I would just recommend a gradual increase in moral teaching leading ultimately to everyone seeing the truth of the Catholic church and a gradual decrease in government leading to an eventual extinction of government.