Organized religion is a coercive hierarchy every bit as violent as any state. Where we see the violence of organized religion restrained, it is restrained by the presence of a better-armed gang that chooses not to abide religious competition. Double-ditto for centralized financial systems.
Violent coercion is an inherent characteristic of hierarchical control systems. The twin purposes of hierarchy are to separate producers from their property and to separate power wielders from accountability.
The artificial scarcity racket we have been trained to call civilization rests on these three pillars: military gangs, religious gangs, and finance gangs. One or another may take precedence for a time, but the violence and theft have not taken a sustained break in any ‘civilized’ area since the first cities arose in Mesopotamia, nearly 10,000 years ago.
I am not sure I am fully there on all of that. I have a friend who was, for many years, a priest in the Russian Orthodox Church. I am not an expert by any means, but from what I could gather from our discussions, that Church does not seem especially coercive. There is a hierarchy, certainly (bishops, priests, etc.), but it did not seem particularly oppressive on the laity. Indeed, that Church has a long history of being persecuted by the state—of martyrdom and priests hiding in fear of their lives. I don't know—perhaps in the centuries before all that, when they had more social and political authority, they were more oppressive. I guess I would have to ask/learn more.
(Update: I checked with my friend, and he confirmed that prior to the Revolution, the RO Church was quite oppressive. So there ya go! Though he is also explaining to me now about tension within the Church, wherein many monks were also fighting to counter that oppressive trend. Complicated business.)
Current situation in the Russian Church is also no bueno; they have reverted to the old posture of subservience to the state. An instructive historical episode is St Philaret of Moscow, who was martyred by Ivan the Terrible. There has always been tension -- inevitable, I would say, given the basic realities of Christian faith focused on personalism, freedom, conscience, responsibility before God, etc. Christian faith has been the greatest historical matrix for the valorization of the person and of liberty, and flawed as they have been, the churches have been the historical "flesh" within which that liberating faith was nurtured and preserved.
"Christian faith has been the greatest historical matrix for the valorization of the person and of liberty" is where I choose to focus—on that, rather than on the organized part.
In my view, it is not the (edited, abridged, bowdlerized, truncated) content of most religions that makes of them violent thieves, but the nature of the hierarchical organization itself. The structure itself creates an upward funnel of stolen wealth and of the power wealth conveys. I hear your eastern orthodox friend’s contributions as another confirmation of the proposition. I would be vitally interested in changing my mind in view of contrary evidence, though.
Those were the monks who heard Paul’s injunction about holding the form of religion and denying its power. If the power of a religion proceeds from anywhere but its truths, it has become its own evil twin. Good to know the revolution accomplished something.
That Tom Woods quote is a CLASSIC! I've always been a huge fan of Woods, and even more respect to him for the way he's found ways to take over the internet and forge his own freedom-based path.
I'd like to pose a slight adjustment for consideration—that it's not money (as a means of exchange/store of value) that is the problem, but rather it is central bank/fiat money.
And I suggest that, fiat or not, the psychopaths will end with the most, being willing to do literally ANYTHING, Ethical or unEthical, to get the most. Fiat or not, They can then pay for the things and the People to Their agendas. And cartels will arise.
Meanwhile, the rest of Us are chained to finding some way to plug Our energy in to "afford" to live on a planet We each own a share of the wealth of. Tied to the system.
This will create poverty, because not all of Us are needed to create needed things, and fewer and fewer as things are automated. 80% and more presently just push money around. Why keep Us enslaved?
And things like planned obsolescence will emerge for profit, creating the bulk of the waste.
Without the need for money to live richly, We will find what We love to do that helps the most. Not perforce plug Our energy in asking if You want fries with that. Or ringing up Your purchase, or accounting for money, or aggressively selling, or robbing, or.........
I understand your position. I will say, though, that in the absence of state coercion, cartels, monopolies, and runaway Pareto distributions do not become more likely; they become less so.
So... The Ones presently with virtually all the gold on Our planet would not use money to create cartels to profit Them? Would not buy out competitors? Would not muck about with things to gain the ability to buy things and People to Their agendas...? Maybe... Buy People to set up a governmafia...?
I'm not sure why They wouldn't (or be "less likely" to...
Government makes those things easier for them to do. Market competition makes it harder. It would still happen, but it would happen less than it does now.
Yes, I agree that convincing People of “authority” adds to Their arsenal, but regardless, the psychopaths will garner the most and buy agendas. And then set up governmafias, no doubt.
And when We have no need for money, living richly as We should be on Our vastly abundant planet, owning a share of the wealth here, it will happen statistically not at all.
Today's Winner: WACO 😔
Waco and Ruby Ridge changed a lot of us.
Organized religion is a coercive hierarchy every bit as violent as any state. Where we see the violence of organized religion restrained, it is restrained by the presence of a better-armed gang that chooses not to abide religious competition. Double-ditto for centralized financial systems.
Violent coercion is an inherent characteristic of hierarchical control systems. The twin purposes of hierarchy are to separate producers from their property and to separate power wielders from accountability.
The artificial scarcity racket we have been trained to call civilization rests on these three pillars: military gangs, religious gangs, and finance gangs. One or another may take precedence for a time, but the violence and theft have not taken a sustained break in any ‘civilized’ area since the first cities arose in Mesopotamia, nearly 10,000 years ago.
I am not sure I am fully there on all of that. I have a friend who was, for many years, a priest in the Russian Orthodox Church. I am not an expert by any means, but from what I could gather from our discussions, that Church does not seem especially coercive. There is a hierarchy, certainly (bishops, priests, etc.), but it did not seem particularly oppressive on the laity. Indeed, that Church has a long history of being persecuted by the state—of martyrdom and priests hiding in fear of their lives. I don't know—perhaps in the centuries before all that, when they had more social and political authority, they were more oppressive. I guess I would have to ask/learn more.
(Update: I checked with my friend, and he confirmed that prior to the Revolution, the RO Church was quite oppressive. So there ya go! Though he is also explaining to me now about tension within the Church, wherein many monks were also fighting to counter that oppressive trend. Complicated business.)
Current situation in the Russian Church is also no bueno; they have reverted to the old posture of subservience to the state. An instructive historical episode is St Philaret of Moscow, who was martyred by Ivan the Terrible. There has always been tension -- inevitable, I would say, given the basic realities of Christian faith focused on personalism, freedom, conscience, responsibility before God, etc. Christian faith has been the greatest historical matrix for the valorization of the person and of liberty, and flawed as they have been, the churches have been the historical "flesh" within which that liberating faith was nurtured and preserved.
Complicated indeed. And tragic.
"Christian faith has been the greatest historical matrix for the valorization of the person and of liberty" is where I choose to focus—on that, rather than on the organized part.
In my view, it is not the (edited, abridged, bowdlerized, truncated) content of most religions that makes of them violent thieves, but the nature of the hierarchical organization itself. The structure itself creates an upward funnel of stolen wealth and of the power wealth conveys. I hear your eastern orthodox friend’s contributions as another confirmation of the proposition. I would be vitally interested in changing my mind in view of contrary evidence, though.
If you wish, you can hit reply to his comment so he gets notified of any questions you may have.
Those were the monks who heard Paul’s injunction about holding the form of religion and denying its power. If the power of a religion proceeds from anywhere but its truths, it has become its own evil twin. Good to know the revolution accomplished something.
Shocking that after the horrors of the Revolution, the Church is back as a sycophant of the state. People don't learn.
These memes are great!
😁🫡
I especially like the “Statist or Voluntaryist?” and “Morality Obedience” memes.
They appeal to your logical mind!
Thanks for the compliment.
That Tom Woods quote is a CLASSIC! I've always been a huge fan of Woods, and even more respect to him for the way he's found ways to take over the internet and forge his own freedom-based path.
Yes, I agree—it is quite impressive.
love the Memes
Thanks!
BTW: I sent you an email back on December 16th, but it would have come from a new address (a pm.me address).
CC - Solid gold.
🙏🏻🫡
Awesome memes! Just imagine when We obsolete the state's single tool to power. Little point to a governmafia cartel then...
Let’s Obsolete Money and Get Rid of Cartels! (article): https://amaterasusolar.substack.com/p/lets-obsolete-money-and-get-rid-of
I'd like to pose a slight adjustment for consideration—that it's not money (as a means of exchange/store of value) that is the problem, but rather it is central bank/fiat money.
And I suggest that, fiat or not, the psychopaths will end with the most, being willing to do literally ANYTHING, Ethical or unEthical, to get the most. Fiat or not, They can then pay for the things and the People to Their agendas. And cartels will arise.
Meanwhile, the rest of Us are chained to finding some way to plug Our energy in to "afford" to live on a planet We each own a share of the wealth of. Tied to the system.
This will create poverty, because not all of Us are needed to create needed things, and fewer and fewer as things are automated. 80% and more presently just push money around. Why keep Us enslaved?
And things like planned obsolescence will emerge for profit, creating the bulk of the waste.
Without the need for money to live richly, We will find what We love to do that helps the most. Not perforce plug Our energy in asking if You want fries with that. Or ringing up Your purchase, or accounting for money, or aggressively selling, or robbing, or.........
I understand your position. I will say, though, that in the absence of state coercion, cartels, monopolies, and runaway Pareto distributions do not become more likely; they become less so.
So... The Ones presently with virtually all the gold on Our planet would not use money to create cartels to profit Them? Would not buy out competitors? Would not muck about with things to gain the ability to buy things and People to Their agendas...? Maybe... Buy People to set up a governmafia...?
I'm not sure why They wouldn't (or be "less likely" to...
Government makes those things easier for them to do. Market competition makes it harder. It would still happen, but it would happen less than it does now.
Yes, I agree that convincing People of “authority” adds to Their arsenal, but regardless, the psychopaths will garner the most and buy agendas. And then set up governmafias, no doubt.
And when We have no need for money, living richly as We should be on Our vastly abundant planet, owning a share of the wealth here, it will happen statistically not at all.