Introduction

This last Epiphany Sunday, the priest was giving a homily about following in the footsteps of the three kings and finding the "star" in your life, meaning the thing in your life that points you towards Christ. I couldn't help but think it: in some way, my readings into leftist theory did that.

I don't mean that I believe dogmatically any of the socialist literature I looked into last summer. They are riddled with problems--problems that should not be excused--but it did open my eyes to something that I see sorely, sorely lacking among Americans and Christians most of all:

Moral idealism.

I saw in the fervor of communist and socialist literature a love for fellow man, and a strict adherence to a set of morals no matter how personally inconveniencing it is, rejecting the status quo. And it was inspiring.

For instance, all men have the right to freedom and equality--a tenet that even our own society believes--so why do some slave in the service of and benefit of others and the detriment of themselves? For the socialist, the answer is clear (they should not), but for those who defend capitalism (many of them Christians) we hear only excuses. "If he saves and is intelligent, the worker will someday be able to profit off the backs of others as well." "The employees aren't in squalor--they can afford most of what makes a member of society." "Yes, the business owners reap the profit of the collective enterprise, but they were so smart that one time when they came up with the business." None of these answers--or any answer given by defenders of the capitalist system--satisfy the base problem which is: If man is equal, and especially for the Christian, if we are all equal under the eyes of God--if we are all brothers and sisters in Christ--why do some profit at the expense of others? Sure, man is flawed and will always be flawed, but why do we defend his flaws and allow blatant deviations from both the Gospel and the so-called tenets of Liberal Democracy? Why do we not at least admit that the current system is in error--that it should not happen?

It's in this way that my readings into socialist theory have made me, I think, a better Christian. Obviously, I could have come to the same conclusions without digging into socialism, but it took a radical shift in my perceptions and an unplugging from mainstream, convenience-driven "Christian" conservatism to wake me to the true radical calling of Christ--a Christ who said “sell all your possessions, then come follow me," (Mark 10:21) and “if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away" (Matt 5:30).

He's not for making excuses and creating lists of exemptions to his rules--as all modern societies and many institutions have done. He advocates the ideal--the moral perfection that He displayed by His life, teaching, and His death for all of mankind on the cross at Calvary.

In that vein, I am an anarchist. We'll be talking more about what that exactly means, but it doesn't mean I want chaos to rule the day. It means that I profess the moral teachings of Christ before all else. I am convinced that this world is not our home, and that the institutions that exist in them, in their current state, should not be made our own either.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1 John 2:15-17

Yes, through reflectionist we'll be talking about politics, and culture, and life, and work, and rights, and whatever else. But I hope to always be speaking from this vantage point. I suspect that I'll ruffle a few feathers and that's to be expected. I hope I do, and I hope you ruffle mine too. As Christians, we should be seekers of truth--the truth that is centered on the Eternal Truth--and that means shaking ourselves out of our comfort zones. I hope we can find the truth together, and so I encourage you to leave comments/corrections. This blog is only me, and I don't have all the answers.

In love.