LDS Anarchist
anthonyelarson
rodneycluff
onewhoiswatching
spektator
Justin
illmatic253
dyc4557
I am of the opinion that the greatest potential for change in our society comes first through the Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ and second by how we raise children. Marianne Williamson, a spiritual activist, has said, “There is no single effort more radical in its potential for saving the world than a transformation of the way we raise our children.” The Lord has revealed that “the wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the traditions of their fathers. But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth” (D&C 93:39-40). With such a command, the issue of child rearing in light and truth is of highest importance. We must dispel and drive out any tradition that will take away light and truth from our children thus enabling them to reach higher than we can.
I hope for a better world. In my opinion a better world is one of harmony, peace, love, equality, freedom, truth and faith. Any action we take contrary to that better world can instill that negative action into a child’s nature. The idea of a child being a sponge, soaking up all the information of the world around her, causes me to account for all my beliefs and values. Damage done to a child in their formative years is nearly ineradicable. Conversely, good and true principles and virtues established in their life from the day these children are conceived has the power and capacity to bring up children more fully in light and truth.
Ever since my son was conceived my wife and I have sought to minimize the impact of the traditions of men on him. We’ve had to critically look at the practices with which we were raised and compare those against others, guided by the Holy Spirit and using our best judgment when presented with scientific research and advice from other parents. I’ve come to the conclusion that Western methods of raising a child have been greatly influenced by the devil.
Anarchist Education
Considering the multiplicity of directions we could take this discussion, I wish to focus on anarchy in education. First off, I do not consider anarchism to be some nonsensical gimmick that I encourage or with which I affiliate myself for the sake of non-conformity. Though I am attracted to bohemian lifestyles, I truly believe that anarchism is the social order of a perfect society. This is a romantic notion but one worthy of study and active integration where possible.
One definition or explanation of anarchism that I like is that of being master of your own destiny. It makes no sense to endorse an ideology devoid of unjustified rule, explicitly devoted to personal freedom in the grandest sense, and not give that very freedom to children from the beginning of their lives. As adults we are capable of exerting force upon children, either physically or psychologically, and satan would have us exploit that power. We must cast satan out of our midst and trust in the divine nature with which we have all been blessed by our great Creator.
I’ve mentioned this in at least three blog posts I’ve done in the last year (one of which can be found on my personal blog here) but I believe God has given us at least three important attributes that will bring us to Him if we allow them to develop:
1) Curiosity. This is what brings an infant to crawling, walking, talking, drawing, whatever in spite of the fact that it requires work and necessitates a move toward independence. If we were not curious, why would we ever want to do those things? Everything is done for us before we begin learning those things. I submit that humans naturally are curious.
2) Goodness. I do not believe that we enter this world desiring to sin. I think we are susceptible to sin but not inherently endowed with sinful tendencies. I believe people unfettered by the chains of the adversary will innately gravitate toward justice, peace, love, and kindness.
3) Aspiration. People want to become better and greater than they currently are. Children want to become effective adults. They observe adults carefully and closely and seek to emulate what they consider effective adulthood. Adults find models that they can look up to. The obvious hope is that we all look to the happiest being we know of, God our Father, and seek after Him.
I don’t think I will find much protest with those who frequent this blog in saying that I reject public education and the modern school system. But I also reject any attempt at indoctrination of children. Indeed one of the fundamental aspects of anarchism is the ability to critically examine anything with which we are presented. I therefore reject curriculum of any sort thrown upon a child. One critical aspect of casting satan out of our midst is to reject all forms of coercion or compulsion. Telling people what to learn or think is force. The doctrine of agency disallows anything that is forced.
So how can we teach our children? This issue is never one-sided. You can yak all day to me about anything you want but if I don’t decide to listen and learn, it’s just wasted breath. Freedom of choice is crucial to development, which is why it was so strongly guarded and fought for in heaven. Power and influence can only be had by persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, love unfeigned, kindness and pure knowledge, without hypocrisy or guile (D&C 121:41-42). Those are the same principles upon which our Father teaches His children.
Do we trust our divine nature? Do we trust that we have, through extensive examination and spiritual guidance, arrived at the conclusions we have, making it possible for us to persuade another? God trusts Himself. Therefore he knows His doctrine is well founded and He needn’t resort to force to convince others to follow Him. If we are attempting to force others to do this or that, we must think that the subject is not self-justifying. Therefore no one should pursue it. Is our knowledge pure? Do people seek the knowledge we have without being tricked into it? If not, perhaps it is not knowledge worth having.
I hope I have portrayed this idea well enough to generate conversation. I am always willing to admit my logic may be flawed or faulty.
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I learned it was best to home school my first 5 children when the oldest was in 11th grade and the youngest in1st.
But I did not know the principle as well as it has been expressed here. So I experienced resistance and confusion in trying to teach them. What i found that worked best is in line with what you have expressed. People learn by taking in knowledge of their own will. Ramming it down someone’s throat doesn’t teach. Knowledge sets which are not wanted by the learner are forgotten as soon as the exam is over. But if a person wants to know something they will actively work to assimilate it.
If is not interested in math and other abstract subjects. It is a waste of time to try and pressure them into learning these things.
We think that a college education is important. It is not. If someone wants to work in a field that requires a degree then they must make the sacrifice of their own will to jump through the hoops of useless work.
Written communication is important and the skill and practicing of reading can provide people with the ability to learn this for themselves. So reading with young children is something I think would be very key. If they don’t like to read at all even when you have given them the example and spent time reading with them then chances are they may see things very differently than normal. They may have a form of dyslexia or other visual or mental perceptions which are not standard.
This does not make them inadequate or dumb. I know a man who can not form written communication well. He reads fine but assembling words for written transmission is not an ability that he can do well. He is very expert at assembling physical things and has no problem earning a living constantly. This is an example of how college is not needed or desirable for all.
This is a most apropos topic for the month of October, being that a widely accepted tradition of men will be “celebrated” this month in the USA (Halloween or Hallow’s Eve). (I know this article focused in on the tradition of public education and I agree 100% with home schooling and that public schools do extreme emotional and psychological harm to our children.) I find it appalling that our church (leadership) will acknowledge this pagan event in our church buildings by allowing Halloween parties and celebrations. Parents think it’s cute and funny to dress up their children as demons, witches, skeletons, vampires and other monsters. I know some wards that permit these costumes in the cultural hall, just not inside the chapel. The fact that they are dressed up in these costumes is ludicrous and preposterous for a Christian people!
I recently had the ward Bishop and his wife over for dinner and asked him why our church felt compelled to “host” Halloween parties for the children? His response was that it was better and safer for the children to be in a protected environment, rather than be out on the streets, where they might be harmed by molesters or get razor blades or poison in their candy. When I suggested that we, as a church, follow the example of, say, the Lutheran’s, and denounce this tradition all together, they both expressed a shock of horror and his wife responded that “You should try to deny this from your kids. It’s just too hard and causes too much fighting.” The conversation quickly spiraled downward as I pointed out that the Amish, Lutheran’s and others have no problems teaching their children to shun the traditions of Satan.
It seems to me that many parents in our church are unwilling to fight the good fight and teach our children the ways of righteousness. I believe they are lazy and are more interested in being their children’s friend, rather then be a teacher, mentor, leader and authority figure.
Two years ago, my wife and I decided to no longer acknowledge, participate in or celebrate the pagan “holidays” of Halloween, Christmas and Easter. Although we do celebrate the earthly birth of our Savior in April, we do not associate that celebration with Easter – a bunny rabbit that lays eggs, ostensibly associated somehow with our Savior’s birth.
Both my wife and I are offended with the Christmas Sacrament meeting theme. Christmas is a pagan event. A quick search on Google about whether Christians should celebrate Christmas shows the reasons why Christians should not. The strongest reason for me is that it’s about the Mass of Christ, or in other words, His Last Supper. And what happened to Him after the Last Supper? He was crucified. So, in actuallity, Christmas is celebrating the DEATH of Christ, the antipode of what most Christians believe!!!! I believe it is sinful for Bishops or anyone in our church to celebrate this pagan event in a Sacrament Meeting (especially when they wish everyong a Merry Christmas – or Merry Death of Christ.)
As long as I’m on this soapbox of mine, I’d like to bring up another tradition of men that has my rancor, namely the annual Boys Scout Sunday service “celebration” . As a staunch libertarian, one who does not believe in the initiation of force, I am offended when they parade through the chapel with the American military flag, and are dressed in para-military uniforms. The Boys Scouts were created by a English military officer either during or after WWI with the expressed purpose of better preparing the next generation of young men for war. Hitler was so impressed with this organization that he modeled his Hitler Youth program after it. Now, after all this, where in the world do we see anything Christian with this organization. Aren’t we told in scripture to shun war?
Whew! I’ll get off my soapbox now. As always, I appreciate your responses.
I greatly appreciate the original post as well as the above two comments. However, I think that there needs to be more of a balance between the extreme focus on individuality that you all are proposing and the necessity of having a strong community. Humans are social beings. Our eternal kingdoms are based upon a gathering of similar souls with like-minded personalities and dispositions. By solely focusing on individual choices with no obligation or responsibility to a larger community would create an unbalanced and selfish personality. Sometimes children need to be guided into things they would not initially find to their liking or immediate gratification. Service for others is the item that immediately comes to mind but there are other examples.
While I agree with the need to carefully evaluate our traditions, customs, and practices, the need for a strong community (secular or religious) requires the bonding of people through common celebrations, events and traditions. Too much isolation does not lead to the building of a Zion community.
It is easy to dismiss many of the things we have inherited from previous generations but there is much good in them also. Even if Easter had its beginnings in a pagan tradition, it is still a powerful reminder of the atonement and resurrection of our Saviour. Holy week is one of my favourite times of the year. And while my Catholic schooling and upbringing does not always mesh with my current life as a Latter-day Saint, many of those traditions helped me form an identity that I value today. It is important to separate out what has been distorted by the consumer marketplace for commercial gain (the current practice of Halloween) from the original intent of the holiday (All Hallow’s Eve as originally practiced as a respectful Celtic remembrance of the line between this world and the next).
What we classify as pagan holidays all had their beginnings in traditions handed down from the original patriarchs of the earth starting with Adam and Eve. They have just been distorted as time passed. Brother Nibley’s writings are very enlightening in this regards. It is important to remember the original intent and how we can re-focus the holiday or community tradition on its original intent.
I despise holidays — anniversaries and birthdays too. If you want an excuse to dress different and go to the church parking lot to exchange junk food — then just do it. It doesn’t matter what the Gentiles do or have done with the day.
There are pagan influences in Christmas and Easter as well — so what. We can take those days and do with them as we please. Was Jesus born on Christmas — no. Did He conquer death on Easter — how could He, the day changes every year?
As concerning therefore the [celebrating] of those things that [originated with the] sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
About public schooling I too don’t want my daughter to go through what I went through. I’m just praying that by the time she reaches that age I will be part of a community with a gospel oriented alternative. Or maybe I’ll have another wife to two to help with homeschooling.
I can definatly agree that I know much more about subjects I actually go out and research myself. The pace at which my current babylonian electronics class is going is just a bit too fast for me.
About holidays, I have to admit that Halloween is one of my favorite idols. But don’t get me started on Trunk-or-Treat. It just….I can’t….ARRRGHHH!!!
zo-ma-rah, my kids are homeschooled using the Robinson Curriculum. It’s pretty easy to do and doesn’t require a second wife. See Anarchy in Education for more info.
Likewise — I have one wife and we homeschool using Charlotte Mason. One wife should be able to handle it if the family prioritizes for it.
How does providing a curriculum instill anarchism? Doesn’t having a curriculum tell the child that there are limits on what you should be? Isn’t that against anarchism? I don’t feel like I’m necessarily an advocate of homeschooling. I can understand having resources around the house and parental influence is something that should carry more weight in our society but I don’t only want that.
Sometimes homeschooling becomes this elitist thing where only part of our society can practically do it, similar in some ways to truly living the law of consecration, where it seems nearly impossible for many considering the circumstances in which we currently find ourselves. It almost borders on selfishness because it’s as if we say to the others, “Well, too bad for your kids in the public school, mine will be better off.” Would you agree that not everyone can feasibly practice something like homeschooling? Obviously part of establishing Zion will be that everyone will be free to do whatever they want but what about the interim?
I want to start an anarchist free school, free of charge, running on donations wherein kids can enroll and spend some time there to comply with state mandates especially for those kids whose parents are unable to do homeschooling. Kids can teach themselves to read, write and do simple arithmetic. That’s not a problem. The problem with education is there is no ability to critically analyze, ask meaningful questions and create. Creativity is declining so fast in our society that our culture is stagnating. It seems like people have stopped asking questions because they’re so distracted and soothed by their temporal, carnal security. Very few critically think about what happens in their life, as shown even among the members of the church.
To live is to learn. What surrounds you becomes your curriculum. We have books and the internet to learn about things outside our immediate circumstances. A beautiful society, in my mind, has great amounts of public gathering for discussion of important issues. Learning becomes the central part of life. I just want to provide that for kids so when they get older and see how messed up life is they have something to which they can aspire. To me, homeschooling is not the answer. It provides some relief and help but it doesn’t address, in my mind, the root of the problem. I don’t know, what do you all think?
Chris,
Both the homeschool method I mentioned, as well as the one LDSA mentioned and has written about, are very child-directed. Providing the framework within which to learn is not the same thing as “lording over” the child — telling them what they need to know, etc.
The scriptures are filled with directives to teach — teach one another. Curriculums aren’t necessarily “archies”.
While the three links beloware not presented as authorities, they do provide vauluable information for people who may not be aware of the hugely pagan and satanic origins of these three misnomer holidays.
Enjoy:
http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/Christmas_TheRealStory.htm
http://www.neopagan.net/Halloween-Origins.html
http://www.thercg.org/books/ttooe.html (Easter)
Well, I always felt it was more of a simple matter not requiring a lot of fore thought when it comes to raising kids, rather than taking a philisophical approach.
Do something really mean and you get smaked up side the head.
Do something really stupid and get smaked up side the head.
Do something nice and get a pat on the head.
Do something exceptionally nice and get interrogated for suspision of wrong doing.
Raising kids always seemed more common sense than anything else.
If a kid is borne with half a brain, he should be able to figure out the most advantagous path to happiness by the lack of bumps on his head…Somehow I just can’t picture Heavenly Father dealing with kids any differently than He deals with grown ups in the Scriptures…
Some kids, like the obnoctious adults they sometimes become, deserve no better than a knot on the head and God not having to give that a whole lot of thought because He can READ their Hearts…
If they are GOOD at Heart, that won’t happen very often…Pretty Simple…
So learn to READ them, as opposed to reading SOMETHING INTO THEM, that just ain’t there…The LATTER, is the approach taken by todays child rearing ” EXPERTS “.
The FORMER, comes NATURALLY with a little Common Sense.
The focus should maybe, be on Character , a little Common Sense & Civil Decency.
Beyond that…What else really matters ?
Man, I’m glad I became a Father before Spock, Oprah and the likes of Krishna became the rage.
And I thank God my Dad was an Iron Worker with a Hard Hand & a Velvet Heart who spoke few words when it came to teaching the REAL lessons of life through physical sacrifice & hard labor, a smack on the Butt & a kind ear.
It makes me feel more like a Real Person with feelings and substance to my life, than a SISSY with a Million “better ways” of saying something without actually getting around to DOING anything REAL.
Sort of what these kind of kids become when they grow up to be like Politicians in whatever their feild of endevor…All Show & No Go.
I hope in the Zion to come, that Heavenly Father places all worthy Iron Workers & Marines at the head of Government. So that that society can function more like Mayberry than Haite AshBerry. And make it so that I don’t feel like I need to puke when some lame sissy comes up with another “Great Idea” and somehow HE was placed in charge.
That be the way it is now, but I’ll bet a Dollar against a Donut, that God has OTHER future Plans…So I wouldn’t get TOO Philisophic with my approach to DADDY HOOD.
Satan is a SISSY ! And that is what he has made of MOST DADDY’S & their Little Boys….
Well okay whatever Zack…but your common sense only goes so far…and it aint as tough as you make it appear. Cause a tribal Dad will kill you quicker than you can blink if it is necessary and right and directed by the spirit. For being such a tough guy you are so quick to call “government” your daddy….haha…what a pansy in the truest sense of the word…I mean you think just because you close your eyes while doing it….that the children who were born to you in this lifetime can not see you sucking Satan’s d–k? HA!
What a sucker!
Okay, Elder Chantdown, that last part was a little crude. I could have gone my whole life without that imagery.
My kids have been homeschooled a great deal. I never could follow a set curricula. Children don’t fit into set molds. I do have the Robinson program and wish I had a laser printer and fifty reams of paper, and a way to bind nearly all of those books on those discs.
When I read the original post, I wasn’t thinking so much of home schooling and curricula, though. I was thinking of a lifestyle. Children need to learn so much more than worldly learning.
When my oldest child was born, I was given a knowledge that – no matter what I taught her, she would learn it. If I taught her she could fly, she would. Okay, don’t lock me in the booby hatch. Seriously, there seemed to be no limits, except one very important limit: I could not teach her what I did not know/did not believe – therefor, I could not teach her the example above (to fly). (When I say “fly” I am thinking of walking in the air, or similar things, like Jesus and angels have done.)
Sometimes I think we don’t have a clue as to how many false beliefs we have – and we pass them on to our children.
If I could do it over and didn’t have fear of the interference inherent in the secular leaders, I would unschool my children. I would “unschool” my home and my life. I would have a Christ-like spouse, and I would be Christ-like myself. I can’t see myself being perfect (only one person accomplished that), but I can see that it would be so much better without fear of state and with the power of faith & priesthood. Dream on.
I am not presently home schooling. I am burned out. I think I did quite well, in spite of the fact that I rarely had any kind of support group. Also, we had a touch of anarchy in our home, I suppose. It was usually the children’s choice whether or not to go to public school, and when to stop going to public school. For example, my 2nd daughter went to kindergarten for a total of one day. (It didn’t take schools long to dislike me – in/out/in/out usually according to my children’s whims.)