I entered the LDS blogging scene fairly recently (I guess it is called the bloggernacle?) I started visiting one of the largest of the LDS blogs, if not the largest, and read their posts for several weeks, without commenting on anything myself. (My experience is that sharing my own beliefs with people is always met with opposition, so I anticipated that the people frequenting this particular blog would be incensed the moment I started writing and I, accordingly, delayed commenting.)
Nevertheless, the posters seemed to consider themselves open-minded, so I wanted to have some fun and test their claim. (I have found that the ultimate test of open-mindedness is me and my beliefs.) I forget exactly what my first post was, but it had the expected result. People were incensed at my words. A post or two later I was labeled a troll and then banned altogether.
I didn’t really mind that I had been banned, since I had expected such a result. But what I did mind is that some people had inquired further into what I had said and due to the censorship, I was not able to elaborate on the points I had presented. This inability to answer the questions posed to me (and I tried to get past those censors time and time again) due to continual deleting of any comment I would make finally led to my decision of creating this LDS Anarchy weblog.
I still expect that there will be many people who enter, get ticked off by what I write and then leave, never to return again. I always try to bring something new to a topic and my experience is that we are creatures of habit, unaccustomed to new things, new thoughts or novel ways of viewing the same thing. But, there may be a few people out there who, like me, crave for newness, who are tired of the same, standard fare of LDS doctrine and perspective that is served up everywhere.
All the posts written on this blog will (hopefully) be scriptural-based, but if you feel something is not, please offer your correction. I hope that those who read the various posts will have their minds and understandings deepened, expanded and enlightened and can also engage in discussions which will throw even further light upon the marvelous gospel of our Lord.
Complete List of Articles authored by LDS Anarchist
8 Comments
LDS Anarchy 
Interesting, so who bannded you exactly? were they LDS? I have been banned from some sights too but they were all Anti mormon sites. They would call me a liar just for telling them what I believed. I don’t know how it is you can lie about your own personal beliefs, but whatever! So I kinda get the whole anarchy thing but I don’t see how you can be LDS AND an Anarchist. The LDS church is full of rules and is very structured, how would it be the same as it is if we were all anarchists. I would like to know your thoughts!
Steff
You’re always welcome to comment at my site, though I’m some what of an anomaly in the “bloggernacle” (I really hate that nickname). I’m no anarchist, but I’m much more liberal than the vast majority of American Mormons.
I’m looking forward to checking your blog out.
Steff, first, thanks for the visit. I don’t want to point fingers at the blog in question that banned me. Yes, it is an LDS blog and is one of the bigger ones. An intellectual one. I’ll leave it at that. LDS and anarchy go hand-in-hand. Read the entries on this blog about Biblical Anarchism and Book of Mormon Anarchy to learn about scriptural anarchies. More articles on this topic will be coming. It may help to think of it in terms of the opposite principles of force and freedom. Force and freedom are represented by Jesus (freedom) and Satan (force.) Anarchy represents maximum freedom, while statism represents varying degrees of force, from minimum force all the way up to tyrannical dictatorships. LDS should be champions of freedom (free agency) which is the Lord’s way of doing things, not of force (the coercion of the state, for example) which is the satanic way of doing things, so it is entirely natural to be both LDS and an anarchist.
Andrew, thanks for the invitation and visit.
As members of the Lord’s restored church we should be more open minded than anyone else on the planet, because after all don’t we believe that there is much that has yet to have been revealed? To tell you the truth my plan for the past few years has been to start my own “tribe”, if you will, with my family and any friends who also wish to be a part. I have been met with much mocking from members and non-members at the mention of this idea. We currently have way too much government involvement in our lives and you can still have order without such a large and intrusive form of government. While I don’t agree with everything you say, there is a reason why you feel the way you do and who am I to say you are wrong?
Anyway, I really dig the site because it definitely shows the wide range of people who have embraced the gospel. Keep it up and just tell the haters, “If you want to point a finger, well here’s the middle one.” Not that I condone that type of behavior ;p
LDS Anarchist, I sort of understand. (sorry i’m slow) Maybe my problem is that I don’t see how we are too controlled by the Government. I have lived here (in the U.S.) and I don’t know any different. I have always felt like I was “free”. My husband works in Iraq and everytime he comes home he expresses his gratitude for the U.S.A. He literally kisses the ground when he gets hoime 🙂 But anyways, maybe that is why I don’t understand Anarachy. But I want to. I see your scripture refrences and it really does make sense. I think what scares me the most is that there are too many crazy/bad people out there who would try and over throw and take over the good.
Thanks for being patient with me and explaining things to me 🙂
Also, would you consider the FLDS to be Anarchist, why or why not?
Thanks steff 🙂
I just wrote a comment but I guess it didn’t post so i’ll try again.
I am still trying to understand the whole Anarachy thing. Thank you for being patient and explaining it to me! I have never been anywhere but the US and I have always considered myself to be “free”. The only experience I have with another country is through my husband who works in Iraq. When he comes home he always express’s his gratitude for the freedoms we have here. My experiences with this country are only good, so I think that is why I am so confused. I want to understand though. I think I have a fear because there are so many bad/evil people in the world, they would gather and then take over the good. (like the Nephites and Laminites) Anyways, I would like to learn more so i’ll keep reading your posts. and if I ask a bunch of silly questions i apologize!
Also, do you consider the FLDS to be anarchists? Why or why not?
Thanks!
Steff 🙂
Steff, I don’t know much about the FLDS (I’ve never met one,) so I don’t know whether they believe in anarchy or not. To any FLDS that come to this blog: do you believe in anarchy?
The prevalent fear that “anarchy is the worst system because only righteous people could make it work, but since the world is filled with such wickedness, anarchy would equate to terror and violence,” is state propaganda. I’ll address this topic in another post. Thanks for bringing it up.
Oh, both my comments ended up on here, weird! Sorry, you can erase one because they both say basically the same thing 🙂 I ask about the FLDS because they seem to have their own society and live ny their own laws. I don’t know much about them either.
Anyways I’d like to read about the fear factor, so I look forward to that post!
Thanks steff 🙂