The Rule We Followed is Worse Than Useless

10/20/2021

A moment before unceremoniously ending Carson Wells' life with a shotgun blast in Cormac McCarthy's No Country For Old Men, the renegade psychopathic killer Anton Chigurh asks the hapless Wells the following haunting question:

If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?

Christians who continue to insist on the usefulness of standard politics in our demonically totalitarian world should be asking themselves the same question.

Christians have been following the rule of Enlightenment-inspired secular, liberal democratic politics for over two centuries - and what has it brought us?

Enlightenment politics was meant to be a phase in consciousness - a high mark of human autonomy and alienation from God. At some point during this phase of autonomy consciousness, Christians should have come to the realization that autonomy and alienation from God were untenable and, more significantly, undesirable.

At some point in the past two-and-a-half centuries, we should have recognized the limits of our autonomous mode of existence and turned back to Christ full in the understanding that without Jesus there is no way forward for man. Without Jesus, there is no advancement in consciousness - only regression.

And regression is precisely what we are experiencing now. Consciousness is receding from autonomy and is plunging into the chasm of unprecedented despiritualization in which man surrenders his spiritual freedom in favor of being ruled exclusively by external forces.

Standard politics is a misnomer and a category error. For starters, there is nothing standard about the unparalleled demonic totalitarianism we are currently experiencing. Moreover, demonic totalitarianism has eliminated all forms of potentially "good" politics and is little more than factions of lesser evil challenging factions of greater evil.

Thus, willing participation in "standard politics" is willing participation is the support of evil. Despite arguments to the contrary, we cannot employ evil means to attain good ends. We cannot utilize the tools of Satan's kingdom to draw closer to the Kingdom of God.

Involvement in standard politics in this time and place is to burrow ever deeper into despiritualized consciousness ruled by the kingdom of Satan. Our task now is not to defend or save that which is no longer there; our task now is to transform and bring forth that which has always been there, but was rarely tested, rarely tried.

To remain committed to the external machinations of "the rule we followed" of standard politics is to flirt with spiritual death. We should instead commit to breaking through autonomous consciousness and turning back toward God with renewed spiritual motivations fueled by a deeper understanding of human creativity and freedom.

The rule we followed brought us to this. Blindly adhering to the rule will keep us imprisoned in this. The only way forward is to realize that the rule is now worse than useless.

Following the rule of standard politics is to place yourself in the same predicament as Carson Wells. Good luck negotiating with the devil on his terms.

24 Comments

Alan Roebuck link

10/21/2021 03:14:06

Dear Francis,

I think this post is partly responding to my recent posts at the Orthosphere. I wonder if you have understood my point.

Yes, the System, including the political system, is fundamentally evil. Its purpose is Destruction.

But the Opponent does not control every detail. People (in America at any rate) can sometimes use the political system to defend themselves. We cannot defeat the System by voting, but we can sometimes do good. At least here in America. (I don’t know where you live.)

I agree with you that Christians must not emotionally identify with, or place any trust in, the political system, or any other part of the System. This is to be worldly in the biblical sense: to love the anti-Christian systems of the world, which is a great sin.

But I have seen actual instances where the political process produces a good outcome. Or at least a non-evil outcome. If a Christian can do a good political work, what’s wrong with that?

Francis Berger

10/21/2021 10:17:38

Alan,

Though I respect your motivation to do good, I believe your insistence that standard politics can be used a means to achieve good ends in our present circumstances is misguided.

To begin with it, what you are proposing has been the default political position for most Christians for at least the past century. This default position has not only practically obliterated Christianity from the public sphere, but has also led to the elimination of the secular Enlightenment principles upon which "standard politics" was formed.

If secular classical liberals and secular conservatives can no longer defend basic Enlightenment values such as individual liberty and basic human rights, what real chance do Christians have to do good within the framework of "standard politics"?

Furthermore, there is an inherent contradiction in discerning the System as spiritually net evil and destructive - fully aligned against God and Creation - and the belief that this evil, destructive System can be utilized to defend oneself or to work in favor of God and Creation.

The era of Enlightenment-centered, humanistic politics is over. It has culminated in an unprecendented form of despiritualized totalitarianism.

Having said all of that, my biggest concern has to do with consciousness - in how Christians understand and think about themselves, the world, others, and God.

Focusing on external standard politics and its potential to do good may have been a viable option in the past, but as of now it is likely very detrimental to the further development and deepening of Christian consciousness and our ability to spiritually learn in our mortal lives.

Alan Roebuck

10/21/2021 18:34:34

Francis,

I think you are not responding to my specific points, but just speaking in generalities.

Consider, for example, a county in America with a total population of 25,000, and the election of the County Sheriff. In America, the Sheriff can do a lot of good, as for example several of my local Sheriffs have announced that that they will not enforce foolish government Covid mandates. One never knows for sure what an untried candidate will do if he achieves office, but if one candidate is likely to be a Covid Nazi and the other is likely to be sane, would it still be wrong for a Christian to vote in this election?

Some people say that NO Christian should EVER participate in politics in ANY way. Is that your position, or can a Christian vote for County Sheriff, in your view?

bogbeagle

10/21/2021 09:55:31

As I see it, EVERY Vote is a rejection of individual autonomy, in favor of the Collective. Thus, every Voter is choosing Socialism ... irrespective of for whom he votes.

Once you have been conditioned to believe in Democracy ... then you are incapable, psychologically, of contesting anything which is the product of Democracy. If Democracy is 'good', then the product of Democracy must also be good.

DWEEZIL THE WEASEL

10/21/2021 15:37:29

The fly in the ointment, vis-a-vis a "Christian" perspective on politics is too many "Believers" are Romans 13 robots, who will slavishly support a corrupt, syphilitic political system because the Good Book tells them to do so. I have seen this with my own eyes for years and years.
You also have the issue of what I would call: "Spiritual Clock Watchers", who insist they will be "Raptured" away when things really go South. I have found, over the years, you cannot argue and dissuade such people. Read Bonhoeffer's essay on Stupidity and you will understand why Amerika cannot be saved. Bleib ubrig.

10/21/2021 17:36:08

@DTW - Christians who blindly follow church leaders or eschatological timelines are in the same predicament as the non-religious who blindly obey the television news. Faith in external authorities will only lead one to trouble. Personal discernment and personal responsibility are key in this time and place.

Arizona

10/21/2021 18:10:41

BEN DE NOON ,was on his web site in aug,ISRAELI NEWS LIVE,he told america what their future was ,HE was at a hi-level military meeting with men who saw part of whats coming from space to planet earth,MASS DEATH,he warned theres not a lot to hope for, as the survival rate will be very low,OUR FATHER HAS WARNED THROUGH HIS PROPHETS FOR 120 years,thats all you get,AMERICA REFUSED TO TAKE action again the satanic leaders of america,now its to late ,THE PROPHETS were laughed at, mocked,and many were murdered by the government killers,this ends with the NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT BEING REMOVED FROM THE FACE OF PLANET EARTH,they will now become an example of what not to do...OR suffer the same fate,now you know why america is gone at the end of the bible...its was destroyed...

10/21/2021 20:49:20

@ Alan - Your argument is a simple one. Some elections are too important for Christians to neglect or avoid. In this sense, Christians should involve themselves in standard politics when necessary or imperative because it may lead to good outcomes.

Okay.

Let's consider voting and elections for a moment. Every single election I have ever encountered - local, state, or federal - contained the exact premise you have offered in your sheriff example - we must vote in this election because there is clearly a good candidate who can and will do good.

Has it never occurred to you that every election is always "the most important election" ever? That every election is a battle between a candidate who will protect you, save you, work for you and candidates who will attack you, work against you, and bury you. That every election promises increased freedom, prosperity, safety, dignity, fairness, honesty, transparency, etc.

Every. Single. Election.

Now you will respond by saying that Christians must exercise discernment to recognize which elections they simply must participate in if they want their vote to count and if they want to do good, etc.

I have argued that many Christians have done exactly that - for decades if not centuries. And what has it brought them? Where has it led them?

Yet you continue to insist that Christians should continue voting for good sheriffs who will somehow turn the tide, increase good, offer protection, or whatever.

If I have learned anything in the past two years it is this - Christians must take personal responsibility for their thoughts and actions. That includes re-evaluating their basic assumptions about things like elections and voting. They may just find that many of their assumptions are not really their assumptions at all, but a set of externally-derived, deterministic diktats that they have unconsciously internalized.

You are arguing that Christians should participate in politics if and when they believe it will do good.

I am arguing that participating in politics has kept and continues to keep Christians in a narrow, external, passive, objectified, and constricted form of consciousness that limits the expansion of personal and moral responsibility and pulls them farther away from God.

Alan Roebu

10/22/2021 01:29:09

Francis,

You have answered my question. You hold that NO Christian should EVER participate in politics in ANY way.

Since you are not omniscient, you cannot know this except through a flash of intuitive insight. But intuition is sometimes mistaken because we are not God.

“Every single election I have ever encountered - local, state, or federal - contained the exact premise you have offered in your sheriff example - we must vote in this election because there is clearly a good candidate who can and will do good.”

There often IS a candidate who will do more good than the other guy. He won’t fix the system, but he will do some good. But you think that any good a political candidate will do is rendered irrelevant by the overall evil of the System. Like running for President of the inmates at Auschwitz.

You are making an emotional and intuitive judgment. I’m not buying what you’re selling.

“Now you will respond by saying that Christians must exercise discernment to recognize which elections they simply must participate in if they want their vote to count and if they want to do good, etc... I have argued that many Christians have done exactly that - for decades if not centuries. And what has it brought them? Where has it led them?”

Christian doctors have been trying to heal people for millennia. But sickness and injury persist, and everyone eventually dies. What has it brought them? Where has it led them?

It has brought them to show mercy when they can. It has led them to do good works when they can.

“I am arguing that participating in politics has kept and continues to keep Christians in a narrow, external, passive, objectified, and constricted form of consciousness that limits the expansion of personal and moral responsibility and pulls them farther away from God.”

Some Christians have been so misled by politics. No doubt. But other Christians have through politics loved their neighbor by making the social order a little better. You can’t say that the record is 100% bad. Not unless you’re God.

PS: I don’t object if Francis Berger withdraws from politics. I do object if he says all other Christians must do the same.

10/22/2021 01:37:35

Another thing: Before roughly 10 years ago, the other political side mostly pushed bad policies. They were for the most part not directly seeking to harm us. Nowadays, our political Opponent is openly trying to harm us. When somebody is trying to harm you, you defend yourself, even if the Opponent appears unstoppable.

10/22/2021 04:57:07

@ Alan - I'm sorry, but I never explicitly said that no Christian should ever participate in politics.

What I said was that participation in the standard politics of the past two-and-a-half centuries or so has kept Christians in a narrowed, constricted form of consciousness.

In a previous comment I stated that participation in the standard politics of Enlightenment-based democratic politics had been a viable option for Christians to good in the past, but I don't believe this is the case anymore.

What I am suggesting is that it would be better for Christians to refrain from continuing to participate in the same political framework that has kept them in this narrowed form of consciousness and that has, ultimately, brought them to this point, which, in case you haven't noticed, is rule under a global, anti-spiritual, totalitarian dictatorship. Like it or not, this totalitarianism now rules the United States as well. Despite your arguments to the contrary, I don't think Christians can effectively use the same political system and political practices that created the totalitarianism to defeat the totalitarianism.

Your pejorative dismissal of my judgment as "emotional and intuitive" comes closer to the heart of the matter, as far as I'm concerned. You appear to be rather committed to the superiority of reason and rational thinking, in much the same way 18th-century philosophers were committed to the superiority of reason and rational thinking over superstition and religion.

At the same time, you appear utterly oblivious to or, at the very least, deeply confused about what this set of prevailing beliefs that have ruled consciousness in the West for over two centuries has ultimately manifested in the world politically and, more significantly, spiritually.

Unlike traditionalist Christians, I regard the age of reason as a good and necessary stage in the development of human religious consciousness. I do not advocate for a return to some medieval form of Christian politics. At the same time, I believe the age of reason should have been a stage and not an end point - that Christians should have established a better politics and better mode of being that the mode of rational enlightenment.

As I mentioned in my previous comment, at some point Christians should have realized the limits of reason and rationality and should have actively sought to push beyond this narrow mode of consciousness. Yet Christians have refused to do so and continue to refuse to do so even when the limits of this mode of consciousness are blatantly obvious.

Even now most are fatally committed to the same mode of consciousness and external frameworks that have spiritually enslaved and imprisoned them. What you have revealed through your posts and subsequent comments here provide a startling clear example of how this mode of thinking operates and why it is no longer feasible.

The enemy must certainly be resisted and opposed, but I suggest he must now be resisted and opposed primarily outwith the System rather than within the System, which he now effectively controls. As I mentioned in my post, to engage in standard politics today is to negotiate with the devil on his terms. Rather than negotiate, I believe Christians should focus their attention on creating new terms instead.

This shift in focus could lead to politics in which Christians could actively participate to do good; however, if Christians insist on remaining in the same consciousness and politics that have dominated the past two or three hundred years - and especially the politics of the past half-century or so, their participation in such politics will unlikely lead to anything good.

But if you think it will, Alan, then by all means continue.

Perhaps we can revisit this post in five or ten years and discuss how the good you are trying to do now via standard politics turned out for you spiritually and politically.

As for your dismissive "you're not God, you're not omniscient, so how could you possibly know " argument . . . come on, Alan. You're scraping the bottom of the barrel a bit there, don't you think?

10/22/2021 07:24:06

I’m pleasantly surprised to hear you say that you never explicitly said that no Christian should ever participate in politics. Given what you have said here, I drew the conclusion that you advocate a total boycott. Perhaps I misjudged you.

I’m curious: what are some instances where you accept Christians getting political?

My comments about “not being God/omniscient” and “thinking intuitively” were predicated on my belief that you believe that politics can literally never do good. That belief really would require godlike omniscience to be justified. It looks as if I will have to take it back.

I also want to reiterate that I’m not talking about Christians operating in the usual way and endorsing the existing system. As I have said here (and other places) repeatedly, I affirm that the existing system is hopelessly corrupt. What I advocate is hacking the system.

I’m not sure what to make of your claim that I’m operating out of a belief in the superiority of “reason.” If “reason” means “correctly using the human faculty of thought,” then I hope that is what I’m doing. If it means (as it does to Moderns) “thought which is based on atheism,” then forget about it!

Perhaps you are saying that we would have to be godlike and omniscient in order to use the corrupt political system in a God-pleasing way. Fair enough. Even a savvy voter can sometimes be bamboozled.

10/22/2021 20:40:53

I would argue that 'politics can never do good'.

My reasoning is that just about every Political decision resolves to one man's property being taken by force, and handed to another man. I dunno how that can be squared with the Eighth Commandment. Thou shalt not steal.

I suppose you might argue that a man could 'vote for this redistribution to stop'. I've never known that to happen, tho.

The really wicked element of Democracy is the Voters' endorsement of the system. When we accede to Voting, we enter into a Contract which states, "I will abide by the decisions of the Collective and of its Representatives."

This Contract binds us to the Democratic result, whether that result be Good or EVIL.

How many times have you heard, "Well, I didn't Vote for it, but it was a Democratic choice, so I must accept it." ? Surely, this is a rejection of personal responsibility and a disregard for one's God-given conscience.

"I will participate in an Evil act, because everyone else thinks it's a good idea." What manner of God would be pleased by that?

10/22/2021 21:52:39

@ bogbeagle - I was going to address the passivity/conscience aspect of the political framework as well, but didn't get around to it, so I'm glad you brought it up.

10/22/2021 21:47:08

@ Alan - "I’m curious: what are some instances where you accept Christians getting political?"

I don't know what politics may look like in the future, but I strongly recommend Christians refrain from politics now.

10/23/2021 01:16:01

Francis, your counsel here sounds rather similar to "NO Christian should EVER participate in politics in ANY way."

10/23/2021 20:27:19

I think a big part of the problem here is the phrase “standard politics,” which you may have taken from the title of one of my Orthosphere posts. When I used the phrase, I did not mean what it appears to mean. I did not use the phrase to mean an endorsement of the political system.

Therefore it is understandable that you all would think I am endorsing the System. But I do not endorse the System. I apologize for being misleading. In truth, I only endorse hacking the system, that is, warily and wisely using it for our purposes.

I used the phrase “standard politics” to contrast politics as the word is usually interpreted (elections, legislations, etc) with a deeper meaning of politics: anything that influences the order of society. Elections and all that are only one aspect of politics.

The phrase “standard politics” was prominent in the title of my second post on Christians and politics, but it was in my first post that I explained my meaning. And in my second post, I failed clearly to explain my meaning. I have inserted an update there to clarify my meaning.

lea

10/22/2021 11:45:35

The usual disclaimer up front now; im not a Christian just very interested and usually in agreement with Francis's takes on the state of the world. Im not sure what is really going on but you saved me a movie rewatch and went to the core.

My fundamental belief is that we are in a spiritual war between the creative and the destructive. That could be tied to this specific 'level of existence'. Alot of resources point to the idea that this world is not perfect but rather a test for all of our souls. A test of persistence, focus, purity, and a few other things i need to up my marks on.

Within some occult traditions people might call it 'the left hand path'. All focused on the self, and improvement of self. Within slightly more 'woo' infused cosmologies everything is divided between STS and STO aka service to self or service to others. This demarcation starts to disappear after enough incarnations within a certain purity, as perhaps a hint of a cosmic hierarchy of sorts.

If you have thus far tolerated my heretical view of all, alas (it's going to relate to the movie, i promise). Service to self tends to reinforce itself, have no love or compassion within it. It tends towards hierarchical structures and all that entails. It leans towards the abdication of personal assessment of anything. The easy way out 'i am not worthy/ smart/ wise' enough to have an opinion about such and such.

None of that is ever really true unless it concerns processes that are literally too difficult to comprehend. But the idea that buying from Amazod cuts into local stores does not require an MBA or even a day's reading, just means you are lying to yourself if you question it. I do way too much of that and need to start being more honest and prolific about it. Radical self-honesty is healthy. It would make people see the folly of fabricated self-importance attached to nothings.

Long /nothingburger/ as an intro there, 'why can you skip watching the movie and just see the clip along with Francis's post?' - My rambles make sense sometimes, the movie is decent.

The message is clear now where it was not before; If you play the devil's game, you are willed to submit to his rules. Since anyone involved in this game tries to wash their hands of evil, by all kinds of proxies, it is exactly why they can never escape it. Im not free of it, but i try to do my part. The executioner in this movie is the judge of character that goes too far, but the point is we all lost the plot, ridiculing the insanity that ensues a discovery of 'wealth'.

Somehow Maya is so enticing that it will keep us locked into a cycle of atrocities. And then people say 'that's just human nature'. Is it really? I feel the true essence of Jesus was and is a human nature completely different, and describing how to be in tune with our universe on a fundamental level. I could write about this for days but anyhoo.

Buying into the system of the destroyer holds no relief.

10/22/2021 21:40:01

@ lea - "Jesus was and is a human nature completely different"

Yes, and as such, people also have the potential to be that completely different human nature.

That is the essence of Christianity.

The problem is that most Christians don't fully grasp this. The ones that do are mostly terrified of this reality!

On a side note, I need to watch No Country again soon, or revisit the novel.

The Continental Op

10/22/2021 19:01:44

Do we fixate on voting because we're already doing everything else necessary for what used to be the good life, like building strong community and church and family by living a de-scaled life instead of one dedicated to mindless consumption in social isolation?

I seriously doubt it. It's typical of failed conservatism to focus on voting, and mainly voting, as the way forward.

It's a good sign when people start questioning that.

God bless you, Alan, but it sounds like you fear us dropping out of political involvement because that would hand over the reins to Satan (how would I tell the difference??)

bruce charlton

10/22/2021 20:50:39

Alan - This discussion depends on some fundamental assumptions. For example:

Do you recognize that there was a global totalitarian coup early in 2020 using the birdemic as an excuse?

And that now the world, and all major institutions, corporations etc are ruled by a literally demonic agenda?

Do you recognize that 2020 was the worst collapse of institutional Christianity (all denominations, all over the world) since the ascension of Jesus?

Francis and I both recognize and acknowledge the above as realities - and that in 2020 human society has undergone one of the largest and most extreme (and deleterious) changes in history.

If you do not recognize these, then clearly your attitudes and conclusions are almost bound to be grossly distorted and inadequate.

But if you Do recognize these changes, then you will agree that for Christians to carry on as before in terms of our relationships with churches, institutions and world government - would be stupid and necessarily ineffective. We may disagree over methods, but we would be pointing in the same direction.

10/23/2021 01:20:37

Bruce:

With possible minor quibbles over the wording, I have agreed publicly many times with your characterization of contemporary society. You can take that to the bank.

My counsel is to hack the political system. Use it for its benefits without falling in love with it or overestimating its value.

A certain amount of political engagement is necessary, but far from sufficient.

10/23/2021 20:58:05

@Alan - Good to hear!

Quibbling over methods is inevitable given different styles of Christianity and because since none of us know for sure what will work best.

But the ultimate aim is shared.

10/23/2021 21:08:20

@ Alan - Thanks for the clarification. As Bruce said, what truly matters is the shared ultimate aim.

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.

The Rule We Followed is Worse Than Useless

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