As a poltical philosophy, libertarianism (also called classical liberalism) is opposed to other political ideas, including but not limited to tyranny, authoritarianism, and intrusive government. There are two major “flavors” of libertarianism: minarchism and anarchism.
Most libertarians are minarchists. They are will to accept some minimal forms of government, provided that most freedoms, most liberties of individuals, are protected, in part by government action. And that government is both republican in nature and democratic in operation.
A minority of libertarians, though, are anarchists. Not the black-clothed, bomb-throwing anarchists of loreand not the Woke “progressives” of the Occupy and other movements. Rather, simply people who believe that mandatory human government is wrong – even evil.
To distinguish ourselves from the Woke madmen (and women), we often refer to ourselves as anarcho-capitalists or free-market anarchists. (Especially since the meaning of capitalism has, like that of so many other political terms, been corrupted.) Or “AnCap” for short. For those of us who are believers in God and followers of the Messiah (Christ Jesus), we understand that liberty and freedom are the Creator’s gift to all mankind. And that mandatory human government is rebellion against Him. We believe that in the new covenant established by Christ, we have all the government that we need and that our participation is voluntary.
At the same time, we recognize that we will always have those who are not just in rebellion against God and immoral, but seek to rule over us, steal from us, enslave us (at least to some degree), and harm us in other ways. And (as taught by Christ) we are to be practical in how we deal with those who agress against us. Who want to harm us. So we are willing to cooperate with one another to prevent that – or end it, if necessary.
Those of the libertarian, free-market anarchist persuasion think similarly as regards the inherent liberty that every human has, and the need to work together. Some have explained how they arrived at this conclusion without referencing a Creator or even believing in God. (You’ll have to ask them to explain: none of us at TPOL reason that way. We love them as brothers and sisters, but can’t speak for them.)
But for followers of Christ Jesus, we can be sure. We here at TPOL and many others are “libertarians” and AnCap because we are christians. We understand that God uses mandatory human governments for His purposes, so He tolerates or allows (“ordains”) them. We can see that in the case of Egypt, Babylon, Persia, and Rome in ancient times, and here in these States today. But it is not disobedience towards Him when we reject those governments. He provides standards in the Bible for human governments: if they do not meet those standards, they need to be reformed, replaced, or eliminated.
That is something that The Price of Liberty is dedicated to encouraging and cooperating in. It is challenging, especially since so many people seem to think that “tolerate” is the same as “approve of” in the case either of God or of lovers of liberty.
As christians, we believe that certain actions are wrong – sinful. We do not encourage those actions, we do not promote them. But we often speak out in opposition to government making these things illegal.
Why?
Consider this from Lawrence Vance, a cherished writer and brother in Christ:
“The creed of libertarianism is nonaggression: freedom from aggression, force, and violence by individuals or governments against person and property as long as one respects the person and property of others. Whether an action is immoral is important but not the concern of libertarianism, which is solely a political philosophy.
“Libertarians believe that as long as people don’t violate the personal or property rights of others, and as long as their actions are peaceful, their associations are voluntary, and their interactions are consensual, they should be free to live their lives without license, regulation, interference, or molestation by the government.
“Libertarians believe in the natural right of consenting adults to do whatever they want on their property, or with the owner’s permission on someone else’s property, as long as they don’t aggress against someone else’s person or property while doing it.
“This has to include prostitution. The difference between libertarians and everyone else is that they don’t believe in using the power of government to prohibit, regulate, or punish voluntary, consensual, peaceful behavior that they may not personally approve of. Prostitution should be legal because it is not the purpose of government at any level to regulate or monitor Americans’ sexual activities or be concerned with how people choose to make a living.”
Do not mistake us. We here at TPOL believe that prostitution is a form of sexual immorality and that it is damaging to humans. We believe that it is a sin. We do not support or encourage or promote it. But like many other things which we believe are wrong, sinful, we do not believe that human government should have any power to regulate or outlaw or punish anyone engaged in that.
The same thing applies to booze (recreational use of alcohol), to recreational drugs, to divorce, to preaching and teaching other religions, and many other things. Again, this is christian practicality: if (for example) we were to say that government can prevent someone from using alcohol-containing wine for communion (Lord’s Supper, Eucharist), then that power can be used to prevent us from using grape juice (wine without alcohol) or unleavened bread in our communion.
There are, of course, many other examples, both religious and secular in nature.
Feel free to comment, to share, and even to oppose what is written here.
The Price of Liberty 
Some thoughts on loving liberty
As a poltical philosophy, libertarianism (also called classical liberalism) is opposed to other political ideas, including but not limited to tyranny, authoritarianism, and intrusive government. There are two major “flavors” of libertarianism: minarchism and anarchism.
Most libertarians are minarchists. They are will to accept some minimal forms of government, provided that most freedoms, most liberties of individuals, are protected, in part by government action. And that government is both republican in nature and democratic in operation.
A minority of libertarians, though, are anarchists. Not the black-clothed, bomb-throwing anarchists of loreand not the Woke “progressives” of the Occupy and other movements. Rather, simply people who believe that mandatory human government is wrong – even evil.
To distinguish ourselves from the Woke madmen (and women), we often refer to ourselves as anarcho-capitalists or free-market anarchists. (Especially since the meaning of capitalism has, like that of so many other political terms, been corrupted.) Or “AnCap” for short. For those of us who are believers in God and followers of the Messiah (Christ Jesus), we understand that liberty and freedom are the Creator’s gift to all mankind. And that mandatory human government is rebellion against Him. We believe that in the new covenant established by Christ, we have all the government that we need and that our participation is voluntary.
At the same time, we recognize that we will always have those who are not just in rebellion against God and immoral, but seek to rule over us, steal from us, enslave us (at least to some degree), and harm us in other ways. And (as taught by Christ) we are to be practical in how we deal with those who agress against us. Who want to harm us. So we are willing to cooperate with one another to prevent that – or end it, if necessary.
Those of the libertarian, free-market anarchist persuasion think similarly as regards the inherent liberty that every human has, and the need to work together. Some have explained how they arrived at this conclusion without referencing a Creator or even believing in God. (You’ll have to ask them to explain: none of us at TPOL reason that way. We love them as brothers and sisters, but can’t speak for them.)
But for followers of Christ Jesus, we can be sure. We here at TPOL and many others are “libertarians” and AnCap because we are christians. We understand that God uses mandatory human governments for His purposes, so He tolerates or allows (“ordains”) them. We can see that in the case of Egypt, Babylon, Persia, and Rome in ancient times, and here in these States today. But it is not disobedience towards Him when we reject those governments. He provides standards in the Bible for human governments: if they do not meet those standards, they need to be reformed, replaced, or eliminated.
That is something that The Price of Liberty is dedicated to encouraging and cooperating in. It is challenging, especially since so many people seem to think that “tolerate” is the same as “approve of” in the case either of God or of lovers of liberty.
As christians, we believe that certain actions are wrong – sinful. We do not encourage those actions, we do not promote them. But we often speak out in opposition to government making these things illegal.
Why?
Consider this from Lawrence Vance, a cherished writer and brother in Christ:
“The creed of libertarianism is nonaggression: freedom from aggression, force, and violence by individuals or governments against person and property as long as one respects the person and property of others. Whether an action is immoral is important but not the concern of libertarianism, which is solely a political philosophy.
“Libertarians believe that as long as people don’t violate the personal or property rights of others, and as long as their actions are peaceful, their associations are voluntary, and their interactions are consensual, they should be free to live their lives without license, regulation, interference, or molestation by the government.
“Libertarians believe in the natural right of consenting adults to do whatever they want on their property, or with the owner’s permission on someone else’s property, as long as they don’t aggress against someone else’s person or property while doing it.
“This has to include prostitution. The difference between libertarians and everyone else is that they don’t believe in using the power of government to prohibit, regulate, or punish voluntary, consensual, peaceful behavior that they may not personally approve of. Prostitution should be legal because it is not the purpose of government at any level to regulate or monitor Americans’ sexual activities or be concerned with how people choose to make a living.”
Do not mistake us. We here at TPOL believe that prostitution is a form of sexual immorality and that it is damaging to humans. We believe that it is a sin. We do not support or encourage or promote it. But like many other things which we believe are wrong, sinful, we do not believe that human government should have any power to regulate or outlaw or punish anyone engaged in that.
The same thing applies to booze (recreational use of alcohol), to recreational drugs, to divorce, to preaching and teaching other religions, and many other things. Again, this is christian practicality: if (for example) we were to say that government can prevent someone from using alcohol-containing wine for communion (Lord’s Supper, Eucharist), then that power can be used to prevent us from using grape juice (wine without alcohol) or unleavened bread in our communion.
There are, of course, many other examples, both religious and secular in nature.
Feel free to comment, to share, and even to oppose what is written here.
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About TPOL Nathan
Follower of Christ Jesus (a christian), Pahasapan (resident of the Black Hills), Westerner, Lover of Liberty, Free-Market Anarchist, Engineer, Army Officer, Husband, Father, Historian, Writer, Evangelist. Successor to Lady Susan (Mama Liberty) at TPOL.