The Passion of Liberty: Part Five - Resurrection and Redemption

by Richard Rieben

The Kingdom of Liberty is a citadel of humanity. The “king” of this domain is the sovereign individual human being, lord and master of himself, and a sovereign, independent agent negotiating with, contracting with, and respecting the agency of all other sovereign individuals. Freely.  

I do not intend to draw from the prophets in a mocking way, but to restate the goals in what I believe was part of their intended application (if not in whole). Everything that Jesus Christ lived and taught speaks for an enormous love for the humanity of the species, and a great faith in their potential, as such.  

The recent movie, “The Passion of the Christ,” from which this liberty series deferentially borrows its title, has stirred considerable angst in the religious community, especially amongst Christian leaders, who fear the baldness of the message it projects (without being contained within the formal, subordinating organization).  

Many Christians, who, as a friend observed, would generally be amongst the jeering throngs lining the road to Calvary , are subordinate to a religious organization rather than followers of a prophet. The example of the prophet, as projected in the movie, is discomfiting to many of these people. It stirs sensations of accountability within them – and they turn to the leaders of their organizations to explain-away this anomaly, to ward off such individuated accountability through membership in the fold.  

The institutional response has been a mass-huddle of Christian leaders to “explain” the crucifixion (which folks have just seen with their own eyes) to the flock. But their explanation isn’t working. The image is compelling and the message is unmistakable.  

This message of the Christ, His Passion, and the message of the movie, are, if anything, more accessible than ever before to people outside the flock – outside of any flock. And more discomfiting to those within any flock, especially the leadership. I am surprised the movie hasn’t been banned. (It would be hypocritical, yes, but would that be unusual for institutions? I think not.)  

My friend also commented, upon consideration of the example of many modern Christians, and of the institution itself, that it was too bad Christ had died in vain. The Christ went through all of that, upon the premise that those who have been institutionally subordinated by group indoctrination can be reached and rehabilitated into human beings. How viable is that premise?  

If people can’t be reached by the power of love and respect, then can they be reached at all? – in any fashion that could rehabilitate them? – or would they invariably return to a golden calf, a church, a government, or some other authority over themselves? Is there really any chance at all?  

Their collectivized orc-ness is largely self-perpetuated. Though the indoctrination was not originally a conscious choice, at some point, they chose to go along with it, to sustain it, and to spread it to others. The prospect of sovereign humanity is not a likely temptation, for they have chosen, and have developed a vested interest in being orcs – “good Germans,” or “patriotic Americans,” or “fundamentalists” (racio-religious collectivists). Upon embracing the programming of the collective group – the origin of “sin” – they become, at some point, unredeemable orcs, incapable of desiring humanity for themselves, even as they continue to disparage it (and, in some sense, envy it) in others.  

Christ thought otherwise. Was He right? That with enough love and respect, orcs can be redeemed? It didn’t work after His message got co-opted by an orc-producing organization. But what did He know of this thing itself? Is it even possible?  

Personally, I know that respect for individual sovereignty can and does heal individuals. It is amazingly powerful and effective, though nearly invisible. Alas, without formal identification of what is causing their healing, most people return to their former programming and begin, again, to deteriorate.  

Because this healing power is nearly invisible, people readily repudiate it more frequently than thrice before the cock crows. They don’t know anything else. They return to it as soon as they are able. They choose the life of the orc, even as it drains their joy in living, and even as it reduces their lives to hedonistic grasping, frustration, resentment and misery.  

But liberty is not so much a matter of “faith,” as facing facts.  

It is no matter of faith that respect for the sovereignty of individuals (i.e., political liberty) will heal people from subordinating group programming, that it will empower them as respect-practicing sovereign individuals, and that it will enable them to levels of ethics, goodwill and brotherhood unseen on this planet for 10,000 years.  

It is no matter of faith that respect for the sovereignty of individuals, in any amount, will promote healing. Will show the folly of disrespecting boundaries. Will repudiate in their own eyes the programming and authority of the group. And will weaken and scatter the forces of the orcs and the armed orc agents, driving them underground or into humanity.  

Respect for the sovereignty of individuals has had this effect repeatedly, constantly and tangibly throughout history. Our recorded history is written from the perspective of orc-producing groups, which have fought an ongoing, bloody battle against the sovereign individual, wiping out entire civilizations and races, burning books of science, medicine and philosophy, erasing and revising written histories, and enslaving billions.  

This history is evidence for the recurring resurrection of humanity. Independent, sovereign free-agents must be continuously suppressed. If the suppression is not sustained, people promptly return to respectful behavior, independence, and sovereignty, which spreads rapidly by example and by the healing practice of respect.  

Utopian designs or social engineering are not solutions. Any kind of “social engineering” would have the effect of producing orcs – not human beings. Human beings are not engineered; they are born . . . and respected. Anything else – indoctrination, programming, behavior modification, social engineering, political engineering, and even modern education – produces orcs. There is no way to “produce” human beings – they begin that way: respect it, allow it, keep your paws off it, and they will stay that way. (Ach! better to have been raised by wolves!)  

Respecting the sovereignty of individuals, promulgating the non-institutional reciprocity of that practice (based upon universal self-interest in the security of individual sovereignty), and doing so under fire, in orc nations and communities, requires great passion . . . and great love for the human potential inherent in all people.  

The Christ said He was the Way. It is a group subversion of His message to worship or idolize this prophet (especially through an authoritarian group – the opposite in every sense of what He lived and taught).  

He exemplified the Way. He said no one could reach the Kingdom except through Him; i.e., by following His literal example. My advice is to take Him at His Word – and practice exactly what He lived: Respect [love] thy neighbor as thyself.  

Spread the good news.