Further Dreams on China, Communism and Christianity
November 25, 2009
China, Communism and Christianity
In order for this to work, this unification of Christianity and communism (thus spiritualized), the church must be able to make very clear to the Chinese that it is totally free with respect to all laws except a single one, neighborly love (and where the world is the neighborhood), and that it is indeed by virtue of this single law that the church is desirous of cooperating with the Communist government with respect to the wellbeing of the commune (replica of First Church Jerusalem), and will do so and will also be quick to point out violations of this law of universal love. In this way we can avoid an actual unification of the Commune of China and the church and rather see the church as a spiritual support which, as free and independent, is able to point out derelictions of neighborly duty (and love) and to give an independent guide.
And there is no fear here for the government, for the moral pronouncements of this church will be derived entirely from the rule of love (which here is essentially Kant’s Moral Law and is thus in all men and needs merely to be pointed out rather than taught by rote). Thus none of the Roman Catholic domination of conscience, but rather a Protestant who thinks for himself representing anyone who is to think for himself. So there is no fear as with the Roman Catholics or the Mormons if the Chinese Christianity take on this constraint.
It is a singular idea, the unification of the Christian church in Communist China, the unification of Paul’s gentile Christian (admonished to support the commune) and Peter’s Jewish (and communist) Christians (which vanished by the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD). The best thing, I personally think, is if the Chinese Christians understood Paul and took him to heart and began to promote homosexual marriages as a sane and dignified choice that can be made. Wow! They would be able to be totally rational for the sake of the Lord Jesus and undertake whatever were needed for the making of the world into a fit place to raise children.
It would also be helpful for the Chinese Christians to admit into fellowship those people who approached Jesus as did Zachaeus and who joined his band without knowing that Jesus came to die for his sins. He wanted to join Jesus is making this a fit world for children. He wanted to be a good man. This is one of the two men declared by Jesus himself to be saved, the other being the thief on the cross. I think the Chinese would be well advised to accept such into fellowship as kindred spirits and who, it will be thought likely, may very well come also to believe the story and attain to the joy of knowing that a perfect Commune of Earth will be a final fact.
The government need do no more than facilitate the people and the church understanding the best way forward for the sake of the Commune, and the people, stirred by the church, will want to do their part and more for the sake of all the neighbors of the Commune.
Of course when the leadership itself becomes Christian, as with Constantine and others, then the world can rest easier, keeping in mind that as a Christian the leader of the government is bound to remember always that his ultimate goal is well being of all people on the planet, and that his actions must conform to Kant’s Moral Law. It is understandable that he will act now for the existence and wellbeing of the Commune of China, but ultimately and intentionally for the wellbeing of all people, a world of friendly and healthy people. Again: a fit place to raise a child.