real alternatives

A recent discussion comment...

It is helpful to point to the various real people throughout history who demonstrated some of the anarchistic aspects of following Jesus. But maybe even more helpful to demonstrate those aspect ourselves, showing how they can be lived in our time and place (or even simply that they can be lived here and now). Real, concrete, and practical examples are crucial. That's what we see in Jesus.

Anarchists, while often offering good critiques and well thought-out analyses, have often been weak in providing real, practical alternatives (from what I've seen, at least). The anarcho-primitivists are just the most recent and obvious example of this. Thus anarchists so often come across as merely critics, just throwing ideological bricks (if not real ones) at the real attempts others are making. Even if the critique is accurate, it's not much help if no concrete alternatives are offered, or if the proposed alternatives are not possible for people to live here and now.

Even if Jesus' teachings seem impossible to live by in this world, he showed it was possible (with a little divine intervention perhaps). That kind of lived example can really give people hope. It's hard for others to say it's not possible if we're doing it. And it's hard for others to say it's against God, if God seems to be supporting it in our lives, and our lives are beautiful.