LAURA INGALLS WILDER ON SPIRITUAL ANARCHY

Editor’s Note: The following is an article sent to me by a reader and I was so impressed with it that I decided to post it here at Liberty Under Attack. When I read Brian Doherty’s, Radicals for Capitalism [affiliate link],” I was seriously surprised to find a discussion on Laura Ingalls Wilder and the book series–I LOVED them when I was in elementary and middle school. I guess there was a little anarchy in me back then.

That said, the author, John Michael Perseo, is an anarchist off-grid homesteader. It’s no surprise he found the website–he’s just the sort of folks that we wish to attract. Lastly, even though the “spiritual” aspect is largely nonexistent in things I produce/write, I find this to be a highly valuable perspective and one worth sharing.

One final note: I have added ellipses between the back-to-back quotes so the formatting looks better. That is the only change I’ve made to the article.

Please enjoy, share, and please consider emailing John with your comments, thoughts, criticisms, or whatever! I know he’d love to hear from you.

LAURA INGALLS WILDER ON SPIRITUAL ANARCHY
By: John Michael Perseo
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My wife is a huge fan of the Little House on the Prairie book series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. For those who are unaware, the Little House books are based on Ingalls Wilder’s life with her family, who were pioneer settlers on the prairielands of America during the mid to late 1800s.

While reading the Little House books for the umpteenth time, Kelli came across and shared with me a passage from Ingalls Wilder’s book, Little Town on the Prairie, which completely blew me away. Ingalls Wilder’s words inspired me to explain below what many have come to term as Spiritual Anarchy. Here is what she wrote from the perspective of herself as a teenager:

God is America’s king. Americans won’t obey any king on earth. Americans are free. That means they have to obey their own consciences. No king bosses Pa; he has to boss himself. Why (she thought), when I am a little older, Pa and Ma will stop telling me what to do, and there isn’t anyone else who has a right to give me orders. I will have to make myself good.

…

Her whole mind seemed to be lighted up by that thought. This is what it means to be free. It means you have to be good. “Our father’s God, author of liberty – ”. The laws of Nature and of Nature’s God endow you with a right to life and liberty. Then you have to keep the laws of God, for God’s law is the only thing that gives you a right to be free.

If you’re not amazed by these words without explanation then, before I break this passage down, let me first say that we’re not dealing with an ordinary individual in Laura Ingalls Wilder. Here was a woman who knew absolutely who she was. A true feminine who possessed the holistic intelligence to understand and express what it means to be a spiritual anarchist.

It can be argued that during the 1880s, the time in which Little Town was set, America had already ceased being the land of the free. Despite this unfortunate probable fact, through recollecting a childhood memory where she is contemplating freedom on Independence Day, Ingalls Wilder captures the original spirit of what it meant to be an American. Her heightened and evolved level of consciousness is displayed as she brilliantly explains eternal truths concerning Sovereignty, Natural Law, the Law of Freedom, and the state of existence known as Spiritual Anarchy. Each of these truths will be explained and discussed herein as I break down Ingalls Wilder’s quote above. Please note that this is not a write-up about Americans or being American. The references to America and being American in Ingalls Wilder’s passage are irrelevant, and the principles explained herein apply to all human beings.

Briefly, I will address the mistaken crowd who does not think that we, here in America, are not free. To know that we are not free, simply try to do one or more of the following and find out for yourself:

• stop paying taxes on “your” property
• grow cannabis on “your” property
• ingest cannabis, psilocybin and other so-called dangerous substances
• buy or sell cannabis
• purchase and carry a firearm without requesting permission via pemit
• build a house or other structure on “your” property without requesting permission via permit
• stop cutting your lawn
• help out a friend in court
• drive a car without a driver’s license
• refrain from registering “your” car
• refrain from purchasing automobile insurance
• take your child out of public school without giving notice

Must I go on? If you still maintain that we are free then you have no concept whatsoever of true freedom. Your idea of freedom is a gross distortion, bastardized and reduced to a pitiful state where you are “free” to choose Democrat or Republican, Wendy’s or Taco Bell, and paying the fine or going to jail. Your “freedom” is superficial. It’s obvious that you, who have taken such a position, have never experienced true freedom, but haven’t you ever contemplated freedom? Do you really think present-day America is actually free? Excuse me while I vomit. As Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe put it, “None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.” In this respect, perhaps Voltaire was right in that “[i]t is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.” Such thinking is the result of falling victim to mind control at an extreme level.

The victim of mind-manipulation does not know that he is a victim. To him the walls of his prison are invisible, and he believes himself to be free. That he is not free is apparent only to other people. His servitude is strictly objective. – Aldous Huxley

As a self-professed anarchist according to the authentic Greek translation of the word – which simply means the absence of rulers (not the absence of rules) – having absolutely nothing to do with chaos, disorder and destruction – I am constantly “rebutted” by folks who claim that such a state on earth is unfathomable, impractical, and downright impossible. In other words, the fact that human beings are free by nature, and the notion that they should be allowed to live as such, is not widely accepted. The many reasons given can be summed up as follows: Because the world contains some people who might be considered psychopaths and immoral, therefore humans should not be left to govern themselves or be absolutely free, for fear of chaos. Well folks, have a look around at the world in which we live. Is it orderly? Is it peaceful? Is it devoid of destruction and suffering? No? Did you ever stop to think that those crazies, who are unfit to govern themselves, are the ones occupying positions of authority and control, and that the world is chaotic and suffering as a result of these insane people in positions of authority? Furthermore, did you ever think that the desire to be an authoritarian, or a ruler, might constitute as having a mental disorder? I certainly don’t wish to be anyone’s leader, let alone their ruler telling them how to live their life. One has to be power hungry or a control freak – essentially an ego maniac – to want to be someone’s ruler. Some might say that a “leader”, president, or prime minister, is not a ruler per se. If we’re being honest with ourselves, we will admit that those titles are nothing but euphemisms for ruler or master. There is a classic “if-then” adage, which I am paraphrasing, that says if humans are unfit to govern themselves, then they’re most certainly unfit to govern others.

With regard to the argument that manifesting a state of anarchy is unfathomable and unachievable, I say that anyone who subscribes to such beliefs has allowed the world, more specifically the World Shapers – the rulers of our day – to mold your perception of what is actually possible on this planet. Therefore, you have allowed the rulers to destroy your imagination and creativity, to envision all that can be, while forfeiting yourself to the idea that you are powerless in this great big, complex world. Investigative reporter, author and self-help coach, Jon Rappoport writes extensively on consciousness and regaining one’s individual power by overcoming a suppressed, or deadened, imagination. Let’s look at some of his musings:

Imagination doesn’t bet on winners in a horse race. Imagination covers the field and the track and the grandstands and the horses and the jockeys and the sky above the track—imagination can go anywhere and do anything, if you call upon it. It is the antidote to fixed and final reality…

…

There are people who are satisfied with things as they are or believe there is no way out of things as they are. Then there are people who see there is a way out for the individual. That way is imagination, because it invents new realities. – Jon Rappoport, The Matrix – The Way Out of It.

…

Civilization continues to erode and decay, as individual power is put on the back burner. But that doesn’t give the individual a license to surrender. If others want to give up, that’s their business. The individual, instead, finds new frontiers for his power, for his capacity to invent reality.

…

A confession of helplessness doesn’t earn you a gold star on the blackboard. There is no gold star or blackboard. There is you, there is your own power. And what is that power? It comes in two forms or venues. First, there is the ability to apply logic to events and information; to think rationally from A to B to C; to analyze. And second, there is imagination, the capacity to conceive and then invent realities that would never otherwise exist in the world. – Jon Rappoport, Individual power in a decaying world.

…

Buckle up—here’s a little story most people wouldn’t understand or believe: I once had a client who was ready to start a new business, but he was mired in trying to organize it. I gave him a daily writing exercise: describe all the most absurd and ridiculous ways you could put your business together. After a few weeks, he suddenly and spontaneously came up with a few highly original and workable ideas—these ideas came out of his imagination, which was stimulated by inventing The Bizarre. “Things that made no sense” led to breakthroughs. This is an approach people overlook because they are too timid in how they use their imaginations…they try to imagine “standard solutions.” This is a contradiction in terms. Imagination operates by going out on a limb. Then good new ideas arise spontaneously. Most people don’t grasp that. They ignore a whole dimension of their innate power. You want to know what’s really bizarre? Imagining what already exists. – Jon Rappoport, The entrepreneur: organizing his enterprise.

A state or condition where there are no masters or rulers is impossible only to those who have imposed (or allowed others to impose) limits on their imagination and power. Imagination is another word for consciousness. Albert Einstein said that no problem can be solved with the same level of consciousness that created it. This means that no matter the issue, new modes of thought must be employed in order to effectively solve it. The evolution of the human race largely depends on our consciousness evolving so we can solve age-old and outdated problems, and create new paths. This evolution in consciousness includes doing away with destructive belief systems, such as authority and government, which ultimately do not serve humanity. Institutions like authority and government, and the belief in their legitimacy, severely suppress human consciousness and stifle imagination. Ultimately, freedom is sacrificed.

Sovereignty

You are born sovereign. The word ‘sovereign’ comes from Latin and means that you are above the rule or control of another; you are free. To understand one’s own sovereign nature is to understand the absurdity and danger of an external man-made presence such as authority and government, with man-made rules, regardless if it is run by psychopaths or not. A logical thinking individual knows, as Rappoport says, that “[f]reedom is our natural state of being, it is not a system. Freedom is.” (emphasis added)

All being an anarchist means is there’s this one really stupid idea – that certain people get to rule over others – that has plagued humanity for thousands of years, and I don’t subscribe to it. – Larken Rose

The anarchy-ruler debate is easily settled upon knowledge of certain principles of nature, which Laura Ingalls Wilder wonderfully explains. In fact, she not merely describes Americans as anarchists (in so many ways), but Spiritual Anarchists who recognize and understand their own sovereignty, the spiritual laws of nature, and their responsibility as sovereign individuals to be moral (good). It amazes me to think that at one time this is how Americans were perceived – free in every sense of the word. Can you imagine?

“God is America’s king. Americans won’t obey any king on earth. Americans are free. That means they have to obey their own consciences.”

Although this image of Americans, being free and answerable to no one else on earth, is but a folklore these days, it is quite exciting to imagine that at one time such people existed, or at least were viewed by others, like Ingalls Wilder, as truly sovereign beings. The sovereignty of each individual was a key principle on which this country was founded. Sovereignty, however, does not mean that you are free to do as you wish, such as cause harm or loss to other sentient beings. Such behavior would in fact be irresponsible and contrary to sovereignty. Sovereignty comes with very important duties which include accepting responsibility for your actions and obeying your own conscience, which must be aligned with that which is good.

Natural Law

By acknowledging God (or whichever word you may choose to describe the creator of all that exists) and one’s own conscience as your king, Ingalls Wilder is referring to the all-pervasive unseen laws that govern human consequence and behavior known as Natural Law. ‘Natural’ meaning inherent, having a basis in nature, reality and truth; not made caused by humankind. And ‘Law’ meaning an existing condition which is binding and immutable (cannot be changed). Mark Passio, of whatonearthishappening.com, gives a “working definition” of Natural Law:

Universal, non-man-made, binding and immutable conditions that govern the consequences of behavior. Natural Law is a body of universal spiritual laws which act as the governing dynamics of consciousness. – Mark Passio, Presentation on Natural Law: The Real Law of Attraction and How to Apply It in Your Life.

Throughout time Natural Law has been termed many other things such as Karmic law, Moral law, the Law of Cause and Effect, Consequentialism, to name a few. Whether we choose to accept it or not, the Creator of all that exists has “created” or “caused” these karmic laws into existence, by which all human beings on this planet are bound. Like gravity, your belief in the existence of Natural Law is irrelevant and not required in order to be known and accepted. Once again, anarchy does not mean without rules because there will always be rules in effect called Natural Law, as Passio emphasizes in his Natural Law presentation.

The key to understanding Natural Law is to acknowledge that there does exist an objective difference between right and wrong behavior. And the key to acting in accordance with Natural Law is knowing the difference between a right and a wrong. The graphic below illustrates this succinctly.

… an ANARCHIST is one who knows that there could never be legitimacy to “Authority” or “Government” because those terms are simply euphemisms for Violence and Slavery, which are always immoral and in opposition to Natural Law. – Mark Passio

When a society answers to no earthly king or government, and obeys only God and God’s laws, thus creating a free and moral society, we get spiritual anarchy — an enlightened society of sovereign individuals governed by their own conscience, which is aligned with Natural Law.

For the sake of clarity, a working definition of Spiritual Anarchy is as follows: A state or condition in which authority and government, and man-made laws, do not exist, and human beings instead are directed by their own conscience in accordance with the universal spiritual laws of nature (familiarly known as Natural Law).

“No king bosses Pa; he has to boss himself. Why (she thought), when I am a little older, Pa and Ma will stop telling me what to do, and there isn’t anyone else who has a right to give me orders. I will have to make myself good.

Her whole mind seemed to be lighted up by that thought. This is what it means to be free. It means you have to be good.”

Notice in the above quote that as young Laura realizes that when she is a little older, there won’t be anyone who can give her orders, she does not conclude that she’ll be able to do whatever she damn well pleases. She doesn’t rationalize that she can absolve her personal responsibility because of the fact that she will have to answer to no man. No. She immediately recognizes that, with the gift of freedom comes accountability for her actions. She understands her responsibility, her moral obligation, to make herself good. To be good means to live in accordance with Natural Law. In order to be free, one must be good. In a healthy society this is how a principle called the Law of Freedom operates.

The Law of Freedom

The Law of Freedom goes like this: In a society, freedom and morality are directly proportionate to each other. So, as the morality of a society increases, so does its freedom. As the morality of a society decreases, so does its freedom. In other words, a morally degraded society, by law, cannot be free. Ingalls Wilder clearly understood this principle when she wrote, “This is what it means to be free. It means you have to be good.” (emphasis added)

Again, look at the world today. Why is freedom diminishing? It is because society as a whole is morally degenerate. The main reason for this is because most people don’t know the objective difference between right and wrong, nor do they acknowledge and accept the fact that there is such an objective difference. Most people live their lives according to their “truth”, how they feel about things, and what they think is right or wrong (mainly for themselves).

As long as society continues to morally collapse, expect more tyranny from authority in the form of the continued destruction of our freedom.

“‘Our father’s God, author of liberty – ’. The laws of Nature and of Nature’s God endow you with a right to life and liberty. Then you have to keep the laws of God, for God’s law is the only thing that gives you a right to be free.”

Here, Ingalls Wilder is acknowledging that being a free, sovereign individual by nature is the greatest gift endowed to us by the Creator (or Creation if you will). By and through Natural Law we are endowed “with a right to life and liberty.” It most certainly is not by way of some earthly king or government that you have your life and freedom. Many people overlook this unique aspect of us as human beings, or fail to think genuinely about it, and therefore take it for granted. This amazing and precious gift includes the beautiful gift of free will. Our freedom of choice is the most powerful force in the Universe. Many say that Love is the most powerful force, but our power lies in our ability to choose love over fear, good over evil, right over wrong. Upon discovering and accepting from where your life and freedom are derived, a moral individual will preserve God’s law – the Natural Law – for it is “the only thing that gives you a right to be free.”

Final Thoughts

Although Ingalls Wilder’s portrait of sovereign moral individuals living in a truly free society is but a memory, it should serve as a reminder of what has been lost. People of the world, not merely Americans, should study, share, and discuss Ingalls Wilder’s quote, and allow it to inspire all of us to reclaim our sovereignty and put an end to slavery.

It’s clearly a crisis of two things: of consciousness and conditioning. We have the technological power, the engineering skills to save our planet, to cure disease, to feed the hungry, to end war; but we lack the intellectual vision, the ability to change our minds. We must de-condition ourselves from 10,000 years of bad behavior. And, it’s not easy. – Terence McKenna

It is my hope that people who read this will no longer react foolishly to the idea of anarchy, specifically spiritual anarchy, and understand that it is our nature to be free and good. Additionally, I hope people recognize that anarchy does not come to an ignorant and irresponsible society. And finally, I hope people will seriously consider anarchy as a viable solution to the suffering occurring worldwide, which is largely caused by our belief in, and legitimizing of, authority and government.

Manifesting a state of absolute freedom, where morality guides us, will certainly not happen overnight. It has taken many generations for society to morally degrade, which is being done through mental programming methods carried out by the World Shapers. It is vitally important to recognize that it is the World Shapers who have conditioned the masses to believe that anarchy means chaos, disorder and lawlessness, when in fact it means the exact opposite. Thus, it will take a long time to reverse our condition, but not forever. Certain knowledge must be learned by the people at large in order to effectively identify the problems and apply the solutions. These points and more – including examining the life of the most famous archetypal spiritual anarchist the world has ever known: Jesus the Christ – will be discussed in another article. Stay tuned.