Lewis' Zion Society

Ooo...I am liking Mere Christianity far more than I thought I would. Especially the 3rd book, Christian Behavior. LOVE it. It's like the perfect intersect of Religion, Psychology and Logic that becomes just fuel to my fire. Yum! But to focus on a part that I've particularly enjoyed and keep coming back to...

*Confession*...before I begin. I do particularly enjoy when people I respect (CS Lewis, Book of Mormon Prophets, etc.) back up certain elements of my political views. CS Lewis' view in Chapter 3 of Book Three (Social Morality) was particularly delicious to me. In it he lays out a few aspects of a truly Christian Society (or Zion Society, as we would call it).

Firstly, everyone is to work. As Lewis says "if a man does not work, he does not eat" (84). This is an ideal that we are pushing for in the church, providing Welfare Resources when need is present, but avoiding a society of "passengers or parasites" by encouraging people to find meaningful employment (84).

Further, there are to be "no manufacture of silly luxuries"; everyone is to do that which is meaningful, productive, and needed in the community. Along with the dismantling of our indulgent society, "there is to be no 'swank'...no putting on airs" (84). People are to be equal to each other, to be cooperative and looking out for another's welfare as well as their own. In this way, Lewis says that "a Christian society would be what we now call Leftist" (84).

However...views currently embraced by the Right Wing make their debut as well! In this Zion society, obedience is expected and insisted upon. There is organization, and willing compliance to righteous authority.

Lewis summarizes his view of Zion by saying that it's "economic life [would be] very socialistic and, in that sense, 'advanced', but that its family life and its code of manners [would be] rather old fashioned" (84). His view of old fashioned, I would take it, would amount to people living in family units, within an authority system that they were obedient to. Much as the main body of the church exists today. ;)

In a final act of Moderate fist-pumping, I would just say that I concur strongly with Lewis' vision of a Christian Society. I love the equal distribution of goods, the unselfish 'Law of Consecration' type atmosphere that already exists in many of our stakes and will one day exist much more broadly. I wish we could live more in accordance with that today, and sheath off our Capitalist drives for ever-increasing wealth and prestige. Leaning a little more left than right, I am slightly less triumphant at the more traditional living patterns that would be adopted in this Christian Society...but not really. I know that at the end of the day, when all is resolved, that our most exultant state will be in our family units, lead by inspired and careful authorities. When this comes to pass, all will have a place, a job, a means of meaningful employment. Competition will die, and all will contribute as much as they can to community well-being. Families will live in security, and free from attack, under the direction of loving leaders. It may be highly idealistic, and nearly impossible by modern-day prediction, but I hope for that day all the same.