Divine Libertarianism

Now I am no Bible scholar (although I did see the movie) but I believe God must be a libertarian.

This epiphany hit me when I came across an interesting passage in the Book of Samuel.

It's a story which takes place some time after Charlton Heston has led the Israelites to the Promised Land, so named I suppose because it had no government.

Not realizing how wonderful having no government was, however, the Israelites asked God to give them a King so they could more easily smite their enemies.

God doesn't think this is such a good idea and, through the prophet Samuel, he gives them a warning that sounds like something a prehistoric Milton Friedman might have said:

"This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots . . . He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."

Unfortunately, the Israelites don't listen and they end up getting Saul as their King, and as God predicted that didn't turn out too well.

Of course, today things have changed a lot since those Bible days.

A king no longer takes our donkeys. Today we are a democracy meaning we elect our donkeys to Parliament.