A way to purchase a home sans a mortgage is whole life insurance.
Interesting fact: Mortgages in the US were originally offered by insurance companies before banks muscled in on the game.
This way takes time (and study) before execution, but you will own the house outright from the go. The debt is with the insurance company which you will certainly want to amortize.
Debt with an insurance company is special and different than debt with a bank. It is safer debt than the bank debt as well.
Insurance, however, certainly ties you into the system (and is a presumption of "earning income" as far as government is concerned). Therefore, this may not meet your standard.