Religious conservatives have a problem

[Thats my opinion]

Fundamentalist Christians, most of whom tend to be conservative Republicans, have a serious dilemma having to do with the philosophy called, “Objectivism “ which was developed by Ayn Rand. Objectivism posits that only what benefits the self has any value. Dr. Aaron Book, the President of the Rand Institute, has stated that the only legitimate function of the government is to safeguard the absolute right of the individual without engaging in any activity for the common good. In a debate he stated that we should do away with child labor laws, the 13th 14th, and 15th amendments, social security, laws to protect the environment and everything else that would take wealth from the individual and use it for the good of those not creating it.

Here is where it gets sticky beyond the philosophic argument. Is the right wing of the Republican Party the nation’s contemporary advocate of Rand’s perspective? Paul Ryan says Ayn Rand is the reason he entered politics. He requires all his staff and his interns to read her books. Ryan says, “Ayn Rand more than anyone else does a fantastic job explaining the morality of capitalism; the morality of individualism.” Clarence Thomas who requires his law clerks to read “The Fountainhead,” has said, “I tend really to be partial to Ayn Rand.” Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin holds that “The Fountainhead” is a foundational book. Rush Limbaugh and Fox News continue in their adulation of the movie version of “Atlas Shrugged.”

Republican attacks on Social Security, Medicare, what is sarcastically called “Obamacare,” organized labor” and the rest of the social safety net, flow right out of the Objectivist philosophy. The current economic mess has only provided an excuse for the attempted gutting of progressive advances.

Sooner or later these right-wing religionists may wake up and realize that they have been fed a political poison that comes right out of the most significant atheistic think-tank in the country. Let me be clear, most atheists and agnostics I know are not Objectivists. They tend to be humanists who have no more regard for Rand than most progressive Christians. Nevertheless, a direct relationship can be made between the sources that fund both many Republican leaders, particularly the Tea party, and Rand’s philosophy.



www.aynrand.org

[provis99]

1. Clarence Thomas is a disciple of Ayn Rand?

What a hypocrite. A man who notoriously sponged off of government affirmative action and assistance at every opportunity claims to be a follower of Ayn Rand, who hated government assistance and affirmative action.

Now I've got another reason to despise Thomas.

[okasha]

2. In my first semester of graduate school, I took a course

on "The Literature of Social Protest." While all the button-down types were assiduously researching the campus leftists, this campus leftist decided to "do" Rand and the righties. I wound up reading all her books and was horrified and bored silly by turns. She was a dreadful thinker. She was an even worse writer. I'm appalled that anyone would find her "philosophy" worthy of adoption, yet it seems tailor-made for the robber baron economic and political culture we find ourselves in.

[Taverner]

6. I am convinced she was mad that Communism robbed her of her pony

Even though Jews were treated equally bad by both the White Russians and Bolshiveks

[dimbear]

3. As the great poet William Blake suggested: "Bring out weight and measure in a year of dearth."

When money is tight, people can get mean. Advocating that as a principle of Republicanism isn't a shock. Their drawing from an atheist source probably isn't as controversial as we might think, we don't cast stones at Tom Paine, at least not so much lately. Also, works escape their origins sometimes, like the song "White Christmas."

Not that it won't be fun to razz them some. :)

[dmallind]

4. And again you clarion-call diviseness then whisper inclusion

"political poison that comes right out of the most significant atheistic think-tank ". What think tank that is dedicated to atheism are you referencing? Because Rand was an atheist (Xians - note the complete absence of scotsmanism here) does that mean any group concerned with her economic philosophy is atheistic too? Why? Does that mean all economic Keynesians must be bisexual eugenics fans?

[Goblinmonger]

5. Thought the exact same thing.

See they were tricked into atheist thinking is another thing that kind of comes through that section of the OP.

And, yes, Rand was an atheist.

[Thats my opinion]

17. I was only referring to "The Ayn Rand Institute"

see the link

[okasha]

7. Kick.

Here it is, That's My Opinion.

[Thats my opinion]

8. Religious conservatives have a problem

Fundamentalist Christians, most of whom tend to be conservative Republicans, have a serious dilemma having to do with the philosophy called, “Objectivism “ which was developed by Ayn Rand. Objectivism posits that only what benefits the self has any value. Dr. Aaron Book, the President of the Rand Institute, has stated that the only legitimate function of the government is to safeguard the absolute right of the individual without engaging in any activity for the common good. In a debate he stated that we should do away with child labor laws, the 13th 14th, and 15th amendments, social security, laws to protect the environment and everything else that would take wealth from the individual and use it for the good of those not creating it.

Here is where it gets sticky beyond the philosophic argument. Is the right wing of the Republican Party the nation’s contemporary advocate of Rand’s perspective? Paul Ryan says Ayn Rand is the reason he entered politics. He requires all his staff and his interns to read her books. Ryan says, “Ayn Rand more than anyone else does a fantastic job explaining the morality of capitalism; the morality of individualism.” Clarence Thomas who requires his law clerks to read “The Fountainhead,” has said, “I tend really to be partial to Ayn Rand.” Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin holds that “The Fountainhead” is a foundational book. Rush Limbaugh and Fox News continue in their adulation of the movie version of “Atlas Shrugged.”

Republican attacks on Social Security, Medicare, what is sarcastically called “Obamacare,” organized labor” and the rest of the social safety net, flow right out of the Objectivist philosophy. The current economic mess has only provided an excuse for the attempted gutting of progressive advances.

Sooner or later these right-wing religionists may wake up and realize that they have been fed a political poison that comes right out of the most significant atheistic think-tank in the country. Let me be clear, most atheists and agnostics I know are not Objectivists. They tend to be humanists who have no more regard for Rand than most progressive Christians. Nevertheless, a direct relationship can be made between the sources that fund both many Republican leaders, particularly the Tea party, and Rand’s philosophy.

(I posted this a couple of days ago. There was an immediate response and several recommendations. Then it suddenly disappeared. Would someone inform me as to how that could have happened.)

www.aynrand.org

[BigDemVoter]

9. Agreed!

Yes, Religious conservatives DO have a giant problem! Thanks for your post!!!!

[okasha]

10. Found it.

It just slipped down the page because other threads had more recent replies. You might want to ask a mod to combine the two threads now, since your second one has a reply and recs.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

11. Excellent post. It's absolutely true. nt

[Thats my opinion]

18. Bishop Dom Helder Camera also said

I can spend all day pulling people out of the river. But sooner or later I must go up the river to see who is throwing them in."

[laconicsax]

12. There are multiple pages.

If you look just below the search box on the main page in R/T (or any other forum here), you'll see a link to see the moderators for the forum, and just below that, links to the other pages in the forum. More than likely, your other thread slipped off the first page.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

14. Butbutbut the manual that came with the AOL CD doesn't say anything about that!

And where is the "Any" key?

[Thats my opinion]

19. thanks nt

[Sirveri]

13. objectivism is the core belief of satanism.

Tell any fundie christian that their leaders are espousing satanism and see how mad they get. They'll call you a liar and shut down to anything further, but you're not likely to get through to them anyways.

[safeinOhio]

15. Need a bumper sticker

AYN RAND WAS A GODLESS BITCH!

[Sirveri]

16. I love her interviews with Wallace.

http://youtu.be/7ukJiBZ8_4k?t=4m11s

Especially this segment.