wre: Is Ayn Rands Objectivism incompatible with Christianity


prisonchaplain
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I confess to having read The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.  I've watched all three movies.  In my youth I entertained Objectivist and Libertarian ideas.  Ultimately I rejected her beliefs as too atheist at its core.  I never made the connection with Satanism though...

 

http://blog.acton.org/?s=satan

 

(You can copy the link and paste it--that seems to work)

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I can't see the link. Interesting topic though.

 

..my thoughts without reading the article.

 

I think there are definitely some things with Objectivism that don't jive with Christianity. I would say Objectivism throws the baby out with the bath water on in regard to religion. It's clear she kind of lumped all religion together.

 

Objectivist ideas of Free Will, Agency, Individual Responsibility are core to my religious beliefs and influence my political views.

 

With our understanding of Satan's rejected plan, where our agency is traded for forced salvation, it seem like Satanism would be more inline with Collectivist (socialism, communism, facism) in which Objectivism is diametrically opposed.

 

I'm guessing this is written by someone who has a poor understanding of Objectivism and Satanism for that matter and thinks he's stumbled upon something clever...but it's not.

 

Reminds of some non-religious leftist exclaiming that Jesus was the greatest socialist ever. (heard that one too many times to count)

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http://blog.acton.org/archives/67931-fountainhead-satanism.html#more-67931

 

I believe that's the link.

 

One of the comments summed it up nicely, the article basically assumes both a connection and that they are both wrong without any attempt at analyzing or proving it. It's really poor writing and reasoning.

 

..still an interesting topic.

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First, about the blog itself.  The writing appeared within the Acton Institute's site.  Thus, the intended audience is highly informed and educated.  The site appeals to a broadly Christian audience, though not exclusively so.  The founder is a Catholic priest.

 

I attended a 3-day seminar by the organization roughly 20 years ago.  It is classic liberal (near Libertarian) in orientation--making the blog's conclusions that much more interesting.  Ayn Rand was rabidly anti-Christian and anti-religious.  Her life's story is a demonstration of that--particular her seduction of the husband of her protege-couple.

 

One of her writings is titled "The Virtue of Selfishness."  Her philosophy was/is not compatible with Christian teaching.  She knew this, and faulted those Christians who embraced her ideas, claiming they could not fully understand them if they tried to mesh them with Jesus' teachings.

 

I've read a bit of LeVay's writings in the Satanic Bible.  He's no collectivist.  His argument is indeed for self-fulfillment.  He only says that what you do for your pleasure must not impede on the individual sovereignty of others.  In short, LeVay's Satanism bares little resemblance to the Satan I've heard about at this site.

 

So, considering its intended audience, and realizing the link is to a blog, not a research paper, I found it compelling, and humorous.  I do believe that many Christians are enticed by Rand's anti-collectivism.  We tend to read into her writings what we believe, and often miss what she actually intended.  In my case, it was her relentless atheism, and her disdain for Christian charity, that finally opened my eyes.  The author is right--Objectivism is a secular version of Satanist philosophy.

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Guest LiterateParakeet

I enjoyed the blog post, and totally agree.

 

I remember when I read Atlas Shrugged, and was part of an on-line discussion about it.  At first I really liked it and but I got so angry at Dagney at the end (and the point I felt Rand was making) that I put down the book and never finished it.  One of my close friends who read it at the same time was going through a difficult time, and was very influenced by it.  She ended up leaving the church, becoming an atheist, and wholly embraces the non-monogamist ideals of Rand.

 

So yeah, I'm not a fan of Ayn Rand.  The blog post gave me new added ideas not to be a fan.   :)

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I know there are LDS who espouse and write about classic liberal ideas.  Can anyone name some ones I may know.  Doug Bandow writes for the Cato Institute.  He is an Evangelical and Libertarian in thought (not sure about party affiliation.

 

http://www.cato.org/people/doug-bandow

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I do believe that many Christians are enticed by Rand's anti-collectivism.  We tend to read into her writings what we believe, and often miss what she actually intended.  In my case, it was her relentless atheism, and her disdain for Christian charity, that finally opened my eyes.  The author is right--Objectivism is a secular version of Satanist philosophy.

 

I suppose that's me. I was introduced to Ayn Rand by Neil Pearts lyrics for Rush. My understanding comes from that and reading the Fountainhead. I do see where collectivism stifles creativity and believe that independence and free will are ideas that fit nicely into the gospel.

 

But your right. there certainly is allot that does not work. So what of the fruits of her works by which we will know her for what she is? I couldn't say for myself that they have been evil but, like you said, like what you said I have taken the truths I find, along with some of her arguments in support and they have helped me see more clearly the evils of socialism and communism.

 

Here are some LDS bloggers that, like you, are more familiar with Ayn Rand and found her an anti-Christ, comparable to Korihor in the Book of Mormom.

 

http://notesfromamormon.blogspot.com/2010/07/ayn-rand-is-korihor-anti-christ-in-book.html

 

http://thelogicalmormon.com/2012/09/15/ayn-rand-an-antichrist/

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I read a fictional book awhile back about to LDS missionaries who took different paths as they grew older.  The book was set in the 1950s.  One became a John Birch Society activist, and the other fell in with Ayn Rand's group.  Neither extreme served to characters well, in the end.  Perhaps we err when we treat our political views with the same certainty we do our faith?  After all, the history of Protectionism (high trade tarriffs to protect American business) has alternated between Republican and Democrat almost every generation.  I wonder how many party loyalists switched positions and how many switched parties?

 

The book was titled Getting It Right, William F. Buckley

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Well for me at least, my political views come from my religious beliefs (my core beliefs) and unchanging moral principles not the other way around. I am only certain of my political leanings in so far as they appear to match my core beliefs. 

 

..and in most cases it ends up being the lesser of two evils

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Guest LiterateParakeet

Perhaps we err when we treat our political views with the same certainty we do our faith?  

The book was titled Getting It Right, William F. Buckley

 

Hmmm, as a "middle of the road" person, I hope that is true.  :)  I feel strongly about the Constitution, but I can't put all my support behind either the Republican or Democratic Party.  I see pros and cons in each, but they have both strayed to far from the Constitution for my taste.

 

The book sounds interesting, thanks!  I'll add that to my "to read" list.

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I'm inclined to agree with the author of this article.  I have read three of Ayn Rand's novels including plodding my way through every single word of the infamous Galt speech.  I have no love for the philosophy of Ayn Rand.  "But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil;" (Moroni 7:17)

 

Her severe hyper-independece is quite obviously against the interdependence of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  And her self-worship and love of self over everything else that bloom out of that belief are the antithesis to the first and second commandments to love God and others.  "A bitter fountain cannot bring forth good water;" (Moroni 7:11)

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