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Christians Must Choose: Ayn Rand or Jesus

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LOL. Check out this hilarious political ad from some leftist nerds. I don't think any comment is really all that necessary, but I suppose this political group seems to think that you can't agree with someone on something and disagree with someone on something else. Nor can you be "a fan" of someone unless you agree with all their religious views. You either have to agree with everything someone ever said, including all their religious views, or totally repudiate them.

Christian voters must choose, Ayn Rand or Jesus. Prominent GOP leaders have praised Rand's philosophy and beliefs. But Rand made it clear that you can't follow her and Christ. The GOP budget, authored by Rand acolyte Paul Ryan, is the perfect example. Read Rand's quotes (all cited) and the praise from GOP leaders and conservative pundits for her philosophy, thinking, and morality at www.americanvaluesnetwork.org.

http://www.courier-journal.com/interactive/article/20110524/NEWS01/305240095/Rand-Paul-other-Republicans-can-t-both-ways-Ayn-Rand

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LOL. Check out this hilarious political ad from some leftist nerds.

I don't find it to be ridiculous. It is complete nonsense for any Ayn Rand fan of any sort to still be religious. I'm glad someone for once points out just how hypocritical it is to be a Rand fan AND religious. I'm surprised that any leftist organization would actually call people hypocrites while not smearing Rand, rather than go for a Rand/Republican-hating double attack.

Edited by Eiuol
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This is very clever, and very dangerous. It looks like an attack on Republican politicians and pundits for praising Ayn Rand. I think it's really intended to intimidate them into renouncing her and her views completely.

I've got nothing against the politicians and pundits' agreeing with Ayn Rand as vocally as they do. They have an unresolved contradiction to deal with. to be sure, but I'd rather see them resolve it in our direction than by dropping Ayn Rand and leaning further towards socialism, which is what this ad is trying to prod them into doing. If they completely reject Ayn Rand they have no leg to stand on whatsoever in arguing against further socialism in the US, so I'd rather not see them do so.

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I suppose this political group seems to think that you can't agree with someone on something and disagree with someone on something else. Nor can you be "a fan" of someone unless you agree with all their religious views. You either have to agree with everything someone ever said, including all their religious views, or totally repudiate them.

What you describe would indeed be silly, but I don't think that is what is happening. The article puts it this way:

People cannot support [Rand's] teachings and morality while also claiming to support Judeo-Christian values

This is a true statement. The video couldn't possibly explain every logical step in the span of a minute and a half, so it may appear to be a non-sequitur. But in the context of a short bit, I think the video is very effective. It quotes Rand saying that she opposes religion based on her moral rejection of faith. Then, it quotes Paul Ryan touting her moral defense of capitalism. It is designed to bring you to the conclusion that capitalism is unchristian, and that Republicans are hypocrites when they defend capitalism on moral grounds while also calling themselves Christians. This seems to be Rand's conclusion. I can't find one dishonest argument in the video. It is rare to find someone fighting Rand in this way.

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Well yeah, obviously that point is true, but when do you see any of these people claiming to support Rand's morality?

All we have is Paul Ryan who said what he liked about Rand was that she pointed out the morality of capitalism, that doesn't necessarily mean he supports everything she ever said in regards to morality.

So in that case, the charge would just be false: they don't and never claimed to champion Rand's teachings or morality or claimed to agree with it. Isn't it a bit silly to claim that you can't be a "fan" of Rand's novels or like any of her politics, e.g. support capitalism and individual rights, if you are a Christian?

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So in that case, the charge would just be false: they don't and never claimed to champion Rand's teachings or morality or claimed to agree with it. Isn't it a bit silly to claim that you can't be a "fan" of Rand's novels or like any of her politics, e.g. support capitalism and individual rights, if you are a Christian?

No one said that there is support of Rand here at all. Upon looking further, that same group has another video up that makes me think the group is of Christian liberals and perhaps going at a claim that those Republicans are bad because they're unchristian. In any case, a person could claim to be a fan of Rand, sure, but a Christian who does so is the last person I'd ever want to support. A confused Christian conservative who supports Rand is just about as worthwhile as a liberal who hates Rand. At the very least, the people who made this video understand that Rand is very unchristian. I actually wonder how any christian Conservative ever did claim to support Rand in *any* capacity and never even read Virtue of Selfishness at the very least. It's like claiming I'm a fan of existentialism because I liked The Stranger.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm concerned that the ad promotes a false association between Ayn Rand and Republicans.

I even read an article today where the author called Paul Ryan's budget proposal the "Ayn Rand budget":

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/04/paul-ryan-ayn-rand-budget-bible-faith-freedom-conference_n_871387.html

Nevertheless, it's a sign that Objectivism is making progress that liberals feel threatened enough to run ads like this.

Edited by iflyboats
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Well yeah, obviously that point is true, but when do you see any of these people claiming to support Rand's morality?

All we have is Paul Ryan who said what he liked about Rand was that she pointed out the morality of capitalism, that doesn't necessarily mean he supports everything she ever said in regards to morality.

So in that case, the charge would just be false: they don't and never claimed to champion Rand's teachings or morality or claimed to agree with it. Isn't it a bit silly to claim that you can't be a "fan" of Rand's novels or like any of her politics, e.g. support capitalism and individual rights, if you are a Christian?

The morality of capitalism can't be divorced from morality in general. The rights of man are not floating abstractions.

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