Galt's Gulch

George Will: The Relationship of Religion To The American Way

Posted by khalling 11 years, 2 months ago to Philosophy
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I have long felt that Will did not represent a Conservative view on many things. Interesting Objective Standard take on the issue of Religion in our very unique Constitution and its relevance to rights. Consider reading Rand's Theory of Rights (further down in the article). I have two questions to shape this post.
1. Is religion integrally tied to the foundations of our nation and Constitution (or in other words, would the Constitution fundamentally stand without it)?
2. Are your rights derived from the premise I own myself?
SOURCE URL: http://www.theobjectivestandard.com/blog/index.php/2013/08/george-will-a-conservative-none-in-need-of-ayn-rands-theory-of-rights/

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  • Posted by richrobinson 11 years, 2 months ago
    Very intriguing article. I am not a religious man but I have always been surprised at how intimidated secularists feel when they talk about religion. Religion was very important to most of our founders. If someone wants to feel that our rights come from God I am fine with that. If not I am fine with that too. I think it would be less of an issue if we all had the same self confidence that Rand had.
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    • Posted by khalling 11 years, 2 months ago
      Will referred to this group as an "expanding minority" he's such a card. lol
      devil's advocate:
      "If someone wants to feel that our rights come from God I am fine with that."
      So, for example when people say "even if there's no global warming, what's wrong with using more renewable energies?"
      If one starts with a logical fallacy, it will cause a problem/error somewhere down the line. I never want to get back to the answer "faith." where does the discussion go from there?
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      • Posted by richrobinson 11 years, 2 months ago
        It's Okay to use renewable energy if that is what the market decides without chasing the global warming boogeyman. If people gain self confidence from believing in God that's fine. If not that's fine too.
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        • Posted by khalling 11 years, 2 months ago
          point taken. I was going off the implication that renew energy is heavily govt driven. Let's say it is market driven. there are always snake oil salesmen in all economic systems. It should still be called snake oil if the definition fits.
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  • Posted by LionelHutz 11 years, 2 months ago
    ARTICLE QUOTE: But why does Will maintain that religion is even “helpful” or “important” to the cause? Why is that “indubitably the case”? What exactly does religion supply that Will regards as so crucial as to warrant condoning ideas that he believes to be false?

    I believe Edmund Burke supplied an excellent answer to this: "Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains on their own appetites. Society cannot exist unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere, and the less of it there is within, the more there is without. It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters."
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    • Posted by khalling 11 years, 2 months ago
      yea, no. Whether people can keep freedom s one story. That they are entitled to freedom is true regardless of Constitution or temperance. No matter what, Man is entitled to freedom. His very nature is the system in which he thrives. a small ruling elite is usually the problem, not the moral decay of the masses. We do not need a controlling power as if we are beasts that must be contained and trained and controlled. ok, lionel, give me another
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