Galt's Gulch

Two simple questions (requesting simple answers from each of you) ...

Posted by Joy1inchrist 8 years, 10 months ago to Ask the Gulch
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Were you a Christian before being introduced to the philosophy of Ayn Rand? 2. Are you a Christian now?

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  • Posted by librty 8 years, 9 months ago
    No
    No
    I learned at an early age that the word "faith" had been distorted to cover more than what it was (i.e. a feeling). Words have an exact meaning and should always be defined. I know that faith is an unquestioning belief without proof. I like to use the word confidence to explain the acceptance of ideas with empirical evidence as proof.
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  • Posted by sfasching 8 years, 10 months ago
    For Christians the Bible from the first word, the cmmandments given to Moses, to the teachings of Jesus are all gifts of knowledge on what we need, the right way to obtain these things and how to take care of ourselves, our family, each other everything else on mother earth.

    Ayn Rand is one of the ones who got it and has passed on the basic principles of the knowledge in a way that makes it understandablel, if you are tuned in, in the context of the world today (covering 75 yrs. +/-)
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  • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 8 years, 10 months ago
    Before, knew Jesus tried to give us value and those in 'authority'...pretty much misguided.
    After, know that Jesus gave us value...but in bicameral speak; But would never consider myself a 'christian' so to speak, that is a mystical organization. (can't do mystical)
    My introduction to Rand and Hamilton didn't change anything except my understanding of what I had always tried to articulate for myself.
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  • Posted by salta 8 years, 10 months ago
    No, even though I had a "Christian" upbringing. Even at a young age I was always amused by the blatant evasions of any difficult question with answers like "it is Gods will" or "God works in mysterious ways".
    I now recognize that some people find comfort in their religious beliefs, so I just treat them with respect while not concurring. I support anyone's freedom to believe whatever they want. Just as a side note, it is also refreshing but unfortunately quite rare, to find a religious person who shows the same respect for a non-believers beliefs.
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  • Posted by NealS 8 years, 10 months ago
    I've always been a Christian, or at least thought I was. I was baptized a Lutheran as a child. I do not practice any religion anymore, I kind of quit Sunday's after I passed out in a church around age 16 and hit my head. I've been married in a church, actually twice, and the third time in my home by a judge. The judge must have done a better job. I've prayed a few times, but mostly, and especially, in Vietnam. I can attest to the fact that there are no atheists in battle. I'm a very scientific person, wanting to know how everything works. I do not believe in the biblical concept of how man came to be, but also do not deny it. I guess that would make me more of an agnostic. An agnostic says, “I don't have a knowledge that God exists.” And I am definitely not an atheist. An atheist says, “I don't have a belief that God exists.” But above all I believe in the concepts of a good religion and the bible. And I believe some people need to be exposed to it to get the message. What other way can they learn? It sets a standard that anyone should follow.

    See, I also believe there is nothing as a simple answer either. Ayn Rand was real, real person, a real soul. I'm not sure her outlook on the facts of life made her a very happy person. At least she did and took what she wanted in life. We can't ask for much more than that.
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  • Posted by $ warehousesteve 8 years, 10 months ago
    Yes and Yes...I was a church going Catholic before and after reading her work. In the last 5 years I just have not felt the "urge" to attend Mass.
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    • Posted by ewv 8 years, 10 months ago
      You should continue reading, especially the non-fiction such as Leonard Peikoff's Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand. With that kind of understanding you will be much better off than just lacking the "urge".
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  • Posted by LibertyBelle 8 years, 10 months ago
    I thought there was some problem with the pass-
    word a few minutes ago, and I was starting to use
    the Backspace key, but then I was shown this page
    again, so I answered the question.
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  • Posted by term2 8 years, 10 months ago
    I was raised catholic. In 2nd grade I made a deal with god that if I prayed every day for a month and if he loved me like they said, god would give me a dump truck toy and put it in the attic. After a month, I went to the attic and NO dump truck. I concluded that IF there was an all powerful god, it wasnt into the loving thing, so I better do what it said or I was in for trouble. That lasted until the catholic church offered that one would be given a chance to repent for all sins just before dying- IF that person had received communion for 9 consecutive first fridays of the month. I took them up on it, and then didnt fear the god anymore. Then I went to college and was exposed more and more to stupidity of thinking there was this god in the first place. Never had anything to do with catholic church or any other ever since. Did Ayn Rand help in that? To a degree, but I was pretty much there on my own. A good expose on religion was done by (of all people) Bill Mayer in his documentary Religulous. I saw it the other day and really cant even believe people accept these crazy ideas about their being a god.
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  • Posted by bbuckeye 8 years, 10 months ago
    Although I was raised as a Christian, by the time that I read Atlas shrugged, shortly after it came out, I had already decided that I was an agnostic. After ~58 years, I still am.
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  • Posted by jdmatthew 8 years, 10 months ago
    Yes, I am Proud to say that I am a Christian. I have been a Christian 8since I was 17 years old. I do not find any thing about the philosophy of Ayn Rand that is diametrically opposed to the Christian Judeo ethic. What makes you think that to believe in fair and honest trade by mutual consent, you must abandoned believe in the onnipitant creator? I was always lead to believe that Libertarians where open minded, but it is obvious from some of the posts recently that is not all that true.
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    • Posted by ewv 8 years, 10 months ago
      Who has an open mind quickly has it filled with garbage. We have active minds, not minds open to anything regardless of contradictions with what we do know.

      Ayn Rand's philosophy of reason and egoism is the opposite of Christianity including its "ethic" of duty and sacrifice, and its metaphysics and epistemology of supernaturalism and faith. There is a lot more to it than consensual trade and a lot more to it than a-philosophical libertarian subjectivism. You should keep reading.
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  • Posted by woodlema 8 years, 10 months ago
    I get such a kick out of the negative points people post vs. the positive ones.

    Reminds me of the liberal college professors who give A grades to people who simply agree with them and bad grades to those who do not.

    Nothing more than those who want to try and bully others into their way of thinking by assuming I actually care if you like my comment or not.

    So much for "tolerance."
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    • Posted by ewv 8 years, 10 months ago
      The reasons for rejecting your religious proselytizing have been given many times. It is contrary to the purpose of this forum. Giving reason for rejecting your religious pronouncements and your promotion of them here is not "bullying" and has nothing to do with "grades". If you don't care if anyone likes what you are doing then why do it at all. You can believe what you want. It doesn't belong here.
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      • -1
        Posted by woodlema 8 years, 10 months ago
        First I have not attempted to convert ANYBODY ergo I am not proselytizing.

        Seems to me You and your fellow Atheists are the ones doing the proselytizing, but trying to convert us into Atheism.

        When you mis-quote a scripture to try to make a point, my providing an explanation IN context is not proselytizing.

        Also, your atheist pronouncements are no different, and your BELIEF is also based on your own personal faith.

        Next just because I do understand the Bible, have studied it, Greek, Hebrew, the Koran, and dozens of other text over the past 50 years, is in no way "promoting" one belief system over another.

        I do not recall EVER having said the Atheist is wrong and I am right.

        Having studied some Law, one thing you are taught is to be able to provide arguments from both sides.

        To have the capacity to provide a detailed explanation of a topic does mean you promote it over another.

        Your an atheist and believe in nothing that is fine. I actually believe in God and THAT IS ALSO FINE!!!

        I do not have my beliefs based on blind faith since I have the ability to delve into mathematical evidence proving that the complexities could not have been "random" based on a "SCIENTIFIC" principal known as a mathematical impossibility and/or improbability

        You and I would always be at a stalemate since you and I cannot prove what we believe, you there is no God me that there is.

        This is not proselytizing since I am not the least bit interested in converting you only providing the explanation to the misquoted scriptures.

        Just because you do not "like" the answers does not mean they are inaccurate.

        Why do it at all? I do what I do for MY sake and ONLY my sake and for my own personal Benefit and for my own satisfaction.

        Hrm, sounds objectivist to me.


        edited for spelling and grammar
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        • Posted by ewv 8 years, 10 months ago
          Your promoting religion and its fallacies does not belong here. You know that. This is a forum for interest in Ayn Rand's philosophy of reason and egoism, the opposite of religion.

          The reasons for rejecting religious faith are clear enough. It is not possible to rationally argue within someone's theology immersed in faith and sacred text, accepting that approach as a premise. Diving into that mud is hopelessly futile. I do not either quote or misquote from scripture. Faith in sacred text is entirely irrelevant. So are misrepresentations of science as "random" as a false alternative.

          No one is trying to or expects to "convert" you. There is no "stalemate", only your obstinate inappropriate religious proselytizing. Please take it somewhere else.
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