75 % Atheist + 25 % Catholic = 100 % Paul Ryan

[riqster]

http://bluntandcranky.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/75-atheist-25-catholic-100-paul-ryan/

Synopsis: Paul Ryan is allegedly both a Catholic and a follower of Ayn Rand. It explains a lot about the man and his positions. Go to the link to read the rest (I always feel like it's redundant to post the whole article here as well as on the blog page).

[trotsky]

1. Ridiculous smearing of atheism and atheists.

Fuck that shit.

[riqster]

4. No disrespect meant, and my apologies for any offense taken or given

If Ryan were to proclaim himself an Atheist, I'd have no issue. For him to claim to be an observant Catholic and also espouse Atheist/Objectivist views is sleazy, two-faced, and contemptible. I chose "Atheist" instead of "Objectivist" for two reasons: one, to keep the title tight, and two, to shake people up and make them see the core issue. No disrespect meant to Atheists, Objectivists, or Catholics.

Oh, and yes, Ryan is a hypocritical scumball and does not represent any of the Atheists in my personal life: each of whom, quite frankly, exhibit greater morality and humanity than most religious folk I Know.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. The term is "Objectivist", not "Atheist"

Rand's ideas do not derive from atheism. They derive from regarding selfishness as the only 'right' thing to aim for. Rand may also have been atheist, but that is not a pre-condition for selfishness - as well as Ryan, you can point to the 'prosperity theology' followers.

[riqster]

3. Objectivism does not preclude Atheism

Nor did Ayn Rand herself renounce Atheism - granted, it was not her central point. This post was not about Ayn Rand's philosophy - hence I did not feel it necessary to do a deep dive there.

The blog post was about Paul Ryan's intellectual, spiritual and moral dishonesty, and his willingness to hold self-contradictory notions in his head in order to satisfy his base and contemptible cravings, and lust for power and control.

In my opinion, Ms. Rand would have found Ryan to be laughable at best, and an asshole at worst. But of course, we cannot know the mind of another human, and certainly not hers.