Interesting.
I was not aware of this essay - thank you.
God has given us many wonderful gifts in this world. John Piper is one of them...
” ... John Piper has a critique entitled The Ethics of Ayn Rand that I found very helpful.”
Thank you so much for posting that link. I’m a long time student of Rand, since the 50’s, and have read almost everything I could find related to Rand and her philosophy, and of course everything she has written, including her journals and correspondence. I have never read John Piper’s critique before, and very much appreciated it.
Most critics of Rand do not really understand her at all. I found Piper’s comments refreshingly astute. In fact, his exposition of Rand’s ethics is one of the most succinct and correct explanations I’ve ever read. He has totally captured the essence of her ethical philosophy, and for that I would highly recommend this paper to anyone who wants to understand Rand’s ethics and does not have the patience to read her, “The Virtue of Selfishness,” and “Capitalism: The Unknons Ideal.”
I am going to write a much longer response to this piece and will ping you to that when I have, if you like.
I have to warn you, I am not a theist, but I am not in any way “anti-religion,” and actually have a great deal of sympathy with sincere Christians. The Christian religion has also been a life-long study of mine.
Hank
Her books are not about the ins and outs of religion - which is a good thing, for then everyone would be screaming 'but it's not what MY church teaches.' Her book is not filed in the library under 'religion.'
Her books are about the destroyers vs the builders in gov't and industry - the people who ultimately 'rule'.- that have been in every society. Her books are about what happens when the balance starts to fall in favor of the destroyers. "Atlas" is quite a tome as it is. How big would it need to be to also get into the religious aspects?
THAT is what her 'novels' are about - a blueprint for us to understand the who, what and how our society can/will be destroyed. THAT is the message - to wake up before it's too late.
For stiff necked people to refuse to read the books because it doesn't also cover one's religious beliefs is to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Also, your freedom to exercise your religious freedoms will be null and void if we don't stop this Socialist takeover.
If you want a religiously pure book - go read books of religion.
(Note: I totally disagree with Rand's personal life. I believe she was pitifully devoid of any faith in a higher being. That is a frightful place to be. As a result, her personal life - and of those around her - was a mess.
That does NOT negate her message in "Atlas")
I suspicion that a lot of what doomed her personal life to failure was that, inward, she perceived herself a tall, stunning, blond heroine - i.e. a Dagney - but the mirror reflected a short, dumpy, not attractive, dark haired woman. She was Dagney trapped in an alien body.
I liked that one. Thanks for the link.