I agree with Ron Paul on lots of issues—Von Mises site is one of my favorite.
The only thing I have against Paul is his lack of realization that Values—Virtue—is essential in all free Republics.
Machiavelli—the greatest Republican historian of all time—whom even was quoted by the Founders—said that Virtue is absolutely necessary in the military and for a free Republic. If the people are not virtuous—then it is over.
Paul does not condemn sodomy. He thinks that evil behavior is “morally neutral”, acceptable. That behavior is always evil....it uses the body for lust and as an object which removes human dignity.
The basis of our Constitution and the philosophy of our legal system is based on Just Law—which is only God’s Law—saying Supra Positive Law declares null and void those laws (like the Nuremberg laws) which are in disagreement with God’s Laws where Natural Rights originate.
By declaring sodomy is “good” and a “right” you destroy Judeo/Christian Ethics. You force God’s Laws OUT of the military and insert twisted irrational thinking of the Barney Franks or the Hitler’s. It is antithetical to Virtue. Always will and even according to Machiavelli—it will destroy a Republic.
Paul didn’t read Machiavelli, or Aristotle, or Cicero or John Locke or Thomas Reid—or James Madison, Washington, Adams, Jefferson, etc. if he doesn’t understand this foundation, ESSENTIAL part of a Republic.
He thinks you can have a mob vote in a state to go against Natural Law and children’s Natural Rights to biological parents and force this irrational—evil paradigm to destroy the Judeo/Christian religions and adopt pagan/atheist/occultist/muslim traditions of sodomy is good and pederasty is always the root of that behavior, because it is learned and habituated as Afghanistan behaviors prove and the study of history—such as Ancient Greece. Remember—Democracies, even the Athenian type, are nothing but mob rule—tyranny of the minority by a majority.
There has to be a Standard of Right and Wrong....the Judeo/Christian one has been the one which created the most free and just society in the history of man. Zero wants that paradigm destroyed and is inserting the atheist/pagan/marxist standards....by sexualizing our children with homosexual propaganda—lies to destroy rational thought.
Paul does not understand Childhood Development—that is so obvious to me if he allows a legal system to force worldview opposite of our Founders. A Republic will not exist under paganism—there is no Absolutes—it is who ever is in power who decides Right and Wrong.
Paul thinks you can have a Basketball game where everybody makes up there own rules (no absolutes)-—you won’t ever get a game played that way—it will end up in fights every time. Chaos.....and Paul just doesn’t get it.
Correction-—we did have successful Republics with paganism. But that was Aristotle’s Ethics and Ciceronian ideals—that which stated Virtue is necessary and actually defined Just Law as God’s Law==both were heavily based on Natural Law Theory (so is our laws)-there were teleological design to human beings.
Just Laws never deviated with Natural Law in Cicero’s definition of Just Law.
Natural Law always presumed a “Designer”—the Supreme Being—One God—although they were pagan, many believed in a most powerful god.
Christianity perfected the ideas of Aristotle and Cicero by adding the Theological virtues to Aristotle’s virtues....we ended up getting rid of slavery and giving rights to women like the Ancient world never did—and dignity to children. Sodomy of boys was really prevalent in society until the Judeo/Christian Ethics became the norm which pushed those activities out of the “acceptable” category. Theology and philosophy argued that the practice is evil and destructive on a lot of different levels.
This is interesting. You started me Googling, and I have actually learned some things I didn’t know about Ron Paul (Thanks!). I’m sure you & I aren’t coming from exactly the same perspective on sin, but I do believe homosexuality is a pathological behavior and should be discouraged by society.
I will keep looking into this, though it probably won’t change my preference for Ron Paul because: 1) The top issue for me is SMALLER GOVERNMENT. Paul is BY FAR the best on this. Everything else is way secondary; this is THE ISSUE for me. 2) Paul values freedom above all. I have a lot of respect for that. It’s EXTREMELY rare among politicians. I understand your concern about values. It’s possible that Paul personally shares your Christian values but believes inculcating values isn’t the proper job of government. It’s always hard for people to wrap their minds around the idea that you can disapprove of an activity, but at the same time defend people’s right to do it. I am strongly against gay marriage (which I think is an absurdity) but I’m also against anti-sodomy laws (excessive intrusion of government in private lives).
Anyway I will be learning more about Paul’s positions. He’s not perfect, but he’s way ahead of the pack.
BTW something you said earlier about Jews: “since every other nation has refused to allow them to integrate and live in their countries” - actually the USA was pretty good to my great-grandparents.