[ryan71]

“Yet and still, her virulent atheism has made her controversial on the right, where, it would seem, she would find a more sympathetic audience.”

Really? I sense the opposite is true. The controversy about her atheism seems to come from the left.

[whodathunkit]

I have heard opposition to Objectivism come from both sides.
It seems her atheism is the easiest way to attack her philosophy. Interesting to see how the word ‘virulent’ is used. If she had been a christian she would have been ‘devout’.

[libstripper]

"The controversy about her atheism seems to come from the left." Not entirely, by any means. One of her bitterest, most virulent detractors, was the late William F. Buckley, Jr., the founder and longtime editor of National Review magazine. Buckley, a devout Catholic, loathed, abominated, and despised Rand to the very bottom of his being. The issue of NR that was published immediately after she died was far more venomous and virulent in its attacks on her and her legacy than it would usually be in its attacks on deceased libs. Indeed, it was the literary equivalent of a man dancing on the grave of his worst enemy and cackling with glee while urinating and defecating all over her grave. All in all a most disgraceful spectacle by the other wise gentlemanly Mr. Buckley, who was usually at least reasonably courteous with his liberal adversaries.

[Daveinyork]

“Really? I sense the opposite is true. The controversy about her atheism seems to come from the left.”

I hope you are being sarcastic. If not, stick around, the insults against her atheism will follow shortly.

[Lou L]

The controversy about her atheism seems to come from the left.

Exactly. The left sees controversy because -- HOW COULD WE POSSIBLY agree with some parts of an individual philosophy, but not the whole?

The left loves to look for, or create "blemishes" where none need to be. I don't have to subscribe to Rand's atheism to know that she was right on target with individual rights, very limited government, and capitalism as the source for the greatest advancements in human history.