Is Atheism incompatible with Conservatism?

solohq.org ^ | Neil Parille

[jhoge]

Ayn Rand was an atheist. According to her one-time associate Barbara Branden, Rand became an atheist at age thirteen. Branden records Rand writing in her diary at that age: "Today I decided to be an atheist." Branden then reports her as later explaining, "I had decided that the concept of God is degrading to men. Since they say that God is perfect, man can never be that perfect, then man is low and imperfect and there is something above him – which is wrong." [Branden, PAR, p. 35.] Branden continues that Rand's "second reason" is that "no proof of the existence of God exists."

Rand therefore proposes two objections to the existence of God. First, belief in God degrades man, by positing something "higher" or more "perfect." Belief in God is anti-man. Second, there is no proof for the existence of God. While Rand would later emphasize the irrationality of belief in God, the impression from her writings is that her principal objection to belief in God was a moral or psychological one. [Ryan, OCR, p. 270.]

[jhoge]

Ayn Rand, founder of Objectivism and intellectual heavy-hitter for much of FR, was an atheist. But, as a reader of FR and an atheist, I tend to see a lot of anti-atheist/agnostic dialog. Why? Am i just misguided? Are atheism and conservatism opposed forces?

[JaguarXKE]

This country was founded on a principle of Freedom of Religion...if that means for you no religion, then more power to ya. I personally don’t see an issue. By the way, welcome to FR - I see you have been a member since - today.

[darkwing104]

Am i just misguided?

Yes

Are atheism and conservatism opposed forces?

No

[OCC]

You signed up today just to post this?

[mnehring]

Conservativism is about the individual over the system, the individual reach out and achieve his best based on his own work not waiting for big brother let him. If that individual believes in God or not has no bearing in Conservative values. I know many, very Conservative atheists and I’m glad to have them on our side.

[Misterioso]

What’s the real difference between a lurker and a “member?”

[Fred Hayek]

Charles Krauthammer is an athiest, and is a pro-life conservative. Even if there was an outside chance of embryonic stem cells curing his paralysis, he would still tun it down since it involves taking another life. Pretty much the same view as Dr Francis Schaeffer.

[mnehring]

I didn’t know Krauthammer was an atheist but I’ve read his comments on abortion and they are very grounded, paraphrased- no man has the right over the life of another, be it abortion, slavery, or involuntary servitude. If others on our side had his eloquence instead of just saying ‘it is wrong’, it may have ended long ago.

[Misterioso]

Do you suppose Krauthammer knows how to spell atheist?

[Misterioso]

You wouldn’t be trolling, would you?

[Jagdgewehr]

As a conservative site, Free Republic is pro-God, pro-life, pro-family, pro-Constitution, pro-Bill of Rights, pro-gun, pro-limited government, pro-private property rights, pro-limited taxes, pro-capitalism, pro-national defense, pro-freedom, and-pro America. We oppose all forms of liberalism, socialism, fascism, pacifism, totalitarianism, anarchism, government enforced atheism, abortionism, feminism, homosexualism, racism, wacko environmentalism, judicial activism, etc. We also oppose the United Nations or any other world government body that may attempt to impose its will or rule over our sovereign nation and sovereign people. We believe in defending our borders, our constitution and our national sovereignty.

From the founder of Free Republic. Bold is mine. Perhaps this is the cause for the "anti-atheist/agnostic dialog" you refer to.

[Excellence]

The Constitution not being in and of itself a religious document, an adherence to religion is not required to be a Constitutional conservative.

Welcome to FR.

[Gay State Conservative]

So you joined *today* to tell us how cool atheism is.I fear that your browser is malfunctioning.DUmmie Land can easily be found through a google search.

[parsifal]

IMHO, most atheists aren’t. They just don’t believe in Judeo-Christian view of God. Most I have known are very moral people and the most confusing question I ask them is where their sense of right and wrong came from. Where did their strong desire to express truth as they believe it come from when it would be so much easier to just pretend to believe. Where did their love come from, whether for their mate, their children or just some dumb pet, like a kitten.

Most really can’t answer and I don’t press, I just ask them to think about it and think about the possibility that there is just something in us that is more than we see, and something more in the universe that we just don’t fully understand.

parsy, who has had his doubts at times

[Misterioso]

Perfectly put. Thanks.

[Lee N. Field]

"I had decided that the concept of God is degrading to men. Since they say that God is perfect, man can never be that perfect, then man is low and imperfect and there is something above him – which is wrong."

Sad. Close, but pride got her.

God is perfect, got that right. Man is low and imperfect and fallen. And there's nothing we can do about it. But there's a remedy.

Are atheism and conservatism opposed forces?

I'd say not necessarily. Orthogonal, no necessary relation. Nor is Christianity necessarily allied with conservatism.

My Christianity informs my politics. I've tried to nuance it in a way that would likely confuse or piss off a lot my dear conservative evangelical co-religionists. See my FR personal page for details.

[Julia H.]

Note “government enforced.”

[Freedom_Fighter_2001]

Ask yourself this: where do rights come from? (It may be self-evident.)

You can decide whether you are really a conservative if you truthfully answer that question.

[Jagdgewehr]

Already noted. My point is that might be the reason for the “anti-atheist/agnostic dialog” he was referring to.

[Misterioso]

parsy, who has had his doubts at times

Doubt is what foreshadows atheism. Hang in there - :•)