Do people ever discuss being non-religious and believing in sound economics and freedom?
I know this sounds like a strange question. I live in Iowa, and have found that a lot of the people associated with the grassroots organizing for the Campaign for Liberty are very religious. Christian to be more specific. I grew up in the capital city of Des Moines, I never really was in or around churches, and my family rarely ever discussed religion or specifics about Christianity. So, by birth, I’m not a religious person, whether it be Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, etc… I am “non-religious.” So, going back to my initial question, I just want to say that I sometimes feel a little uncomfortable, or out of place. Sometimes when I am out, trying to do my best through political activism, I hear things like, “those activist judges are trying to write law allowing same-sex marriage… they are going to influence our kids into believing that it’s okay to be homosexual… they should follow the constitution strictly so my kids don’t end up gay…” Or I hear things like, “our country was founded on Christian values and that our constitution is founded on God’s principles, and that our nation is swaying away from morality.” These aren’t exact quotes, but are somewhat paraphrases. Things like this bother me.
I’m not exactly sure what I’m trying to say. Does anyone else know what I’m talking about? This isn’t an attack, or anything like that. I’m just wondering if anyone else has felt this way. Or if anyone has had discussions on this topic. I would like to hear what other people have to say.
Also, another good example would be the Tea Party on April 15. There were a lot of negative undertones. Something like, “those dirty anti-christian-values-socialists are hurting mah jobs…” comes to mind.
All the time here. Or rather, there is a mixed constituency and religion for or against usually is left out of the equation. I think more people here understand that liberty allows people to make their own choices whether that is to be an atheist or a theist.
You’re welcome to post here. We’re mostly anarchists, but there are several minarchists and you’d probably fit in ok.
I think Hoppe, Rothbard, and Walter Block are all non religous people. I know I have no belief in the supernatural. Despite Marx’s thoughts I see nothing inherently atheistic or religous in socialism/ free market economy
Morality is not strictly a religious concept. Morality has been a philosophical concept in western civilization since ancient greece. In other words, morals are easily reasoned.
I consider myself both an atheist and an an-cap. I was made a little uneasy by Ron Paul’s religious convictions, but I know that as a Libertarian he would never presume to force them on anyone. So it’s not even really that big of a deal.
He did say that he didnt believe in evolution though, which is hard to hear as someone who loves science. Oh well.
Btw, I live in a suburb of Des Moines. I can see 801 Grand from my house. [:D]
Good question actually. I come from a “religious” viewpoint. The best answer I can give is that, despite my deep religious beliefs, the things you suggest creep me out as well. So the two are separable and independent.
That said, I think “true Christianity” embraces “true freedom”. Those who mix these up are mistaken regarding their “Christian” morals. Jesus was very tolerant of “bad people” (prostitutes for example), and very intolerant of the hypocrites who taught legalism.
According to your sense of morality, prostitution is not immoral. According to the Bible, it is.
I don’t believe that prostitution should be punished by the state since it is a voluntary act of exchange, however from the Christian perspective it is still immoral. You may not be a Christian, therefore you believe prostitution to be moral, but your belief as it pertains to the Christian is irrelevent.
Abolish God, and the State becomes God. However, I don’t think atheism and libertarianism are mutually exclusive. Atheism is a result of critical thought, and critical thinking leads rather naturally to skepticism of the State. But if Man is the be-all and end-all, then a fortiori, secular human institutions will dominate.
I saw an interview with Block last week during which he stated he was an atheist. He nevertheless admitted he was a “big fan” of religion, citing that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”.
If you’re an atheist you will fit right in here, people on these boards tend to be very critical and religion, and vocal about it too.
People on these boards, and anarchists in general tend to be very logical, critical thinkers with a dislike of authority of all kinds. Naturally, they tend to not realise there are limits to the power of their reason and conclude that God does not exist because they don’t understand the nature of the Lord.
And that’s all well and good. And when you establish a brothel in a Christian neighborhood and come their one morning to find the place burned down, you can lecture everybody about the NAP and consenting adults. Or you can accept the fact that an anarchist society will organize along cultural lines and relocate to a more hospitable area.
Burning down buildings is not a Christian act. It is a criminal one. I understand where you are coming from Byzantine, but let’s not try to cloak coercive behaviour within some justification based on theist moral codes.
And that’s when I put a bounty out for the heads of anyone seen at the site of the burning. Afterward, I take said heads and put them on pikes out front on the site of the burning. Reciprocity is a bitch, no?