Our Fork in the Road

Our nation and all who call themselves followers of Jesus are at a fork in the road.  One fork travels the ethic of Ayn Rand, alive in the Tea Party.  The other fork travels the ethic of Jesus.  The irony is that the Ayn Rand crowd is loaded with professed followers of Jesus.  Yet, each fork is a unique journey of values, quite different, each offering distinctly different outcomes.

Ayn Rand was born in Russia and emigrated to the United States.  Two of her biggest books are: The Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged.  Avid followers include Alan Greenspan, the economist Milton Friedman, and Congressman Paul Ryan.  Some call her an objectivist.  Some quotes:

If any civilization is to survive, it is the morality of

altruism that we have to reject.

I swear, by my life and the love of it, that I will never live

for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to 

live for mine.

...the only way a government can be of service to national

prosperity is by keeping its hands off [business].

Civilization is the process of setting man  free from men.

The purpose of morality is to teach you not to suffer and die,

but to enjoy yourself and live.

God [is] a being whose only definition is that he is beyond

man's power to conceive.

Many say that Ayn Rand opened the door to unbridled greed and unrestrained capitalism.  Considering her disciples, this is a reasonable conclusion.  I would add a third outcome: triumphant selfishness.  Evan Knappenberger, a disabled Iraq war veteran and activist writes of his conversion from Rand to Jesus: 

Like Rand, I denounced compassion as weakness, abhorring

the idea of living for others.  Not only does Rand state 

unequivocally that greed is good and selfishness a virtue,

but she [claims that] love of personal gain is the only 

"objective" good in the universe.  Rand leaves the masses of 

humanity to die of starvation while a chosen elite live in

harmony in a capitalist utopia.

  Sojourners, March 2011, p. 22

Paul Ryan's budget plan travels the Rand Road: cut spending on education, food stamps, low income housing, Medicare, reduce taxes on corporations and cut taxes on the wealthiest Americans from 35% to 25%, and permanently extend the Bush tax cuts.  Do all this while:

One percent of the U.S. population holds between 34 and 39 percent

of the nation's wealth; the top 5% hold between 66 and 72% of 

the wealth; and the bottom 50% hold 2% of the wealth.  The share

of America's income held by the top 1% of the population

has more than doubled since 1980, while the bottom 90% 

has, since 1975, coped with flat wages and mounting debt.

Christian Century, April 19, 2011, p.22

Then there is the Jesus Road.  Consider Acts 2:44-45: "All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need."  In the Parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus says, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."  Colossians 3:2-5 states: "Set your minds on things that are above....Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: ...impurity...evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry)."  And Amos 5:21, 24: "I take no delight in your solemn assemblies....But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."

It is time for a bold Christian witness!  It is time to step up and make the Reign of God real!  It is time to trod the Jesus Road!  I am convinced that this is the only way back from our nation and the world being forever lost.  The Light of Christ enlightens our darkness and guides us through this perilous time.

We are at our fork in the road.

Peace!

Ron

CORRECTION: Two blogs ago, I incorrectly wrote: "The richest 400 people in the USA control 50% of the nation's wealth."  The correct statistic should have read: "The top 400 people control as much wealth as the bottom 50%."  My apology to Michael Moore for mis-hearing his comment.  Thank you, Duane, for bringing this matter to my attention.