I believe I said above, "A religious Objectivist is a contradiction in terms" so in retrospect, I agree with you. I'm struggling for an appropriate term for someone who understands the bulk of Objectivism but because of a misunderstanding or through ignorance of a key element, has difficulty with the philosophy. At one time the common term was "a student of Objectivism"; for that matter, we are all students of Objectivism to the extent we focus on understanding the philosophy. On the other hand, someone who does understand, but chooses to accept religious tenets anyway, has headed down an evil path. ED for clarity.

The goal is to understand, not to "train" for an intellectual position not understood in advance. No one should be calling himself 'Objectivists in' anything. Some are trying to understand more and don't even know the major clashes with traditionally establishment views or why and don't even know what the philosophical issues are; others (who also have revealed they don't understand) are militantly opposed to Ayn Rand and obnoxiously exploiting the forum to push their attacks. But no one can be an Objectivist 'other than' something that fundamentally contradicts it, like religion. It's an outright contradiction in term.

As to personal psych therapy, I have two words:

Bubble Wrap

It has saved me thousands in psych bills!

Willie and the poor boys are playin';
bring a nickel; tap your feet.......!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clJb4...

good song! -- j
.

Down on the corner, out in the street.

You could go up vote their comments. ;). I kid, I kid. :D

I have waaay too much fun on G.G. It also is a release valve for when I'm steamed beyond my capacity to contain my anger. Saved me thousands in unspent shrink money.

LOL! But don't you also?? Thumbs up, kiddo!

I dunno. Jeez you rational people always gotta have a truthful explanation.

Yes, I understand up=thumb, good; down=thumb, bad. But say a #3 appears; does
that apply to up=thumb or bad=thumb? Anyway, thumbs up my friend!!

the pedantic prose was intentional -- that's why the "sic," Gary.
rife -- abundant or plentiful; numerous

we can pretend that words are math, can't we, sometimes?
.

The up thumb indicates a positive response and ups the number. The thumb down is a negative response and lowers the number. You may be like me who will go to see a poorly reviewed movie just to be able to tell the reviewer how wrong he was.

That would be "ripe" for study. Sorry, the pedant in me just had to reply.

I've changed my mind. And since I'm so special (gay, transgendered, confused gendered, multiracial, short, underprivileged, white privileged, black disprivilged, bald and have only one eye), I should get all the votes because I was told I was special and deserve all the votes. So there!!!

An Objectivist-in-training.

Sorry, Gary. I read too much into your remark.

Since I am in the class of non-Objectivists, I will say that I am closer to being an Objectivist than any other pigeonhole; when not in the Gulch, I have referred to myself by that tag. So: What do YOU call someone who is in general an Objectivist, but who deviates from defined parameters in some respect, such as religion?

Jan

Regarding your comment "But more and more people here just want a one-sided debate". I agree, though maybe not in the way you meant it.

I do not make a ton of comments on this site. In part because I am busy working most of the time, but also because when I do many of the responses indicate that ideas are not welcome on this site unless they fit in with the established doctrines of Objectivism. It is like newcomers are expected to accept something because it is the Objectivist view.

I came to this site because I read Atlas Shrugged and thought it was one of, if not the most, important book I have read. There are so many things that were great illustrations of our current problems. I wanted to be connected to people that had that same basic view.

I am happy to say that not all of my interactions here have been bad...far from it. However, I think there are to many people here that trying to make this a very narrow community where you have to be sold on the entire objectivist philosophy, or at least interested in possibly being "all in".

There are a ton of people out there that agree with 80% of what objectivist believe in. I whish everyone on the site was eager to welcome those like minded people rather than thinking newcomers have to be converted, or interested in converting, into a die hard objectivist before they find a home here.

I guess my problem is that I thought most (not all) of the ideas in Atlas Shrugged were incredible. Then I came here and was exposed to something called Objectivism which goes far beyond the things I agreed with in Atlas Shrugged. I am not at all sold on objectivism as a perfect philosophy. But then again, no philosophy is perfect.

I wasn't arguing that non-Objectivist didn't have something valuable to say. I was simply refuting the conjecture that a religious person could be an Objectivist. The nature of Objectivism precludes it.

I don't belong to any religious organization, but will admit to believing in Adam Smith's Invisible Hand!

Then many who are present in this virtual Gulch are not Objectivists, but they are here all the same. Their views are worth listening to and I observe that, other than religion, their approach to life is rational. Most of these people willingly state that they consider their religion to be outside of Objectivism. Perhaps "Objectivist other than belief in religion" is the correct term for these people, but that is a bit unhandy.

I do not happen to be religious, but I do sometimes disagree with other statements that are tagged as cannon Objectivist, so I do not call myself "Objectivist" on this list.

Jan

Hey Herb,this reminds me of our recent
"points-schmoints" thing (LOL!) but I kinda
agree with jimjamesjames re: its importance.I still don't know which thumb the number refers to, the up or down??

I'm with you Babe, and no (M.Aarethun) I
don't work for the government party.

I' m glad you have my back!

The fix is in. The "winner" will be who the power elite want to win...