IMHO Ayn Rand believed in God

Posted by ut91t05 9 years, 2 months ago to History
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god
noun
1.
a supernatural being, who is worshipped as the controller of some part of the universe or some aspect of life in the world or is the personification of some force related adjective divine
2.
an image, idol, or symbolic representation of such a deity
3.
any person or thing to which excessive attention is given: money was his god

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  • Posted by $ allosaur 9 years, 2 months ago
    I was a Christian way long before I first heard of Ayn Rand when the first Atlas Shrugged DVD became Netflix available.
    I still am. That's a fact.
    That being said, I have not read anything written by her to to indicate she believed in anything supernatural.
    Up until now, I have not read anything about her indicating that either.
    A fact is a fact is a fact.
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  • Posted by teri-amborn 9 years, 2 months ago
    She opposed the thought of a "supernatural being" of any sort.
    Nature and the physical world was her concentration of philosophical study and direction. She stated it emphatically many times.
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  • Posted by Esceptico 9 years, 2 months ago
    In order to evaluate this proposition, you must state which of three definitions of a god given here to which you refer and then provide evidence. Numbers 2 and 3 of the definition here are not valid. Suggest using a standard reference such as Oxford (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/...) for a definition and proceed from there.
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  • Posted by Temlakos 9 years, 2 months ago
    What, then, was her god? You do know she consistently denied belief in God.
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    Posted by Technocracy 9 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    What argument?

    Stating an opinion with nothing beyond a dictionary definition is not an argument. It is a simple statement.
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  • Posted by random 9 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    So you're saying that just as religious people have faith in "god" and work through whatever he might tell them, Objectivists accept the rules of reality (which means rejecting faith and mysticism) and work according to them?
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  • Posted by ut91t05 9 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    1 or the personification of some force
    I'd say reality is a pretty strong force
    I'd say the laws of nature are a pretty strong force
    I'd say the freewill of the human mind is a pretty strong force
    I'd say that #3 in no way requires the belief of supernatural beings
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  • Posted by ut91t05 9 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Not in the way people I talk with equate Deism. They seem to define it as the belief in a supreme being that created the universe and then has remained indifferent to it. I am saying that God is reality but needs no further defining or explanation.
    Steven Hawking has stated that God is not necessary for the universe to exist and stated that he is in search of the information to answer how and why it exists, maybe God is simply that information, maybe God is simply an idea, maybe God is nature, maybe God is the God of the Bible, Koran, etc., maybe God is you, but trying to define God or deny God as existing only hinders your ability have authority over yourself, exercise freewill, or deal without prejudice with others.
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  • Posted by ut91t05 9 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Saying I'm wrong is polite and not offensive. Saying the argument is silly, not so polite without you elaborating what makes it silly, but still not offensive.
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    Posted by Mamaemma 9 years, 2 months ago
    I can't think of a polite way to say this. You are wrong, and your argument is silly.
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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 9 years, 2 months ago
    By which of the three definitions are saying she believed in god? She didn't believe in #1. So that means she couldn't believe in #2, i.e. a representation of #1.
    #3 is depends on a value judgement of "excessive". So if you think I watch too much Star Trek, then Star Trek would be my "god" by your reckoning. That doesn't mean I believe in supernatural beings.
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  • 11
    Posted by Zenphamy 9 years, 2 months ago
    More of this 'stuff'. Ayn Rand 'did not' accept any authority over her life and body. She owned herself, proudly so, without apology or excuse.

    A is A, Existence exists.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    but old habits such as being afraid of the dark take centuries to correct. If it comforts people no problem when it interferes with the first amendment different story.

    We all want to know which party the candidate judge or sheriff belongs to in these so called non partisan races. but once we know it we know all we need to know. the rest is immaterial and irrelevant.

    the dark by the way is too be found way over to the left and you should be afraid. they believe in no religion at all. The last time they got in charge we had gas chambers and furnaces...
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  • Posted by ut91t05 9 years, 2 months ago in reply to this comment.
    That's the point. It makes sense to define god as you stated "the way I do." Ayn subjected herself to reality and there was no need for an explanation of religious beliefs to define God. It works perfectly in objectivism, the constitution, individual liberties, etc.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years, 2 months ago
    You can't find anything that fits the first part except full blown subjectivism. It has nothing to do with Rand and her beliefs HOWEVER as an objectivist I've often said, Thank God for Ayn Rand...Doesn't make sense...Sure does if you define God the way I do, And for me that's the only opinion that counts.

    Thus I fulfill the three laws...

    ...as have you.
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  • Posted by ut91t05 9 years, 2 months ago
    She didn't believe in the God of the bible but her own words fit the definition of a god.

    Reality — that which exists — has no alternatives, no competitors, nothing “transcending” it.
    from: aynrand.org/ideas/philosophy#metaphys...

    Replace the word reality with God and you have from the definition "the personification of some force" and "any person or thing to which excess attention is given."
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