Sunday, March 21, 2004

A Slight Disagreement

I’ve been thinking about Rand’s lecture “Faith and Force: The Destroyers of the Modern World." First delivered at Boston College in 1960, the lecture is an excellent discourse in defense of reason and rationality as a means to morality.

I have one slight disagreement with this particular lecture.  I do not think "Faith and Force" are the destroyers.  I think "Irrationally and Force" are the destroyers.

I think faith, standing individually, is innocuous.  Faith cannot harm you unless irrationality and force have replaced reason and rationality in interactions with other individuals.  If individuals claim their faith compels them to force others to conform to a proscribed mode of behavior, it is no longer faith.  It is simply irrationality and force masquerading as faith, with a cudgel in its hand.  Any organized religion which desires to force behavioral change on individuals, because their “faith” tells them to, has descended into moronic madness.  They have given faith over to irrationality and become evil incarnate.

Faith does not require any individual to force their viewpoint on another.  Individuals claiming to preach “faith,” but who in actuality desire to increase their power and influence, do.  And individuals seeking to increase their power and influence, who disguise their designs for power and influence under the veneer of faith, are, I think, the real source of evil in the modern world.  They are encouraging irrationality in place of reason to exercise control.  And though reason would refute there being a “God,” I think that “God,” as Marcus Aurelius wrote, is "pure reason" and faith in that could only be a good thing.  It is being "religious without superstition."

If this battle is to be won, faith is the wrong target.  Aim at irrationality.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/21 at 10:01 AM
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Surprise, Surprise, Surprise

John Kerry and Gomer Pyle.  Separated at birth?

Via LewRockwell.com Blog.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/21 at 06:52 AM
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Here's a Headline That Makes Me Scratch My Head in Wonder

“Saudi Arabia Worried by High Oil Prices."

It must be an image concern.

Via Google News.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/21 at 06:25 AM
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Below the Tax Radar

I’ve mentioned Dave Gross’ experiment in tax resistance previously here. Stopping by Claire Wolfe’s blog this morning, I find she has posted a link to his first annual report. Though he made a bit more money than he expected, so far Gross’ experiment seems to be progressing, in his favor, nicely.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/21 at 06:09 AM
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Sunday Morning Factoid

Have you ever been to a Waffle House? I’ll never forget the first time I wandered into one in the wee hours of the morning while motoring around Ohio.  Don’t ask what I was doing motoring the roads of Ohio in the wee hours of the morning.  As soon as I walked through the door, I was greeted with a “Good Morning” by two or three individual employees.  I like that about Waffle House, and this instant greeting happens in every Waffle House I’ve ever walked into.  Anyway, I enjoy Waffle House and its story.

Last night I heard an interesting story from a friend who works for Coke. The owners of Waffle House signed a contract with Coke, a number of years ago, for eternity.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Waffle House signed a contract to serve Coca Cola products, for eternity.  That’s a long time.

Now, I’m not certain how wise a business decision that is, since I haven’t read the contract, but I admire the owners’ certainty in executing the contract and I enjoy the heck out of their restaurants.  It’s a shame that the closest one to my house is two and a half hours or so away.  Guess I’ll be fixing breakfast myself today.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/21 at 05:30 AM
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