Kristopher S. Pierce: Christians should be wary of Rand, libertarianism
Have we, as Americans, made liberty into a god? I think many have. And this is why Christians should be discerning when it comes to libertarianism on the left and right. With the Tea Party movement came a number of young conservative politicians who spoke approvingly of the godless philosophy of Ayn Rand, and who seemed not to understand the differences between libertarianism and traditional conservatism.
Traditional conservatism sees a role for government as a promoter of the common good and recognizes that government has a God-ordained calling to punish evil. Traditional conservatism also sees environmental conservation as an important responsibility for us all – as individuals, businesses and government. Those who look to Ayn Rand, and libertarianism, for answers to today's problems are looking in the wrong place.
We should be thankful for the liberty we enjoy as Americans, but we should recognize that responsibilities come with that liberty. Liberty cannot thrive among a citizenry that takes a laizze faire approach to personal ethics and that rejects the importance of having a common ethical understanding as the basis for our laws.
Kristopher S. Pierce, Turlock
This story was originally published June 23, 2015 at 10:57 AM with the headline "Kristopher S. Pierce: Christians should be wary of Rand, libertarianism."