Ayn Rand: Conservative Favorite, Atheist Best Friend

The last couple of days I have been researching conservative theories on conflict, economies, and war. I came across a book written by Ayn Rand which comments on statism. Rand wrote in a section of her book about how communism/socialism and peace movements are parts of "statist" ideology. She went on to say that peace movements only fight to stop war where the participants on one side have weapons while the othe side sees the worst of genocide. In her analysis of peace movements she assumes that such movements allow for dictatorships.
In my participation within peace movements, most if not all of the participants want justice. War is not fair, nor just. The weak almost entirely die or are targeted at some point, even with our so-called "smart weapons." As a Christian society in America we jump sometimes at the thought of taking out terrorists, a euphemism often used to describe people who disagree with American policymakers. The word terrorist has been used to describe countless figure in the last ten years and has nearly lost its true meaning, but that is not the point of this essay. As Christians we need to look at the gospels to see what Jesus thought of war. In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus commented on acts of violence while he was about to be arrested. Jesus said, "Put your sword back in its place..."for all who draw the sword will die by the sword." Jesus doesn't seem to literally say that we will die because w lift the sword in body; he is talking about our spirit. A part of us dies whenever we cause violence on another. Our souls are stricken when we support policies that murder, kill, and even take the lives of criminals.
Let us remember the last act that God revealed for us on Earth. While dying on the cross Jesus forgave the men who had committed crimes. Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." A great example for all to forgive others for their sins.
As a major influence in philosophy Rand has presented a conservative dialogue on how economic systems should forget about the lower classes of people because in her ideology it takes away from individualism. She is pro-low taxes on the rich, anti-government with regard to social programs, and atheist in nature. She believes that religion irrational, something most conservatives who follow her ideology never mention. At best, her books present a philosophy of hatred for the underclass, something to resent from the middle and upper classes. Jesus teaches us to love our brother, but Rand would argue he wasn't even God.
As we move into another year where politicians will debate social and economic theories and proposals, if you hear any arguments that mention Ayn Rand, realize her theory of economic development is much like her theory on religion. It's ludicrous, selfish, and utterly despicable.

Love, love, love, crazy love.