Walter Hudson’s Guide For Making Peace Between Christians and Objectivists
May 9, 2013 at 2:22 am | Posted in Pajamas Media | Leave a commentTags: atheism, ayn rand, Christianity, Ethical Monotheism, God, Judeo-Christian, objectivism, religion, Sacred, Secular, Walter Hudson
by Walter Hudson – PJ Media – May 9, 2013
Editor’s Note:
In the coming years my friend Walter Hudson is going to emerge as one of his generation’s most effective, engaging voices fighting on behalf of freedom and American values. It’s been a great joy to work with Walter and see him continue to explore a variety of different subjects and styles. He’s proven himself as one of my most reliable regular writers, turning in polished, well-thought pieces each week that challenge and entertain. I’m convinced that someday everyone else will come to the conclusion that I have: he’s his generation’s equivalent of Dennis Prager — a welcoming, accessible, but still challenging, honest voice, capable of changing hearts and minds simultaneously. And he’s a Tea Party activist out in the grassroots doing work in his own state and community.
Continue Reading Walter Hudson’s Guide For Making Peace Between Christians and Objectivists…
The Anti-Gospel of Bioshock Infinite
April 18, 2013 at 11:53 pm | Posted in Pajamas Media | Leave a commentTags: American Exceptionalism, ayn rand, Bioshock Infinite, Christianity, Gospel, objectivism, tea party, video games
by Walter Hudson – PJ Media – April 18, 2013
Spoiler Warning: Bioshock Infinite cannot be properly analyzed without revealing the details of its plot. If you plan to play it, or haven’t finished it, consider whether you wish to read further.
This may seem an odd way to start an analysis of a video game. But bear with me.
I was not always a Christian. There was a period of my life during which I searched for truth, trying to discern medicine from snake oil. One of the most compelling observations which led to the development of my Christian faith was the unique economy of sin presented in the Bible.
A Reason for Faith: Onward Christian Egoist
March 4, 2013 at 2:11 pm | Posted in Pajamas Media | Leave a commentTags: ayn rand, Christianity, Ego, Egoism, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Objectivist, Prohibition, religion, Selfishness
by Walter Hudson – PJ Media – February 28, 2013
Previous articles in this series:
- 5 Common Accusations Leveled at Christianity
- A Reason for Faith: Christianity on Trial
- A Reason for Faith: 6 Fatal Misconceptions
When Abraham Lincoln needed to rally the nation toward unity, he referenced Matthew 12:25:
But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand…”
That principle proves timeless. Divide and conquer remains an effective tactic. Perhaps that informs the many writers on the Left who have strived to drive a wedge between followers of Jesus Christ and adherents to the philosophy of Ayn Rand.
A Reason for Faith: 6 Fatal Misconceptions
February 24, 2013 at 5:20 am | Posted in NewsRealBlog | Leave a commentTags: Altruism, Andrew Bernstein, atheism, ayn rand, Christianity, Craig Biddle, Dinesh D’Souza, Egoism, Jesus Christ, objectivism, Reason, religion, Selfishness, The Virtue of Selfishness, Yaron Brook
by Walter Hudson – PJ Media – February 21, 2013
Previous articles in this series:
The title of the talk, “Capitalism: The Only Moral Social System,” was irresistible to a newborn activist bred from the Tea Party. As a lifelong conservative, I had always felt as though capitalism was morally superior to any alternative, but had not encountered a claim as bold as this. The speaker was Craig Biddle, editor of The Objective Standard. His thesis was not that capitalism was the best social system, or the most efficient, or the most tolerable among acceptable choices. His claim was that capitalism is the one true good, the only way to go, and that any other system proves profoundly bad.
Biddle’s argument was compelling, built upon observation of reality and application of reason. He took us through the mind’s eye to a far flung island where we were marooned alone without a single piece of technology. He asked us how such a castaway would survive. What would have to be done? Through what means would it be done? What could prevent it?
A Reason for Faith: Christianity on Trial
February 14, 2013 at 4:52 pm | Posted in Pajamas Media | Leave a commentTags: Andrew Bernstein, Christianity, Debate, Dinesh D’Souza, Eternity, Existence, God, morality, objectivism, Philosophy, Right, Wrong
by Walter Hudson – PJ Media – February 14, 2013
Last Week’s article: 5 Common Accusations Leveled at Christianity
Christianity is profoundly bad. So argued philosophy professor Dr. Andrew Bernstein in a recent debate sponsored by The Objective Standard and the University of Texas Objectivism Society. Countering Bernstein was Christian apologist Dinesh D’Souza. They discussed whether Christianity is “good or bad for mankind.”
They spent a majority of their time debating more fundamental philosophical questions. What is the nature of reality? Does God exist? What is the proper source of morality? While many attendees commenting during the livestream chat saw these questions as diversions from the advertised topic, they were actually the crux of the matter. In order to discern whether Christianity is good or bad for mankind, “good” must first be defined.
Read on at PJ Media…
5 Common Accusations Leveled at Christianity
February 7, 2013 at 12:51 pm | Posted in Pajamas Media | Leave a commentTags: Andrew Bernstein, Christianity, Debate, Dinesh D’Souza, morality, objectivism
by Walter Hudson – PJ Media – February 7, 2013
Depending upon who you ask, Christianity either withers under constant assault from a secular humanist conspiracy or flourishes as a virulent social tumor threatening intellectual and moral progress. This Friday, two leading intellectuals will take up the question of whether Christianity is “Good or Bad for Mankind.” From Christian apology, prolific writer, scholar, and filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza will trade arguments with professor of philosophy Dr. Andrew Bernstein. The debate will take place on February 8th at the University of Texas – Austin’s Hogg Auditorium beginning at 7pm CST, sponsored by The Objective Standard and the UT Objectivism Society. It will also be broadcast live over an internet stream.
This intellectual confrontation “is guaranteed to set a new standard on the subject” according to The Objective Standard. That promise will be fulfilled. The arguments offered will differ from previous high-profile debates regarding Christian morality. While atheists whom D’Souza has engaged before have come from a position of skepticism or secular moral relativism, Bernstein’s body of work previews a fresh approach.
Believing in Christmas from Santa to Christ
December 25, 2012 at 2:55 pm | Posted in Pajamas Media | Leave a commentTags: atheism, Belief, Christianity, Christmas, God, Jesus Christ, Santa Claus, Skepticism
by Walter Hudson – PJ Media – December 25, 2012
I lost the argument with my wife. Should we encourage our children’s faith in Santa Claus? I was concerned that doing so might later undermine both our credibility as parents and our children’s belief in God.
It may not be a conversation that most couples have. Then again, must couples don’t include a former Jehovah’s Witness who was raised without holidays. As a child, I absorbed the cold hard truth dispensed from my parents. There was no Santa Claus. Other children’s parents cruelly lied to them. The privilege of knowing the truth served as consolation for receiving no presents.
Though I’ve long since rejected Jehovah’s Witness beliefs, my parents’ reasoning regarding the Santa fantasy lingered. Is there value in believing in something which is not true?
Deist “Doonesbury” Snipes God on Christmas Day
December 28, 2010 at 11:00 am | Posted in NewsRealBlog | 1 CommentTags: atheism, Christianity, Christmas, Deism, Doonesbury, Garry Trudeau, God, NewsReal Blog, The Concession Stand, Theism
by Walter Hudson, contributed to NewsReal Blog
Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau offered readers an odd Christmas Day sentiment, prompting NewsBusters to accuse him of hating God.
A female social worker is chatting with a female soldier and asking her if she gets support out in the field. They have this exchange:
SOLDIER: Yes, ma’am, I talk to our chaplain.
SOCIAL WORKER: Good. A chaplain can be a good resource.
SOLDIER: Mine yells at God a lot.
SOCIAL WORKER: He deserves it. In my extremely humble opinion
Whether Trudeau is an avowed atheist is not immediately apparent. Regardless, he references a common and rhetorically powerful argument used by atheists to advance their position, the problem of evil. A good god would not produce a world with evil in it. This argument is fascinating because it moves from an attack upon the existence of God to an attack upon the person of God. In this way, it demonstrates that some avowed atheists are not atheistic at all.
The Religious Legacy of “Tron”
December 18, 2010 at 9:30 pm | Posted in NewsRealBlog | Leave a commentTags: Christianity, Deism, Ecumenicalism, Hollywood, Jeff Bridges, Judaism, New Age, NewsReal Blog, religion, The Concession Stand, Tron, Tron: Legacy
by Walter Hudson, contributed to NewsReal Blog
Featuring computer graphics which where state-of-the-art in 1982, Disney’s Tron became a cult classic among science fiction fans. While the film has not aged well, its high-concept has contributed to its endurance.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Tron was its role as religious allegory. The film depicted a computer-generated world where programs were created in the image of their human users. Those users were thus viewed as deities from the programs’ perspective. The villains in the film were aberrant programs who sought to wrest control of the system in which they operated. To this end, they propagated the idea that the users did not exist. When programmer Kevin Flynn is pulled into their digital realm, he takes on the role of religious avatar, challenging the programs’ paradigm.
The long-awaited sequel, Tron: Legacy, takes the allegory much further. The Judeo-Christian references are quite bold for a modern Hollywood production. Yet the writers are clearly not attempting to evangelize a particular faith. Quite the contrary, the religious legacy of Tron is an ecumenical mix of various faiths which dispenses with the notion of an all-powerful God. The film suggests that creation is an unpredictable phenomenon which can baffle and surpass its creator. As we consider how this plays out, be warned, there will be spoilers.
“Agenda: Grinding America Down,” NewsReal Interviews Filmmaker Curtis Bowers
December 6, 2010 at 7:00 pm | Posted in NewsRealBlog | Leave a commentTags: Academic Infidels, Agenda: Grinding America Down, Agendas of the Left, Christianity, Communisim, Communist Party USA, education, Group Think, Hollywood, homeschooling, In The Family Way, Judaism, NewsReal Blog, politics, religion, social engineering, Socialism, Tactics of the Left, tea party, The Concession Stand
by Walter Scott Hudson, contributed to NewsReal Blog
Glenn Beck has, with evermore frequency, paused to appreciate the extent to which his beliefs have changed in recent years. He has come to accept the existence of agendas which he would have dismissed as conspiracy theory only a few years ago. His experience has not been unique.
Many concerned citizens, possessed by an instinctive sense that the country is on the wrong track, have sought to understand why. Among them is Curtis Bowers, a former Idaho state representative and auteur of an outstanding new documentary film called Agenda: Grinding America Down.
Produced independently by Bowers and his immediate family, Agenda nonetheless stands toe-to-toe with the best professionally produced films of its type. The production quality is top notch. The content is relevant. Best of all, the information is structured in a rational, topical, and compelling manner.
Bowers shines light upon the communist movement in America, connecting the dots from Karl Marx through the Fabian socialists to ACORN and the Communist Party USA. The result is a scathing exposé the likes of which has driven the Left nuts.
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