In the United States, we are a government of laws, not of men. But, it’s men that create our laws. The morality or immorality of our laws comes from the men that create them. One has to wonder just where the moral compass is located among those in a party that makes claims that this is a Christian Nation, or at the least, is guided by Christian faith. When Paul Ryan claims that an atheist author that believes that a woman’s right to choose, is his guiding mentor for his entire career in politics, and then votes repeatedly, to restrict a woman’s individual right to choose what is in HER best interests, even after being raped, by claiming that his religious convictions demand it, questions come up. Ayn Rand would reject that thinking. After proclaiming his abject devotion to Rand’s objectivist philosophy, and requiring his own interns to read Atlas Shrugged, he’s asked about the incongruity of his positions and obvious cherry-picking of her philosophy. Rand was totally consistent in her views, and her atheism and philosophy of self-interest is the unmistakable theme. Rational Self-Interest IS the philosophy. Ryan is adamantly opposed to anything that resembles “socialism”. When confronted by Catholic Bishops and Nuns that inform him that his economic plans are completely anti-Christian, Ryan then tells us "No No" that his real guiding light is St. Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas? In the words of St. Thomas Aquinas, "Man should not consider his material possessions his own, but as common to all, so as to share them without hesitation when others are in need." ~ Thomas Aquinas It appears that St. Thomas Aquinas was quite the socialist. Perhaps even a communist. Ryan is a devoted Catholic? What part of this recognized Saint in the Catholic Church does Ryan deny? Saints, broadly speaking, are those who follow Jesus Christ and live their lives according to his teaching. The word "saint" literally means "holy," and, in the New Testament, "saint" referred to all who believed in Jesus Christ and followed his teachings. Canonized saints can be venerated anywhere and prayed to publicly, and their lives are held up to Christians still struggling here on earth as examples to be imitated. How does Paul Ryan pray to a Saint whose example he rejects? Paul Ryan claims to have rejected Ayn Rand’s atheism. He claims that when he found out later in life that her philosophy was an "atheist philosophy" he rejected her in favor of St. Thomas Aquinas. Ayn Rand's philosophy is rooted in the concept of strident individualism. She wrote a book titled The Virtue of Selfishness in which she claims that any thought of self-sacrifice was abhorrent and should be purged from our being. Self-Interest was at the core of everything she was about. She addressed it in every page of dialogue in her books. "If any civilization is to survive, it is the morality of altruism men have to reject." ~ Ayn Rand. Ryan claims to be a Catholic, and as a solid Catholic I'm sure he accepts the fact of the canonization of Aquinas. He certainly claims to follow his teachings. He named Aquinas specifically as his inspiration. Catholics pray to Saints. Aquinas is high on Ryan’s list of all-time great Saints. I would like for Paul Ryan to square this position with the Tea Party and the conservatives that have every right to think that this is contrary to what they've been led to believe about him. It appears that he's literally hosing them for political gain. To go from Ayn Rand to St. Thomas Aquinas is quite a shift in position. So...Mr. Ryan, I don't think you can cherry pick what you like about a Saint and what you don't and still claim to be a Catholic. You claim to accept the teachings of a designated Saint of your own church. You either accept the teachings of Aquinas as you claim, including the quote above....OR you don't. If you don’t, then obviously you are rejecting the example of the Saint you claim to draw your inspiration from. If you do, then you are accepting the teachings of altruism that is poison to Rand’s philosophy and is likely to upset the Tea Party conservatives that support that view. So where exactly do you stand, with Rand or with Aquinas? If it's Rand, it's unbridled Self-interest she calls, “A Virtue of Selfishness”. If it's Aquinas, it’s Self-sacrificing altruism as taught by your faith. We just want to know where you stand...today?
Nobody takes Ryan seriously. He's a sleazy pol that talks out of his ass and panders to the worst elements in society. And he's already a has-been.
