Glenn Beck Backtracks After Seeing AVN “Rand vs Jesus” Ad
June 13, 2011By: Eric Sapp
Perhaps the cold spell we’re experiencing in DC originated from a realm much farther down beneath the earth that just froze over today. Glenn Beck just changed his mind on Ayn Rand! This was Beck back in June 2010: “Ayn Rand, you’ve got to love Ayn Rand. She’s great.” And this was Glenn Beck Monday, June 13: “I think Ayn Rand… because she hated religion so much — became a bigot.” He also agreed with his guest who said, “the problem with Ayn Rand, what bothers me… she becomes self centered. She becomes selfish.”
So why the change in heart… or at least in tone? Beck had just watched and was talking about AVN’s “Rand & GOP vs. Jesus” ad that has been getting so much buzz and over 70K views on YouTube last week alone!
And lest you were so shocked by Glenn Beck’s about-face on Rand that you missed the implications of what he said — the political philosopher he is calling a bigot is the same one whose “morality” and “thinking” Rep. Paul Ryan said we need so much more of and the author of the book Sen. Ron Johnson said is his political “foundation.” Do you see why I’ve been saying this could be a game changer?
Lest folks get too excited (or worried) by all this agreement from Glenn Beck with our position, he’s only taking baby steps and hasn’t come fully around. He went on to bash AVN for being liberal and supporting social justice and called us a bunch of other names. And instead of following Conservative Christian icon Chuck Colson’s advice and telling Christian listeners to “stay away” from fans and supporters of Ayn Rand, Beck concluded by warning his listeners not to be taken in by our slick ploys: “They are trying to separate us from each other. Don’t be fooled!” “United we stand, divided we fall.”
So true! United they stand, and divided — with their Christian base’s eyes open to how much they actually disagree with the Tea Party folks GOP leaders are asking them to follow and march beside — they will fall. There are obvious political implications to all of this, and one would think that if Ralph Reed is dedicating an entire conference to covering up divides between the Tea Party and Christian Right, Democrats and Progressives might want to look at why that is. When Tony Perkins urges conservatives to stop “endless squabbling over priorities” and Haley Barbour “implores social conservatives to unite behind the eventual nominee instead of splintering or staying at home,” don’t you think we should be paying attention to this divide they are trying to mend (thanks to Amy Sullivan’s great Twitter feed @SullivanAmy from Ralph Reed’s “Faith and Freedom” Convention for both those quotes)?
But there is another and more important reason to highlight this hypocrisy, which is why AVN took on this issue. The debate around Ayn Rand directly addresses the question of where we are headed as a country and the kind of America we want our kids to grow up in. As a Christian, I think this conversation will lead to a more honest, open, and effective discourse about how we apply faith in the public square. And with that, a better Christian witness that is truer to Christ. But whether someone is part of the Judeo-Christian tradition or not, whether they have faith or not, I think the vast majority of us will agree that Rand’s vision of America where selfishness is the greatest virtue and compassion and love of neighbor are some of the worst evils… this is not the America we want.
In the Bible, we’re taught to look at the “fruits” of a person’s action to decide whether they are to be trusted or not. For many, it’s obvious that the fruits of the Ryan budget are rotten. But what our ad highlights is that it is not just the fruits of the Ryan budget but also its roots that are bad. Ryan’s political inspiration was a deeply troubled and shriveled soul who taught a political philosophy anathema to so much that has made America great and what we aspire to become as a nation. To some voters, they will recognize this by seeing the fruits of her teaching when it serves as the basis for policy. But to others, especially moderates and many in the GOP Christian base, it’ll take them seeing that the “roots” are bad to open their eyes to the problem with the rest. That is why this ad is getting so much attention and why the Right is so worried about this issue. And it’s why we need to get this ad up on TV!
Cross posted from the Huffington Post
You just completely took what Beck said out of context. Beck was explaining her perspective. But I know you know that but to spout some religious “holier than thou” while you knowingly take someone out of context, that is evil.
This article is even MORE a piece of disinformation than the original articles “Rand vs. Christ” – these people, such as Beck, are not “followers of Ayn Rand” – and Beck (if you had bothered to listen just to the segment in which he discussed that little ad) did not reverse course, any more than he wholeheartedly endorsed her the way the original article claimed.
As a New Testament christian, I have long seen the points in which Rand’s philosophy conflicts with Christianity, but have still seen how her ideas can be used by followers of Christ Jesus to help in the fight against evil. Especially the kind of twisted evil that your own brand of “Christianity” is. Unless a person owns themselves, they are incapable of surrendering themselves to Christ, but you teach, in so many words, that humans belong first and foremost to the state, and that God commands this! Speaking of fruits, as this article does, what are the fruits of government? Death, abuse, hatred, poverty, and more all result from government which seeks, sooner or later, to either place itself between individuals and God, or to replace God!
People who have read Rand and watch Beck see through this.
Just came across the video, website, & blog. As a life-long Christian, I’m glad that there is a group taking up this issue. While Mr. Sandhills is correct in saying that (I’m paraphrasing here) we must come to Christ as individuals, this is not in keeping with Rand’s philosophy. Being Christian is about being a member of the body of Christ–the community of those have have accepted Him and try to live by his teachings. Rand’s beliefs are based upon a radical & extreme individualism that is not supported by the gospels. Rand is about the worship of self, not God, and the self is probably one of the most destructive of idols.
Make no mistake, I’m no fan of government in general nor ours in specific (and for the record, I distrust most politicians of both parties). However, if we our struggle to live by Christ’s teaching that what we do to the least of us we do to Him, we cannot negate the role of collective action, which in our society translates to republican (small ‘r’) democracy. Our government is deeply flawed, but there exists no other institution to stand against the greed (a mortal sin!) of big business corporatism. To the extent that our elected leaders support the corporate world, I agree that “death, abuse, and poverty”; the root of the problem, though, is the a-moral, a-religious world of business. Why does it surprise people that an atheist like Rand is worshiped (I use the word intentionally) by capitalists and their supporters? What is necessary is to restore a governments “of the people, by the people, and FOR the people,” not eliminate it & thereby allow the corporate world to inflict more pain and suffering.
How I got to this Blog is sheer and unadulterated happenstance! I am a Trued Believer in Christian Fundamentalism even though I believe in GOD, GODDESS, and Their Sons and Daughters who are Gods and Goddesses in their own Dimension of Space and also I believe in Manliness and Womanhood. Thusly said, I shall attempt a Visceral Explanation as to Why I believe the Way I Do.
My Passing Days of rooting here and digging over there for bits and pieces of information did enthrall My Heartfelt Soul! I don’t remember exactly when but it may have been 10 or 15 years ago that I ran across a website by a Robert Oldershaw regarding “Fractal Cosmology” which is a newly formed Science regarding Universes within Universes ad Infinitum. I, for the intentions which will become clearer, will only tell you about Two Dimensions of Fractal Cosmologic Relativity.
1. Our Celestial Universe and 2. All Life Form’s Cellular Based Universes we simply call cells.
If GOD does have a Real Body, then assuredly this Universe we find ourselves being a part of is it! And as to His Sons and daughters, the Gods and Goddesses, they are all alive living deeply within all Life Form’s Cellular sized Universes. If this is a Truism then what does it mean for Manliness and Womanhood as we are but Vessels of Containment for the welfare of the Gods and Goddesses?
Where will we when we die or cease to function within the Framed Workings of the Celestial; pour out one’s soul to? As Beings of Humane Omnivores eating away all manner of Otherly Life, will we be judged for this Consuming Altruism or will we cease to exist and nevermore Be?
I do not believe GOD or the Gods that infill us are imbecilic enough to just cast our souls into a furnace without Judgment befalling us! I do Wholeheartedly Believe that when we die, we are cast inwardly into the Cavernous depths of Inner Space wherein we do reach the throngs of The Gods and Goddesses who reside therein the Celled Universes and there be adjudicated in our worthiness and rewarded due our endowed and befitting capabilities before we died and came down from the Celestial imbruing of generations Lost in the Infirmities of Mentally Being Grown.
For is it not written that a Day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is but a Day?
To GOD, the Universe only a day or two has past but we have lived thousands or even millions of years upon this Celestial embankment and thousands perhaps millions or even billions of years have passed within the Framed Works of Our Life Form’s Cellular Universes.
“Yes, I am a Sinner and I do and will continue to Ask of GOD Almighty to forgive me of My Sinfulness. I make no Claim on what I write about for without the Guidance of the Unknown by me God who does nourish my mindset Ways I am lost in the Word!”
I shall close this writing with a Prayer.
Our Fathers who Art within the heavens of Heaven; Hallowed be Their Names. Their Kingdoms Come and Their Wills be done Upon this Earth as is within their heavens. Give to Our Thoughts our daily Bread and Forgive us Our Sins as we forgive those who sinned against us and lead all naught into Temptation, but Deliver us all from Evil for GOD is the Power and the Glory Forever and Ever, Amen.
I love what you’re doing and have used your video clip on Ayn Rand to underscore the philosophical conflict that I’ve been observing among many American Christians for almost thirty years now. Here’s a link to the blog piece that I wrote this morning, which contains the clip: http://debutopia.blogspot.com/2011/10/ayn-rand-occupies-chicago.html
Glenn Beck is weak. He belongs with the other weaklings on Jesus’ side.
There are obvious political implications to all of this, and one would think that if Ralph Reed is dedicating an entire conference to covering up divides between the Tea Party and Christian Right, Democrats and Progressives might want to look at why that is.Thanks for the post..I really appreciate this..gum disease