and tonight it's clear to me how a country could secede

"You accept religion emotionally or you were born into it. You do not accept it rationally." -Ayn Rand

No, according to Scripture, you don't.

"For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." -1Corinthians 1:17

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."-1 John 4:1

Ayn Rand was not proclaiming any sort of message from God. She was denying his existence, not just his power and supremacy. In an interview I watched, she talked about the supremacy of man and what a genius she has always been. According to her testimony, she began her life as an Objectivist from the moment she could think at the age of two and a half.

"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ" -Colossians 2:8

I can't view Ayn Rand as some sort of prophet. Though she professes rationality and reason as her God, and I salivate at the thought, I know she is talking about her reason and rationality. It is inherently flawed by consequence of her humanity. Evil, to Ayn Rand, is altruism. You don't help your neighbor for the sake of helping. You help your neighbor by consequence of helping yourself. That's the closest you get to altruism.

As odd as it sounds, I can be very attracted to this idea. I love it until I take on the burden of being my own god and feel far less than adequate at the job. All the while, this is happening:

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." -1 Peter 3:9

I'm just saying, I'd rather see all of my energy and desire to know the answers go toward knowing God and not so much into knowing myself the way Ayn Rand did. There was a sad desperation in her eyes when I watched the interviews. She clearly feels trapped in a world that doesn't get it. I feel that way, too. She wants to be right and do right at all times. I want that, too. She wants it so badly that she has constructed her own right that she proclaims to be the only reasonable way to life. It's hers, and she owns it. She can't fail because its merit and direction is founded within her own being. She can't be wrong. She has constant assurance of herself.

It makes perfect sense that she made her life into a philosophy for all. However, as much as she tried to make it free of holes, it's hard to see how community can really survive in her philosophy. If everyone was an Objectivist, all would be living solely through their rational thought. The odd thing is that each person is also to be driven by his/her passion. Since when is passion an element of rationality? Were the Vulcans passionate creatures? You can't cut emotion out of inherently emotional beings. It's just not truth.

It's easy enough to look at any single element of Ayn Rand's principles behind her philosophy and find weaknesses.

I admire brilliant people, whether they are Christians or non-Christians. We see in the Bible that our spirituality and lives as Christians aren't fueled by our brilliance. Faith came to the salesman and faith came to the rocket scientist. Faith, however, doesn't always come easily.

"Now faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see." -Hebrews 11:1

I remember my mom asking me to memorize that verse when I was very young, and it has always stuck with me. When I think about it, I have to laugh. God knew this would be my hang up. So often I am ashamed of my faith, and I think it sucks. I think it's not enough, and I start to imagine how far that separates me from God and my Christian brothers and sisters. But that's just not true, nor can it ever be.

Of what am I sure I hope for? I am sure that I hope for God to be Truth and Sovereign. I may not always get it, but I always hope for it.

Now, I'm not always certain of what I do not see, but I will fight for that certainty. My soul can't rest until I do.

That's how I see my salvation, and at that, my sanctification. This looks far different from anyone else I see, but that's because I have a far different specific purpose. God is using and will use my restless soul. He won't let this come easily for me, because I can't work toward perfection without it. It's a glorious agony, and I can't wish it away.

(These last three blog titles have been brought to you by Bishop Allen:
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