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Freethought and Freedom: Jean Meslier and the Catholic Church

Smith explains the role of the Catholic Church in the French government, and how Meslier reconciled his atheism with his role as a priest.

My Libertarianism.org Essay #179 is now up.

Ghs

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Listening to Part One: AR and Altruism raises again how deeply embedded have been Comte's notions right until today. Though nobody could or would, now or ever, absorb and use them in totality (they are so ludicrous and vicious) - still, his 'ideal' remains behind as the ultimate we must aim for, with guilt the cost for ever falling short. I'm fairly certain that Rand applied herself directly against the Comtean version (even if she didn't read all of his spewings), not today's usually diluted remnants of 'acceptable' and reciprocal altruism, and fired back in kind with her own uncompromising radical egoism. His strong poison needed her stronger antidote. The general failure to practise altruism a la Comte, tells of its anti-mind/human premises - but being unable to consistently practise anything as wrong as this never seems to put people fully off (quite the contrary...). Thanks Ghs, you give a really good broad view and insight here.

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The Libertarianism.org podcast of my Essay #56 is now available. Much of this piece discusses my objections to Brennan's portrayal of Ayn Rand's ideas.

http://www.libertarianism.org/media/excursions/instead-review-commentary-libertarianism-what-everyone-needs-know-jason-brennan-0#.f289p2:xWBv

Instead of a Review: A Commentary on Libertarianism: What Everyone Needs to Know, by Jason Brennan, Part 2

Ghs

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Very interesting, George.

I was going to criticize you and Augustine and pals for neglecting the element in the story of the Fall more basic than absence of property, government, and slavery: absence of the need to labor. As I had recalled the story, all goods would have been general goods, like air for us to this day. And of course “common property” is seriously different from that.

But checking the biblical text just now, I see there was a great difference between the nature of the need for labor before and after the Wrong Apple affair, but in the before, it was not zero. It says that God had made a pleasant and food-bearing garden, and he put the man he made into the garden to till it and care for it. In the after, Wotan God said to the man “accursed shall be the ground on your account. With labour you shall win your food from it all the days of your life. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, none but wild plants for you to eat. You shall gain your bread by the sweat of your brow.”

Bastiat rightly said “labor is pain itself.” I’ve got a hand all taped up right now from pulling too many weeds yesterday.

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Freethought and Freedom: Early Christianity and the Modern Libertarian Movement

Does the modern libertarian movement have any significant similarities to the early Christian movement? Smith explores this intriguing possibility.

My Libertarianism.org Essay #184 has been posted.

Ghs

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Who's Jesus?

--Brant

The Latino "Heysuss" will be deported, don't sweat it.

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"every Man has a Property in his own Person"

As my constitutional law professor used to say repeatedly, an assertion is not an argument.

So?

Ghs

Locke asserts the proposition, has no proof.

As your constitutional law professor used to say repeatedly, an assertion is not an argument.

Ghs

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