Tag Archives | religion

Isn’t Capitalism opposed to freedom of religion?

No. Capitalism is the only system that allows freedom of religion, including freedom from it. Or, in the words of James Madison,

“While we assert for ourselves a freedom to embrace, to profess and to observe the religion which we believe to be of a divine origin, we cannot deny an equal freedom to those whose minds have not yet yielded to the evidence which has convinced us.”

Thus, capitalism neither supports nor opposes religion, as long as those religious practices do not violate the rights of others. Or. in the words of Thomas Jefferson, 

“The legitimate powers of government tend to such acts as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.”

126 | religion

What is the relation between religion and socialism?

Religion is hierarchically below than socialism; religion is a complete outlook of the world (it deals with more fundamental issues); socialism (as conventionally used) is concerned with politics/economics. 

Religion — a pre-philosophical outlook — is a perfect philosophical base for socialism. The philosophical essentials of religion are as follows: in metaphysics religion holds to the supernatural and miracles (as opposed to reality and causality), in epistemology religion holds that the means of knowledge is revelation and faith (as opposed to reason and logic), in ethics religion holds to self-sacrifice or altruism (as opposed to self-interest and the pursuit of happiness)

The only result of such a philosophy as religion, is in principle identical to that of Marxist atheists: when carried out in principle it will lead to some form of collectivist, anti-capitalist politics. 

1 | religion

Is America founded upon religion?

Contrary to the religious conservatives (and religious liberals) prattling about the “Biblical foundations” of America, Mr. Jefferson writes in his Autobiography, 

“…an amendment was proposed by inserting the words, ‘Jesus Christ … the holy author of our religion,’ ” which was rejected “by a great majority in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and the Mohammedan, the Hindu, and the Infidel of every denomination.”

And again in a A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, Jefferson writes, “…that our civil rights have no dependence on religious opinions, any more than our opinions in physics and geometry…”

This capitalist attitude to religion is best summarized by Thomas Jefferson who writes,

“Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God, because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of a blind faith.”

0 | history, religion