Posted on 05/04/2007 8:03:11 AM PDT by Labyrinthos
That's the thing about Rand. She was a polemicist, not a novelist, and her characters rarely speak without speechifying. If you agree with her politics and philosophy, the books are a revelation; if not, they're painful.
Hubbard wrote Battlefield Earth nearly 30 years after founding ScientologyTM. If you know the history of the cult, particularly their opposition to psychiatry, it's easy to spot a number of veiled references.
For example, the alien Psychlos have a class of scientist named "catrists." They messed with the brains of the Psychlos to hinder their intellectual development. "Psychlo catrists" = "psychiatrists"; get it? (Ha ha, good one Ron!)
Admittedly, the ScientologyTM allusions in Battlefield Earth are nothing like the ones in the execrable Mission Earth series, which just screams out "true confessions."
Scientologists
Thanks. It doesn’t seem odd from the inside, though...
“The novel “Battlefield Earth”, has nothing to do what so ever with the church and it’s beliefs, nothing at all.”
Not strictly true. The Psychlo’s “catrists” are clearly a shot at psychiatrists, whom ol’ Ron already had a problem with (probably because they thought he was nuts), and opposition to the field of psychiatry is a central tenet of Scientology.
“I watched the move made adapted from the book and it was a very good movie.”
Oops, I missed this part of your post. Are you nuts?
I happen to like it too. Hubbard sends everyone up. t is hilarious.
“I’m a Christian and liked “Atlas Shrugged” as well.”
Count me in that boat as well...as one could probably buess by the screen name.
Rand was a strong pro-capitalist and thats great.
HOWEVER,she was also an atheist as are Marxists.Both thus are believers in materialism and worship this ultimately false and unsatisfying god.
Also,I don’t totally endorse the whole”virtues of selfishness”philosophy she extolled.Kindness and compassion are Christian tenets that separate us from lower life forms.And,NO,I’m not in favor of big government giveaways,just charitable acts on a church and individual level.
The again,like the Stalinists of Russia from which she fled,Rand is very hostile to Christianity.
Rand was not a materialist and attacked the Soviets, on a regular basis, as not being pro-reason despite the Communists constant claims that theirs was a "scientific and rational" philosophy because of their materialism.
Selfishness, as defined by Rand as "rational selfishness" was not opposed to kindess and compassion. She was opposed to others having a right to force one to be compassionate, as in compulsory charity. Nobody in their right mind believes that people shouldn't be kind and compassionate. Rational selfishness is the idea that one needs to live their lives for themselves and for their highest values (family, community, or whatever one loves) without interference from others, especially government. It is not license to screw people over with immunity or even undue rudeness and it is not very different from what the founders of the United States wanted...Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Whatever your personal happiness entails is your business provided you aren't impeding on someone else's equal right to the same and it is not wrong to pursue it.
What you said made a lot of sense.I think many of Rand’s disciples misread what she meant as much as her enemies distort her.
I did love Atlas Shrugged as a novel
that’s fine that you are not impressed but citing the spin of ET as your support is not very fair. Have you really looked into how Romney handled the fiscal responsibilities of Mass. Did he raise taxes or hold onto his conservative principles?
Who are you to determine which source I use and how many? You assume wrongly that I have only followed ET.
Who said this source or that is fair? A source is a source... a thing. Open up a newspaper that has an article about Romney and you will find positive and negative points written the majority of the time. Are the reporters being fair if they tell the truth?
I never tried to tell you what source to use but only pointed out the bias I see in ET. I think you are a bit sensitive and have gone along with some bad info. about a good man. You didn’t bother to answer any of my questions?
I don’t really find Romney to be a reliable candidate.
He supports the line item veto issue. Has he forgotten that the Court already ruled against it?
He fumbled, big time, when he tried to pretend he is a life-long hunter.
If he can’t get very far without making mistakes like those above, I won’t give him a second glance.
I think that you nailed it exactly.
battlefield earth has nothing to do with scientology.
its a really good sci fi book.
but favorite novel?
hmmmm.
i guess he hasnt read “Dune”
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