Paul Ryan's Budget Inspired by Ayn Rand, Not Jesus Christ

Simply put, this letter is absurd. I recently graduated from Georgetown University, and I know some of the academics that signed this letter. I have stood in or taken some of their classes, and of all the names I recognized I can tell you this: within the first ten minutes of my class I knew that the professors where liberal, atheists, and they all had an equal hatred of former President George W. Bush. In almost every class, these three aspects had nothing to do with the class. So what’s my point? Georgetown academics are using Catholic tenants (which they don’t believe in) to mask their secular bias. The exception being Jesuit priests, and some, notably Father Thomas J. Reese considers Rep. Ryan’s point of view as non-Biblical, or rather non-Catholic. Is there a difference? Yes.

If this “holy” list of Georgetown academics were at their core truly concerned about Catholic tenants than they would welcome Rep. Ryan as a champion of Catholicism because Rep. Ryan is firmly aligned with the Pope on the topic of abortion when our Georgetown academics are not. Did they send President Obama a letter regarding his position on abortion? Over one million unborn babies are murdered every year in this country, but the fact that Rep. Ryan wants to stop this inhumane practice to show love and compassion – Catholic Principles – is of no matter to our “Georgetown Academics”. Did these same academics send a letter to Georgetown University when a certain Georgetown University student testified before this nation’s senior levels of government regarding why contraception should be made free and accessible to all? Were they not outraged that Georgetown’s name was dragged through the mud because its Catholic principles firmly stand against contraception? Or did the university’s president stand up and defend this anti-Catholic viewpoint? I’m sorry, but Christian free-will does not give us the ability to do as we may, but it should embolden us to do as we ought. Hippocrates.

I believe that Christians can make both arguments on the responsibility of taking care of the world’s sick, wounded, and hungry. Some would say that Jesus Christ fed the hungry and healed the sick, and others would say that through the teachings of Jesus Christ, namely the parables, one could gather that it would be better to teach a man to fish, thus providing for his family, than to simply hand him a fish. Despite what some would say the Bible says Jesus Christ did both. Is it the responsibility of the government to carry out either one of these viewpoints, or is it the responsibility of the church and of citizens? Democrats and Republicans both want to help the needy, but one side wants to create dependency and the other side wants to create educated work. If every church-going Christian would tithe then there would be no hunger in this world, but sin we are sinful and do not step up to the plate we should expect our secular government to take the place of the Church?

Father Reese was quoted saying, “I am afraid that Chairman Ryan’s budget reflects the values of his favorite philosopher Ayn Rand rather than the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Thank you Father Reese for your eloquent and judgmental quote, and might I add that some of your viewpoints are also outside of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To come to the conclusion that Rep. Ryan, a devout Christian, does not comprehend what it means to have compassion and love simply shows society your ignorance and intolerant mind. Rep. Ryan is a faithful husband, and a loving father. To say that his views are not Christian in nature because they are not aligned with yours is wrong. Not because there is disagreement, but because you believe that you are representing the Church. If there would be only one priest that would disagree with Father Reese than logically my point is valid. Father Reese, you are not the final word on the Church. The Church is comprised of every believer. If Georgetown University was so consumed with its Catholic principles then it would appoint a Jesuit as the President of Georgetown University – a private university. The Jesuits would re-claim their institution instead of being marginalized on our campus. There is a reason why clergy are supposed to refrain from politics, and this is why.

ATA of DC 4:00PM August 14, 2012