Ayn Rand and Satanism

By Aerik Vondenburg

It has been over 50 years since Ayn Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged was published, and yet, her influence and popularity of the book, as well as her other works, are more popular than ever.

Ayn Rand was a proponent of egotistical self interest and laissez faire capitalism. Her fans include such right-wing politicians and pundits as Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).

Rand’s philosophy promoted not only narcissistic selfishness, but a right-wing brand of atheism. She wrote in her journal that Christianity was the “kindergarten of communism” and believed that we should “love only those who deserve it.” She disclosed in a 1959 interview with Mike Wallace that she was “against God” and that she did “not approve of religion.” In a 1964 interview in Playboy magazine she said that: “What I am fighting is the idea that charity is a moral duty.” It is this idea that has become the vanguard ideology of the Republican and Libertarian parties.

To the members of the Church of Satan, this would all sound very familiar. That is because these ideas can be found in the writings of its founder, Anton Lavey, and his book, The Satanic Bible.

In his Nine Satanic Statements Lavey declares:

Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence.

Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it instead of love wasted on ingrates.

Satan represents responsibility to the responsible instead of concern for psychic vampires.

…etc.

What Lavey called “psychic vampires,” Rand referred to as “parasites.” In their sociopathic view of humanity, people who did not have the ability to be exemplary uber-beings were not worthy of courtesy or compassion.

Lavey admitted in a 1970 interview with the Washington Post that Ayn Rand was an inspiration for him, and revealed that he gave people: “Ayn Rand with trappings.”

Apparently, Anton Lavey, and perhaps even Satan himself, would agree. The question is: would the conservative evangelical Christians who support the Republican party agree as well?