So clearly Rand was *influenced* by the Bible,
>although that
>influence was negative, in that she felt moved to reject it.
>
>That's all I meant...
I see where you are coming from. I wasn't following if the "negative influence" was how Rand and much of her writings responded to the Bible, or if you meant that in any context her writings would be a negative influence.
While I have misgivings about some of her work and even her personal life, I still feel that her writings had a huge influence on how I look at life and motives.
>Those who dedicate themselves to helping others
>are vampires that feed on the helplessness of those they are trying to help and
>get off on feeling superior and sanctimonious.
She is quite cynical in her thoughts in this area, yet I believe that there are those to which this would apply. I think she is merely declaring the existence of those referenced above. She would believe most of them to be "give a man a fish" people, in order to keep them down and keep them dependent and "keep them voting the way they want". I can't say that there aren't a lot of them around.
>she would have no trouble simply letting the mediocre, uncreative, and incompetant
>simply die.
No she would just not have them rule those that are not.
I oppose her thoughts on Christianity, but not on society. I also think her work shouldn't be taken in a context of broad generalities but in pointing out specific instances of abuse of power and social welfare. Many things are needed for the "good of society". Conversely many things that are proposed as being for the good of society are in fact not.
And most of all, like J. Marie, I love a good dystopian! Makes my cube much more bearable.