In a recent article entitled “Religion and Libertarianism”, posted on LewRockwell.com, Walter Block discusses religion and the libertarian movement and in particular the effect of Ayn Rand’s atheism. He feels that Rand’s belief that religion and liberty do not mix was incorrect. The article offers the axiom “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” as a better approach. In this case the argument that organized religion is the enemy of the State and therefore is a friend of the Libertarian effort. He uses the Soviet Union and China as an example of the antagonism between the Church and the State in modern times but quickly dismisses all other examples of a close relationship between the Church and State as a “nevermind.” You may read the article here:
HYPERLINK "http://www.lewrockwell.com/block/block103.html" http://www.lewrockwell.com/block/block103.html
I disagree with Dr. Block’s analysis; he has demonstrated an instance where the State was the enemy of the Church, but not the other way around. I would propose that a review of the last several hundred years of Western history would show a general partnership. And in the last one hundred years the greater lesson has been the inseparability of the Church and State. As written about by Mises and Rothbard, the early Progressive movement was a product of religious elements using Government to achieve their ends. Today, both Presidential candidates vie to appear the friendliest to religious organizations by expanding funding to social programs through faith-based groups.
The article also lays the responsibility for the 200 million killed during the 20th century’s wars and revolutions solely at the foot of the State. I would suggest that we look at the tens of millions killed and maimed by Western Governments during the 20th century’s wars and ask, “How many of these wars were opposed by the Church?” Walk the military graveyards of Europe and ask those buried there if they heard the leaders of their respective Churches renounce war and the killing of their fellow humans.
In his book “Killing Hope”, William Blum, describes over fifty interventions by the US military and CIA since WWII. I again ask, “How many leaders of the major religions stood up against these acts?” Who stood to renounce Korea, or Vietnam, or Somalia or any of the rest? My list shows only a few lone individuals and clergy who ever raised their voices.
Most currently there is the Iraq War or more precisely the American War upon Iraq. A war marked by hundreds of thousands of casualties, millions of refugees and justified by the most specious of reasoning. Again, what has been the response of the world’s religious leaders to this catastrophe – anything but denunciation! Perhaps the most poignant image I have is the Pope’s recent warm welcome and glowing praise for the architect of this carnage – President George III. If there was ever a clearer picture of the marriage of Crown and Sepulture I have not seen it.
In today’s world Government and Religious institutes both suffer the same failure. They no longer serve the individual but themselves. They both are concerned with creating power for themselves at the expense of the individual. For both organizations, individual liberty and reason are viewed as a threat. Until both Government and the Churches are returned to a limited form, constrained to serving the individual, Liberty cannot be regained. Until both Government and the Church denounce coercion and fear as their tools, there cannot be Freedom.